Hello,
I have a lot of experience rolling tubes in Aesthetix, CAT, Manley and Aria gear with 12ax7, 6922, 12au7, but not the EL84 until I got a Counterpoint SA-2 MC head amp. It had a Sovtek tube in this socket. I tried the Tele EL84 and was vey disappointed. The Mullard too was a disappointment. But when I tried a Valvo, it was magnificent. I was not surprised as Valvo and Amperex have continued to be the winners for me in the 6922 and E182CC tube types.
It's amazing how much a change in a power supply tube can be in terms of dynamics and clarity.
You can easily get one or 2 of these tubes on ebay for $20-30. They might not be new but they could easily last you a couple years and the improvement in performance will truly take you by surprise. It's a killer value.
John
I have a lot of experience rolling tubes in Aesthetix, CAT, Manley and Aria gear with 12ax7, 6922, 12au7, but not the EL84 until I got a Counterpoint SA-2 MC head amp. It had a Sovtek tube in this socket. I tried the Tele EL84 and was vey disappointed. The Mullard too was a disappointment. But when I tried a Valvo, it was magnificent. I was not surprised as Valvo and Amperex have continued to be the winners for me in the 6922 and E182CC tube types.
It's amazing how much a change in a power supply tube can be in terms of dynamics and clarity.
You can easily get one or 2 of these tubes on ebay for $20-30. They might not be new but they could easily last you a couple years and the improvement in performance will truly take you by surprise. It's a killer value.
John