Do vacuum tube test values reflect sound quality?

You can notice (bad measurements == bad sound) when something’s really wrong:

• Severely mismatched triodes and/or tubes (north of ~ 25 - 30%)
• Extremely weak or below nominal results (transconductance)
• Consistently noisy tubes (microphonics and intermittent noise you just have to use your ears)

If you want to compare NOS or extremely strong testing tubes versus much less strong testing tubes - the latter will (probably) not last as long as the former in service, but will generally sound just as good (if not better), and may still last a long time.

If your matchings (triodes, tubes) are within say 10% or better, don’t worry about it beyond that. In the past I’ve bought super premium matched / tested / noise-selected / cryo / curve-matched / brawndo enhanced / etc tubes before, and found NO difference to just decently-testing tubes. Yes it can be dependent on the component & slot you’re plugging them into - but usually not that much. I’ve never needed better than Upscal’es "Platinum Grade" screening and testings service. I also like to buy new production power tubes that have been burned in a bit before matching (to screen out early failures).

Thanks everyone for the replies!  Very informative! 

Tubes have a huge effect on SQ, in every level of the circuit.
Tube production is going away.
Tube production has very low quality control.
Tubes degrade as soon as you plug them in.
Tubes have poor industry standards such as AES/EBU.
Tubes are hot and heat up your room.
Tubes take time to warm up.
Tube equipment will shock you.
Tube amps are generally low power.
Tubes degrade slowly and you don't realize it.

Tubes sound wonderful and buttery.
Tubes are so frustrating because they sound better than SS.
Tubes are expensive, because you are always searching for better tubes.
Tubes are expensive because you have 30 extras in another drawer you couldn't throw away.

 

For a cathode follower you WANT high transconductance. Tubes like the 12AX7, used by many companies as a cathode follower, are not a good choice. They do it because there are billions of 12AX7s in the world, and more are being made in Eastern Europe. The CF changes voltage to current. 12AX7s are puny for current. 

@donavabdear LOL.  I'm probably close to 30. 

I have ten 6922 tubes that I bought for a c-j preamp that ended up having issues and I returned it.  Found a set that liked (four + 1 extra), so I bought five more.  I don't have anything that uses 6922 tubes.