You haven't found the right modern tubes then? Emission Labs and some of the special Shuguang (nature sound range) are superior to the best vintage tubes IMHO. But I guess you are stuck if they don't make the tube you need?
I think the vintage tube obsession, unless you cannot find a good modern version, is bogus.
Nearly all the vintage tubes I have had over the years sounded Dark, or metallic, grainy or probably too fat or overly saturated. Try the mesh plates from EML. They are wonderful (and expensive!) but the nature sound are different sounding but as good and probably a lot cheaper than the EML
I think the vintage tube obsession, unless you cannot find a good modern version, is bogus.
Nearly all the vintage tubes I have had over the years sounded Dark, or metallic, grainy or probably too fat or overly saturated. Try the mesh plates from EML. They are wonderful (and expensive!) but the nature sound are different sounding but as good and probably a lot cheaper than the EML