I purchased an entry level tube pre 2 years ago , a Rogue RP-1. After two weeks I changed the 2 12AU7’s and after 4 or 5 pairs, settled on Telefunkens . Then I auditioned 3 different power cords that are under $125 ea . Both made a huge difference . But the greatest improvement was dumping the JJ tubes . I tried all NOS pairs and every single pair trounced the JJ’s . So what Pre do you have and what tubes did it come with ? You’ll be pleasantly surprised with the change . Also keep the other tubes that you buy while experimenting for when you change components, cables or move your speakers . I’ve gone back and switched to adjust for system changes. Happy Listening , Mike.
Value of burn/break in?
I have my first hi end audio system. I fired it up, popped in a cd, and it doesn't have the vibrant sound that I thought it might have. I have a slightly used demo power amp from a dealer, slightly used demo speakers from a dealer, but a brand new tube preamp. A friend of mine told me that I will see a huge difference in sound quality once the tube preamp breaks in. I was wondering if I should get a break in cd or just wait till normal listening does the job