Valvet A3.5 Block with Merlin VSM ?

I have to agree with Cruz as I have a VAC preamp that sounds excellent with the current production VAC tubes. In my EL34 based Shanling SP80s I have tried many different quads of current production tubes including: reissue Mullards, Tung Sol reissues, Svetlana, Genlex KT77,(all New Sensor Corporation manafactured tubes), and SED Winged C tubes manfactured by the original Svetlana corporation. The SED tubes, in my system, perform the best. Each time I removed them to try a different brand they ultimately were placed back in service. I just purchased another quad of the SEDs, well matched and tested, from Jim McShane and understand from him that the price will be increasing ~50% in the very near future, but even after the increase they will still be a price I find reasonable compared to NOS tubes. I have not tried the new Shaguang Treasure Series tubes though, and I understand they are also excellent.