Time To Replace Tubes?

Thanks Marco-
Ya know the Brimars 6sn7's(in the Wright 3.5's) sounded better when using my other players(Quad 99cdp,Jolida 100 level 1 mod,and Music Hall CD25 level 2 mod)but since receiving the Modwright 999ES they sounded to thin for my tastes but maybe they were just ready to be moved out.Whatever the case i am loving life again with the EH 6sn7's again in the Wright's.I run passive using EVS nude attenuators and it was really getting to the point where i was concidering a tube preamp to get the lushness back again.Well it is back and i am really happy with the sound right now.So i guess there is a lesson to be learned here that might help some other people.When you think that you may need an equipment upgrade or cable upgrade just remember to check those tubes first or swap them out.Oh and get the best source you can possibly afford i have learned as well as this Modwright has taken the performance to the next level for me and i will probably be posting my other players for sale down the line when i get around to it.Those players were/are really nice players too but this one just presents things better to my ears but of course it was more then double what i paid for any of the others.Not an add for Modwright just my experience citizens. ; )
I think i remember reading that there are gold EH 6sn7's now but i may be wrong.Does anyone have any knowledge or experience with them and how they sound compared to the standard EH 6sn7's if in fact the golds do exist?
thanks!

Thanks folks for your help and information first of all!! : ) VERY HELPFULL and i appreciate it.
Larry510 i am curious as to what speakers you are using?i have very efficient horn speakers(103db) and seem to get enough power with the 2a3 tube and was wondering what sonic changes occurred for the better for you by using that 300B?
I currently am running the stock Sovtek 2a3 which alot of people seem to think is a decent tube and it does sound good in my system.
The Wright amps i am using are self biasing so i don't have to worry about that which has been a nice feature since coming from PP amps that i had to bias which i found myself always being concerned about.So it does sound like a tube tester may be what i need.I am totally ignorant of them and their use so is there any recommendation for an inexpensive one made for knucklehead simplicity?
Larryken have you found the 2a3's you mention including the EHgold 2a3 to sound better then the Sovtek 2a3's?I have heard alot of good things about the Sovtek so haven't bothered swapping and George Wright sends them out stock as he did the EH6sn7.I am back to the EH 6sn7 and loving it so figured he selected those tubes to use for his design.I am sure that finding just the right NOS tubes would be a positive step but the price of the new production tubes makes me not want to go that route if i don't have to and these EH6sn7's are doing it for me right now for sure.I don't think i gave them enough time for them to break in before yanking them.I was just on another thread where some SET owners were talking about them and saying they were comparing them to some NOS mullard and they were shocked at how close they were in sound?So i am not crazy....well maybe ; )

Thanks once again for the replies folks!!
Yeah i think i will have to rely on my own ears jax2 rather then to buy a $500 tube tester that i really don't know anything about.That money can buy alot of affordable tubes.
Smeyers, thanks for your input on those 2a3's.I think i will have to check out those EH2a3 gold's myself now after reading your results.I also would be interested to see how you find the Sophias after they break in so keep us posted if you would.
Armstrod, thanks for your reply as well about those tubes.I will keep my eyes open for some of those tubes but right now, like you said, the EH is a good bang for the buck tube.It did actually make things a bit more forward and i think that was a welcome thing for me in my system.It filled out the mids nicely.One thing i have noticed since i put that tube in however is a slight ringing in my ears after a long listening session.I don't know if that is from that tube or from wanting to play my stereo louder now.I never play that loud but i am noticing a slight din in my ears at night in bed the last few days.Weird and i want to monitor that for sure.Wonder if that tube could be imparting any artifacts that could be causing that?I don't know but it is a phenomenon i don't want to have keep repeating.Strange though too as like i said i like the sound of this tube.Well at least i like how everything has gelled lateley which i think we all know is such a welcomed moment to savor in space and time! ; )

Well i am a musician and have been playing in rock bands standing next to cymbals and going to concerts for more then 20 years.I am familiar with louder tones and this ringing almost seemed like it was coming from some strange artifact and i am guessing it was presented in that tube.I do believe my system to be VERY revealing as i can audibly hear every little change i do to anything it seems.I think that Armstrod may have hit the nail on the head there with suggesting some tube dampening.That seems to make alot of sense to me and i will certainly give that a try.
Thanks for that update on that Sophia Tube Stew as well.I don't really think this thing with my ears is a sound pressure issue unless i am just getting older(and i am ; \)
and my ears are sliding down into the aural abyss......nooooooooooo.
I don't think that is the case though as this phenomenon was in direct proportion to putting back in that EH6sn7.The strange things is that i like the tube and am not really noticing the pain while listening.Go figure.
Thanks for all your help everyone in this thread!!
You guys da best : )

Craig