45 Lovers - what are your favorite tubes?

I use RCAs. There was a time when they were easy and cheap to find...

I have one set (my amp uses 45, 2A3, or 300b).  I bought a pair of kenrads on ebay just to have a set.  They sounded good.  I settled on some 2.5V 300B mesh from sophia but I've been meaning to put the 45s back in.  I'll try to remember to do that tonight.

Looking forward to reading this thread.

Jerry

As promised, I put the 45s back in tonight. Sound great. I’ll leave them in a few days and change back to see if I can choose which I prefer. First thought is bass is tighter with the 45s. Links are to my google photos page.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZTcTcCyqRkA3SrSV9

https://photos.app.goo.gl/DBBAga2hAPvepAk58

Jerry

@carlsbad2 Jerry - Your photos are bitchin'. Looks like a really cool setup, and awesome that you can swap tube types like you describe. That would really have me obsessing constantly.

@atmasphere The RCA shouldered tubes do sound great and are still pretty reasonable. I read lots of raves about 45 globes and the EML varieties but so far I've been pretty content with my RCA tubes. Pretty standard tubes, nothing exotic or crazy except the outstanding sound.

@markusthenaimnut I ran the 45s in SET and PP configurations. The PP amp easily won out (makes about 6 Watts): obviously better bass, far easier to make out vocals, that sort of thing, with no hint of glare on top. There was no going back.

Well, I have to embarrassingly admit that I misidentified my 45 tubes above.  I pulled them out and they are national union.  

Listened to them for a while last night and bass was good but midranges were not as good as my sophia so I'm back to listening to sophia mesh 300b 2.5V for now.

thanks,

Jerry

@carlsbad2 

I have had a loaned pair of the Sophia “mesh plate “ in my SET mono blocks. I also have had the EML 300b mesh tube. Different construction between them. The Sophia is actually a perforated metal plate. The EML is a genuine mesh filament. I hope that you are able to experience the EML mesh and see what you think. Warning, the amplifier has to be 25 watts dissipation or less for the delicate mesh filament.

Charles

Charles,

I would certainly like it if someone loaned me a pair of EML mesh plates. I’m probably not going to put money into more tubes for this amp as my new amp will replace it in June. here is a photo of the Sophia Mesh plates.

with manual bias adjust I can always keep dissipation below 25 watts.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/bGa2donCbzAfcv6C6

Has anyone here heard the TJ Full Music graphite plate tubes? It seems that most folks who use TJ Full Music tubes go for the perforated plate tubes for the visual experience. I recall reading a history of the owner/founder of TJ Full Music and IIRC he was really a total tube nerd (I think he's deceased now) and I think it's interesting that he came up with the graphite plate design.