In my Jadis DA60's 12AU7 positions, I'm running the Mullard Blackburn 12AU7/ECC82. The best sound I have gotten so far, but I still think I can do better.
Other tubes tried were Brimar 12BH7 and Sylvania Triple Mica Grey Plate 5814. The Brimars, which some folks swear by as a 12AU7 replacement were pretty bad, lack of deep bass extension, boomy mid/upper bass, not the greatest mids, and overall fuzzy and unfocused sound. I had some people over one day, and was tearing the rest of my hair out trying to figure out what was wrong with my sound, as it was just all wrong. Later that night, when everyone left, I put the Mullards back in, and everything returned to what it should be. Perhaps they are superior in many an application, but not this one.
The Sylvanias were a lot better than that, though still not on the same level as the Mullards.
None of the current production tubes (JJ, EH, Ei) I tried much impressed me.
I have some Amperex 7316/ECC186 (both halo and D getter), which are supposedly the Holy Grail in this regard, but have yet to try them.
Other tubes tried were Brimar 12BH7 and Sylvania Triple Mica Grey Plate 5814. The Brimars, which some folks swear by as a 12AU7 replacement were pretty bad, lack of deep bass extension, boomy mid/upper bass, not the greatest mids, and overall fuzzy and unfocused sound. I had some people over one day, and was tearing the rest of my hair out trying to figure out what was wrong with my sound, as it was just all wrong. Later that night, when everyone left, I put the Mullards back in, and everything returned to what it should be. Perhaps they are superior in many an application, but not this one.
The Sylvanias were a lot better than that, though still not on the same level as the Mullards.
None of the current production tubes (JJ, EH, Ei) I tried much impressed me.
I have some Amperex 7316/ECC186 (both halo and D getter), which are supposedly the Holy Grail in this regard, but have yet to try them.