EL34 TESLA vs MULLARD

I tuberoll both in my headphone amp and I have to say Tesla wins hands down. The Mullard is very very smooth but it doesn't have the HF extension and dynamics of the Tesla and its 2x the price. Mullard EL-34s are now just sitting in my store room.

My hypothesis on why the Mullard costs more boils down to reputation in the old days. When a generation got used to its smooth laid back signature, its hard to switch to anything else. However, they were listening to pretty bad sources in the old days.

The Mullards are truly great in guitar amps. This is part of why they cost so much. In a 70's Marshall amp they roll off the nasty grit in the high end. Sell 'em to a guitarist: we love them! Mullard pre-amp tubes are highly sought after also.I have new JJ brand E34L's (that's no typo, they ARE E34L's) in my Dynaco ST70 and they sound as good or better than the tubes they replaced (Tesla's). (Of course the Tesla's were on their way out when I replaced them- but I don't feel like the JJ's are giving up a whole lot, if anything).
I think we are getting close to a period where new production tubes are going to hit stride. Also,the Chinese are going to get really good at manufacturing tubes in a few years-so we'll likely have a supply of them for a good long time.

i compared them in a 50 watt amp. i preferred the smoothness and timbre produced by the mullards.

i wonder, however, if there are any el34 brimar. i have some 12 volt brimar tubes which i prefer to mullards, but have yet to find a brimar el34.