NOS Tube Question

[Ventura]

Not at all, Chinese/Shuguang are my go-to pre's in practically all my amps... After I ran the gamut of everything from NOS to high-grade-glass back to basic Chinese...I use 'em all the time, and always for the same reasons - they're cheap, they're consistent, they're reliable and they're readily available.

V.

I've yet to hear an amp that a NOS RFT didn't sound great in...

Counterpoint, I've yet to hear an amp with Chinese, TAD's, or Tung Sol's that didn't sound great (once they were matched to the respective amp). And these aren't near the price of NOS RFT's.

Just sayin'...
V.

Here's an excerpt from thetubestore.com on Tung Sol pre's... I'd have to concur

From our review of this tube: "There are only so many ways to describe tube tone and most have become cliches. The Tung Sol 12AX7 has the gain and drive of a Chinese 12AX7 and the pure tone of a Mullard or Brimar."

According to the manufacturer, this Tungsol 12AX7 is the Ultimate 12AX7. Big, warm, and musical. High Gain, ultra-low microphonics, and superb linearity with a dynamic 3-D sound.

One other note about the construction of these tubes is they have filaments that are almost completely encased in the plate structure. They don't "light up" brightly when working properly.

Then you have hated alot of clips posted here, lots of guys sporting the chinese 12ax7s

 

[JTyson]

I hate the inconsistancy of the whole thing, within the hype surrounding the tube flavor of the day, lurks tubes that are sub-par with no way to know what your getting until you plug them in. I have a brand spanking new set of Tung-Sols that are absolute turds.
I'm going to go with tube suppliers who carefully screen them beforehand as much as possible. Most of the retailers say they do, and yet I've still gotten turds from them
Very annoying

 

[Anolin]

I just took the plunge and got an RCA NOS blackplate 12ax7. My first NOS tube! Sniff, sniff... Such a special moment...