Modern EL34s VS NOS Winged C - and return policies?

my only experience with EL34 was with a older Decware Zen SE34i 

Yes, I can confirm that the SED Winged C El34 Tubes, back then were Cryod, had the magic that no other El34 can match. 

have you tried Brent at audiotubes.com? SED winged C EL34 are a beautiful sounding tube. I don't know of any other tubes that can match it. I can hear back then what tubes can do. my speaker were Lowther DX back then, its able to resolve changes in tube rolling and the SED El34 has a big impact

IMO, i dont think there is any other EL34 by other brands that can match SED winged C.  but you can ask Brent from audio tubes

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I've rolled a few sets of EL34 around. The Gold Lion KT77 are good, but I thoroughly enjoyed the PSvane EL34PH Phillips Holland replica tubes. Still airy detailed, but a bit more meat and dynamics coming from the KT77. Slightly sweeter sounding, but not syrupy or soft at all. To me, the KT77 had a crisp edge to them like a coworker who is always a little overcaffeinated. The EL34PH had a bit more of a Michael Corleone vibe. Just my $0.02.

Check out the Electro-Harmonix 6CA7. My amps use 6550/KT88 tubes and I either prefer my NOS Tung Sols or the SED Wing C 6550s. I can understand why you like those Wing C tubes. 

I used the 6CA7 amps in a Conrad Johnson amp I had and prefer those to the Gold Lion KT77's.

Nice set up! Kevin at Upscale love the PrimaLuma gear. 

Funny, sitting here listening to Bruce Springsteen’s new release Tracks II: The Lost Albums through my little Dennis Had Inspire KT-88 with a pair of St Pete SED EL 34s after rolled out a pair of Winged C 6550s.  Agree the NOS St Pete Svetlana’s are the best!  Have NOS testing RFTs, Teslas (second place), GE and Sovtek 6CA7s, and GL KT-77s. The GLs are very balanced, clean, almost clinical sounding and probably the best new production EL-34 out there, although I haven’t heard the New Sensor Mullard reproduction. I have a pair of Psvane Horizon 300b that Utube reviewers rave about, I found them, well meh in another amp. GL 300BX way better. 

I’ve never heard the NOS Mullards that people rave about, but I found the famous Mullard 12AX7 very “mushy” in yet another tube amp I own.  Telefunken, Amperex, RCA and Raytheon black plate way nicer IMO.

The St Pete EL 34s are very special, so where does that leave you? Scouring eBay, Reverb, USAudioMart and other sites buying and hoarding as may Svet El-34s as you can get your hands on!  Expensive, time consuming, sometimes hit or miss. Beauty in the eye of the beholder though. 

Def ask Brent

https://www.audiotubes.com/el34.htm