I know Oscar. It was just a placeholder for you...a drumrool, if you like. LoL
And........., here we go.
Tubes Le' Finale Frontier.
Okay where were we?.
Once again, I've to thank my tube mentor over the course of the last 15 years from the Hong Kong Tube Audio Group c/o. Yahoo, a Mr. Adrian Foo, whom has taught me to think outside the box and venture outwards to tubes which many simply haven't heard, or misunderstand how they should be used, as the reality of the matter is using them in tandem with other brands whether European ones for their delicate nature along side American made ones which offer a bolder, more pronounced presentation that when done correctly?, creates a collective whole that maximizes on one another's strengths, while minimizing their weaknesses - hence a wholistic approach to voicing ones system according to their preferences as it relates to resolution as well as sonic purity.
As far as 12A_7 types go:
(1) the NEC ( Tokyo Japan ) rank as number one in my book, and offer a sound that has no sound at all if you will, as it merely gives you what your preamp or integrated has to offer, yet it is used in tandem with tubes of various sonic differences as a means of emphasizing every little nuance presented in a more natural manner that only few have heard/felt.
(2) Would've to be a pair of Philips Ned. Instituut voor Fysisch Onderzoek 1955 (k6P dX) long welded grey plates, angled D-getter with no crossbar. But as stated earlier on, just how many have heard there, compared to say the more common versions from Heerlen, Holland or Copenhagen Demark?, as their factor sounds are much more important then the name stuck on the boxes/glass would ever indicate.
(3) This honor goes to the Valvo Hamburg 1954-1955 (DX k6X old code) long grey crimped ribbed plate, double mica, foil Strip - angled D-getter, forget about those often overrated Telefunken ECC802S based tubes, this is clearly a giant step above them in regards to refinement - purity and resolution as if an actual human being is not only standing in the room with you..........., but she's standing right next to you so closely you can smell she perfume.
(4) I'm going to go out on a limb here, as these are one of my favorites bar none, and I still have at least another 18 pairs I'd love to obtain before the supplies dry up, and at some point it will - and add Tungsram produced in Tilburg, Holland late 1950s-early 1960s short grey welded plates with metal tab, double mica, metal tab on plate, red internal wiring, double getter support, foil O-getter with two elongated dimples [parasol getter]. And here they're most commonly found as the versions made in Hungary.
(5) Telam/Polam made in Warsaw Poland NOS 1954/58, simply have to be heard to be believed, the problem is finding them, but once you've heard these............., you'll understand what sonic refinement and richest is all about, and so much so, you'll start to look at tubes from the likes of Amperex and Mullard quite differently.
(6) At the lower end/cost of the spectrum, and more commonly found, yet still deserving of attention are names like -
RFT - Ken-Rad ( Kentucky Radio versions produced before G.E. Took over in 1954 ) and Westinghouse which I've noticed many simply haven't mentioned in the least, yet are clearly much much much better sonically top to bottom then the bit boys in American tube designs namely RCA - Sylvania - Raytheon - Tung-Sol and said G.E versions, it's not even close.
EL84 types:
(1) Polam/Telam EL84 NOS 1964/74 are equal to anything that either of the Philips owned companies ever made, here I'm referring to the likes of those Amperex and Mullard D - Getter versions made during the 1950s only, as to my ears anything made after 1962 had it sonic signatures lost in the mix as companies simply didn't want to invest into the R&D matters anymore with the introduction of transistors starting to become more and more in demand ( which to me, was a grave mistake or fuck up, if I'm allowed to get that one off my chest? ). So far, I've collected 13 quads of these, and Abso!utely wouldn't be without them in my life, these in tandem with said Tungsram signal/preamp tubes as mentioned earlier on with have any grown ass man crying for hours and hours as heard with any vocalist male or female, and trust me I'm one of those big ass 6'6" 275lb black versions of Brock Lesnar ( the difference is, I can actually fight instead of having to take someone to the mat ) and an Ex-Marine to boot, and hold a record of 78 knock outs and 2 loses, and can admit that even if it's George Michael singing Jesus To A Child or some olde school Jazz Female Vocalist..............., my big ass is crying right in front of the wife ( and could care less ) or waving my lighter back and fourth as if at a live event, this is one of the most moving combination of tubes I've ever owned/heard to date, call me biased, but if noting else - this olde cat can hear how music should be heard - on an emotional level, and fuck Hi-Fi effects, it has to speak to my inner being and have a human element to it, lest it serves me not..........
(2) NEC 6B5Q NOS 1958/64 ( Tokyo Japan ) All I can say here is.................., if you need them?, and can find them?, fucking buy them without taking another breathe, and thank me later............, see above mention of this line of tubes on a whole, colorization lovers, need not apply, these are about neutrality and transparency above all else, and will once again place you that much closer to the heavens, and within arms reach of the Creator himself.
EL34 types:
As many rate the Philips owned companies ( including Amperex/Mullard ) once again as the bees knee when it comes to said designs. I'd said that at a greater savings try the following brands and thank me later, unless you like microphonic tubes that is?.
(1) Tesla EL34 or more rugged E34L Reddish Brown Base versions made between 1960/68 w/. Yellow Text/Logo made in Czechoslovakia - as these have the best top to bottom frequency response I've ever heard - period. And as I've gone by one form or another of said power tubes, as my username on various forums since 1998, I've been through about 18 different makes of these tubes, and have loved them, but began upon listening to my now current favorite integrated amp which uses EL84s, how much was actually missing with these tubes, I mean they offer hell of a great sounding midrange and all, but rolled off both the tops and bottom ends to much for me to go back to, as said EL84s in some sense remind me of the snap - nimbleness and directness I've heard from the likes of triode tubes like the 45s and 2A3s as compared to 300Bs, that weren't as delicate or glossed over the midrange with its wonderful presence and all - but they offered speed and resolution to my ears beat the crap out of any given 300B SET amp I'm heard to date including what I've always felt were to of the better designs out there in Art Audio as well as Border Patrol makes. Longer story shorter ( it's not gonna happen ), these tubes are the shit ( oops!, my bad on the language - but it's the truth ).
(2) Matshita EL34 ( Takatsuki, Japan )
Which are basically similar in sound to any of the Philips based companies wares once again, but at an even greater savings - Nuff 'Said,
(3) SED Winged =C= ( NOS 1989/2009 versions )
What can I say about these?, well I'll make this tale even shorter if you don't mind ( I knew you wouldn't ) I had been an avid user of these since 2003, and had a very hard time even wishing to own another Philips based family owned quad of EL34s, as I began to noticed just how closely these tubes mimicked their good and bad points to a " T ", while some might say,
h, they are weak in their top and bottom end, in truth most EL34s all were............., unless one wishes to get me started on KT77s?, which I'd much prefer to save something to bring up for another day if it's okay.
Once again, while I've seen it mentioned here on a Shindo Labs thread, how one posted stated that Shindo lacks PRAT, shit..............., I beg to differ, as someone coming out of the 80s/90s and up until 2012 has been firmly rooted into the Linn/Naim Flat-Earth mindset, PRAT are nothing more then Hi-Fi lingo ( pun intended ) for what some see/hear as the greater strengths of solid state designs, yet one has to ask themselves when comparing then to tube designs, which then sound more natural?, or offers more beauty or texture?, then it becomes less of a matter of nimbleness or the snap - crackle pop show ( because in hindsight that's all it is ), but hearing these tubes in both a Leben CS-600 followed by a a Shindo Labs Montrachet was all it took for me to look at my ex-Asian buddies ( yeah, shit happens and then you wake up ) and go " WTF " and guys I'm taking what I've to say was a prefect balance of a life breathing musician/artist standing right there...................., once again I'd literally smell Sade's perfume and could even tell she rinsed with strawberry flavored Scope ( if there ever was a thing? ), and came away thinking out loud I might add..............., if it's good enough for these two very different sounding amps, which freaked me the fuck out ( not easy to do , and once again, my bad on the use of wordage, but it's the only way I can express where it draws others attention ) then it's good enough to be used in others.
And on an added note, I've to say that being the practical sort that I'm , there's a difference between this and being cheap, but if I'd have the funds I had yesteryear while I was employed instead of relying on say half of that on disability......................, at the very least a Shindo Apetite ( because of my newfound love towards EL84s as mentioned elsewhere ) would have been sitting on my amp stand as I'm typing this, for those that listen to components effects instead of judging how they relate the finer points on a purely emotional or musical level, then I stand on the other side of the fence, and will always pursue musicality - tonality - texture - refinement - truth of pitch and timbre and beauty to PRAT any day of the week, this shit breathes music, and to my mindset, has something very special going on.
So, that's my tale for now, and please try not to hold my biases against me, as they're meant to be just that, my opinions after years of research and then re-learning what to listen for!, and how it should be heard/felt on an emotional level, and listening to sound effects don't fucking do it for me, oops!, sorry once again for being overly passionate about said matters as to let such words get out.
Be well guys........., as my doctor arrives at 2:00 PM, I really do have to go this time.
