TUBE HELP with 5AR4 Rectifier

JJ's are quite nice for the mone asked!

i hv JJ & Philips Miniwatt (metal base) 5AR4 rectifier tubes. NOS Philips Miniwatts are very expansive, but betters the JJs in every respect. JJs are however pretty decent & excellent in terms of value for money. some Mullards are also reputed to be excellent. i've not heard the others you've mentioned.

btw, rolling the rectifier tubes makes an even bigger diff. than output tubes in my amp (Kondo Ongaku).

Get a NOS Mullard. You'll never regret it!

NOS Amperex/Bugleboy are excellent too.

I may be wrong, but aren't rectifier tubes out of the signal path, i.e. they do not amplify? If so, how would they make a difference in sound?

Whether you look at it that way or not: The power supply IS in the signal path. What do you think is providing the voltage gain? Thus: The cleaner/smoother the voltage- the cleaner/smoother the music. Swapping rectifier tubes will often affect the sound of your amp as much as outputs or drivers/phase splitters.

Swapping rectifier tubes will often affect the sound of your amp as much as outputs or drivers/phase splitters.

this has been my experience too.

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Thanx for some of your suggestions....Right now I am using the RUBY(chinese) which sounds really nice..
I contacted Kevin at Upscale and ordered up a Japanese 5ar4/gz34 which is a copy of the Mullard.... Should be here on Thursday and will give it a try..Seems to be a likeable tube to some tastes according to user chats...

I happened on a Philips MiniWatt GZ34 and sceptically installed it in my Cary SLP05 and was really surprised at the difference it made. Quieter, sharper images and a tad warmer

(Low voltage = mellower, less aggressive)
-10v 5Y3
0 5R4, 5R4-G
+15v 5U4-G
+15v 5U4-G, -GA, -GB [G=800ma-max, GA=900ma-max, GB=1000ma-max]
+20v GZ32 (Mullards own, 5V4 substitute)
+25v 5V4
+25v 5V4-G
+25v 5V4-GA
+45v 5AR4 / (GZ34)
(Higher voltage = Dynamic, more aggressive)

John C.

I think you've got a really good tube with the Ruby. The nice thing with Ruby was that they rigorously tested their tubes so they're really consistent. If I remember right, Ruby is no longer in production, so JJ is the next best option.