Favorite Tube Combinations

>>if anyone is interested, i believe i have a pair of the cbs 5814 which i will sell.
Mrtennis<<

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Very interesting observations and reactions to the question and they are all appreciated.

There is a direct correlation between circuit design and the way a tube behaves and I realize this to be true. I also realize that most classic circuit design try to utilize any given tube for the same reason and that the tube plays the same role electrically component to component so there will be marked characteristics that remain at least relatively constant. Were this not the case any review of any tube would be so subjective that it would be useless.

There would seem to be a belief that if we can at once claim and yet disclaim that tube characteristics can be identified that more people would buy more tubes and we really shouldn't sell on ignorance anymore. I have found that Joe, VTV, and the Head Fi tube threads, to name a few, to be amazingly accurate accounts of a tubes signature.

When I ask about a synergy, it's a question of what tubes inherent sonic characteristics compliment other tubes inherent or latent sonic characteristics not how they may react or interface electrically with a given transformer or capacitor.

The taste of certain wines compliment the taste of certain foods and this is an immutable fact. Why then is sound so different? Why can't the sonic signature of certain tubes compliment the sonic signature of other tubes. Of course they can! I think if we move in this direction it could add a whole new dimension and stimulus to this hobby.

hi anacrusis:

this hobby is very subjective. therefore, tube a, with tube b and tube c, may be considered synergistic to one audiophile , but not to another.

i don't think there is any synergy between tube manufacturers other than reflect personal taste, which varies among serious listeners.

there is no universal synergy which would be accepted by all, because, practically speaking synergy is a highly ideosyncratic term, aurally speaking.

Agree with Mr Tennis. You are also rolling tubes with different gain factors which at first may give the impression of a dramtic change, but after time passes, that change may not sound as appealing, in fact you may even return to your original configuration because it offered something appealing that's just missing with the new configuration. Tube rolling to different brands is one thing, but to roll out to a differnt type completely is a whole different ballgame. I think that manufacturers do in fact employ complimentary tubes in their individual units. However, your idea begs the question, what do you do when two or three different tubes are excellent compliments with each other, but your piece of equipment can not use them in combination?? Are you suggesting that manufacturers build their equipment with circuitry to accept whichever tube you might have a fancy for trying, which would be very interesting, if it were possible!