Best EL34 ?

What I find interesting about NOS is how much of a difference they make even in relatively inexpensive gear. Recently, when I was stocking up on NOS for my main amps, I bought a Mullard tube set (Amperex for the 12AT7) for the Jolida 302 in my office. I had tubed it with Svetlana EL-34 and Telsa. It was a very significant upgrade in sound even if the tube cost was more than the cost of the amp. Given how compulsive people seem to be about the rest of their cables and tweaks I'm always suprised by the reluctance to go with NOS tubes.

Art Audio uses Valve Arts EL34's.I had a pair of their mono
Quintet and tried some Svetlana's and they were terrible compared to the Valve Arts.Go to tubeman.com and look under catalog and then popular output tubes.I think they are $50.00 a quad

I'm currently using (1) xf2 Mullard brn base single getter (2) xf2 blk base single getter Mullards (1) xf3 blk base single getter Mullard. Well that was before one of the xf2's died. I got a Siemens double d-getter coming and looking into a ANOS quad of Philips / Holland "Bugle boys" for $295.
The Mullars are clearing more refinded than the Shunguang
EL-34's. Still looking for some of those BRN "fat-base" mullards. MikE

I tried Sylvania. Soft, lush (nicely) sounding. The best experience I had was with military grade telefunken. Mine came in a standard gray box with the tele logo & the (german?) army order No on it. Very good resolution, good transient attack, had to drive them hard for higher listening levels, as I remember.

However, isn't the sonic result dependant to a certain degree on amp topology ? My experience was with a Jadis and later a Klimo Linnet pair. Maybe not applicable to other brands.

After just getting a unbelievable quad of Mullard fat base EL34s I now deem them number 1. The set I had was clearly on their last legs, but still far better then anything current. This new quad look and test like new...and I am blown away. The Amperex double d getter 34 has lost the title. Anybody who's looking for premium 34s contact me, the Amperex's are on the block.