I really disagree with your assessment of the Gold Lion reissues. They are the richest sounding well rounded tonally balanced KT-88 in current production.
Jim McShane on Audio Asylum tubes is the dealer of choice when it comes to current productio. He burns in the tubes eliminates or culls the bad ones about 5-10% per case. He throws them out doesn't sell the losers as is on ebay. Only then does he Gain match and he noise tests them all.
For older tubes if you seek quality control try Jim Sautter here on agon another very careful seller but he has almost nothing by way of New products but it couldn't hurt to ask. McShane sells old stock but clearly prefers the current production tubes for reliability. Jim Sautter seems to conentrate on providing the high quality tested several times and is very concerned with matching. He understands the desireability and the romance only a OS tubes have.
Jim McShane on Audio Asylum tubes is the dealer of choice when it comes to current productio. He burns in the tubes eliminates or culls the bad ones about 5-10% per case. He throws them out doesn't sell the losers as is on ebay. Only then does he Gain match and he noise tests them all.
For older tubes if you seek quality control try Jim Sautter here on agon another very careful seller but he has almost nothing by way of New products but it couldn't hurt to ask. McShane sells old stock but clearly prefers the current production tubes for reliability. Jim Sautter seems to conentrate on providing the high quality tested several times and is very concerned with matching. He understands the desireability and the romance only a OS tubes have.