Lowrider! Great minds think alike! I just bought 4 RCA Cleartops in NOS testing condition. They arrive Monday and I had a very similar thought. I'm glad you said this because it adds confidence that I'm on the right track in my experimenting. Read: I trust your opinion. I don't think you've ever led me astray.
Lesson in Tube Rolling:: My confirmed need for "air on top" via 12au7 ECC82 5814a tubes
I thought that I would share something that I learned in my first 90 days of tube rolling.
I knew and still know that I don't like harsh treble. I thought NOS Mullard CV4003s would be perfect for me. I realized, though, that the very quality I like about them I also do not like about them--they are laid back and mellow. But, when I move to other tubes, e.g. RCAs, Ciftes, Amperex, GE, of the same tube equivalent I feel they may be a bit too forward.
I don't really know much but what I know is that I need a touch of air on top. The Ciftes and RCAs helped but if I went to a full bay of those it became too bright or top end extended. And, just as with the Mullards, what I liked about the Ciftes and RCAs was exactly what came to tire me.
I'm happy to find that mixing preamp tubes seems to do the trick. If I run 2-4 Mullards with 2 Ciftes (6 preamp tubes total) in the front slots of my amp it adjusts the tone just right.
This may not be a revelation for advanced tube rollers. It is, however, reassuring because I am able to get very much closer to the tone that I want in my mind's eye (or mind's ear), and I still hear value in the various NOS tubes that I bought.
As an aside, these experiments worked so well that now I have faith in some reissue Mullard EL34s again and when I swap back in my Gold Lion KT88s, I may go 4/6 Mullard to chill things out a bit.
I hope this helps other novice tube rollers.
PS I would like to try some NOS Brimars to see what kind of air and extension they put on top. If I roll 4/6 tubes with Ciftes it starts to get to be too much.
I knew and still know that I don't like harsh treble. I thought NOS Mullard CV4003s would be perfect for me. I realized, though, that the very quality I like about them I also do not like about them--they are laid back and mellow. But, when I move to other tubes, e.g. RCAs, Ciftes, Amperex, GE, of the same tube equivalent I feel they may be a bit too forward.
I don't really know much but what I know is that I need a touch of air on top. The Ciftes and RCAs helped but if I went to a full bay of those it became too bright or top end extended. And, just as with the Mullards, what I liked about the Ciftes and RCAs was exactly what came to tire me.
I'm happy to find that mixing preamp tubes seems to do the trick. If I run 2-4 Mullards with 2 Ciftes (6 preamp tubes total) in the front slots of my amp it adjusts the tone just right.
This may not be a revelation for advanced tube rollers. It is, however, reassuring because I am able to get very much closer to the tone that I want in my mind's eye (or mind's ear), and I still hear value in the various NOS tubes that I bought.
As an aside, these experiments worked so well that now I have faith in some reissue Mullard EL34s again and when I swap back in my Gold Lion KT88s, I may go 4/6 Mullard to chill things out a bit.
I hope this helps other novice tube rollers.
PS I would like to try some NOS Brimars to see what kind of air and extension they put on top. If I roll 4/6 tubes with Ciftes it starts to get to be too much.