For 5AR4 tubes, I have had success with 5R4 RCA and Sylvania purchased on eBay for under $30 per tube. This are the coke bottle looking tubes not the straight glass. I find the coke bottle tubes are better sounding in my system. The RCA is a typical sweeter in the mid-range and softer in the bass regions. The Sylvania more forward, clearer, better balanced sound top to bottom. While the GZ-34 JJs are nice sounding tubes, they just do not have the magic of the others we have tried. We have about 5 more to test like the Westinghouse, etc., just for giggles.
Is the Shuguang 5AR4 any good?
I am probably getting carried away here, as I now have three 5AR4s on hand (which includes the one installed in my power supply) and one in the mail and bids in on 3 more (which I highly doubt that I will be successful on), but I just got an offer on a couple of Shuguang and I like having spares and I kind of have a hard time resisting a bargain.
So does anyone have any experience with this particular brand of 5AR4?