Which brand of valves are worth buying?

[guitarrob]

I am considering building some tube circuits using 12AU and 12AX7 and as you all know there is quite an assortment of brands and prices.
I don't need anything super expensive but I don't want the bottom of the barrel either.
Is there any suggestions of reasonable tubes for prototyping and final builds or is it just to taste?
Any opinions or advice would be appreciated.

[CynicalMan]

Start with JJ or Shuguang. I know it sounds like the bottom of the barrel, but they're both reliable enough and sound decent. If you feel later that your gear would sound better with pricier tubes, try some out. But keep in mind that you'll hear a much bigger change messing around with component values than with tube brands.

[HOTTUBES]

TAD - Tube Amp Doctor tubes are very good !

[guitarrob]

I am just looking for some good tubes for prototyping and high end versions for final builds.

I have a feeling this will involve alot of personal opinion and testing in the end.
I am open to some testing but not in wasting money on tubes that are literally of no use to effect/amp builders.

[ubersam]

For current production preamp tubes, I like Sovtek LPS's, JJ ECC83S/803S, and Tung-Sol's.

[rw6250]

I've been very impressed with Tung-Sol.

[tubelectron]

Sovtek, EH, JJ, Svetlana are convenient, given that the consistance of the performances in gain and reliability varies from one sample to another.

A+!

[PRR]

Sovtek from a reputable vendor seem to be technically excellent. In 300V circuits, they bias-up as expected and pair-balance was very good.

There ARE vendors who sell rejects, culls, returns, and other dubious bottles.

[tubelectron]

There ARE vendors who sell rejects, culls, returns, and other dubious bottles.

Unfortunately often right, even with NOS tubes...

A+!

[tysonlt]

I bought JJ's for my amp about 7 years ago and I still love them. They sound great!

[petemoore]

  It's all about personal preference...
   If mass producing inexpensive amps, cheeps tube is 'most popular' [based on the tube populations IME], I have a box with sets of these types I don't know what to do with...
   Highest gain might be an advertising selling point, the new 12ax7's seem higher gain than the old ones {IM Limited Tests and reads/reviews], 12au7 and the 12a_7 types are lower gain/higher current, suggestable for tube testers and especially amp/preamp builders. These are easy to come by used, but new tube pins don't get increased shine with increased age.
   Depending on taste...preference and aquired opinions/moon phases...
   What do you want in your glass ?
   Here's some terms:
   Robust, is always good, especially true if this valve is placed where a speaker is mechanically coupled to preamp valves, causing the [12ax7 might microphone more than a lower gain alternative in this application] slight microphonics in the preamp tubes to make the combo amp sound...slightly reverbed.
   "Premium"...tubesellers use this term, not always does the price reflect the definition [they go on sale sometimes too].
   Is mica or gold your thing? gold colored or silverish pins?
   They're all a little different, various sizes of glass with different metals/shapes in them.
   In my experience...not that much...
   That said, the old blackplates sound great, and they're old blackplates, just a little different sound is all. I happened on them, and like that they're 70 some years old and rock hard. A good place to define: 'different' in my book only equates to better or worse only by preference. suggestion to look at speakers [then transformers, etc] more intesely if considering buying xtra priceyNOS tubes as a way for great tonal improvement.

[WGTP]

I like to buy from Tube Depot.  There prices are good and for a few extra $$ you can get the tubes tested for gain, microphonics, etc. 

[iccaros]

My suggestion to any person buying tubes:
Buy from a respected seller, like Antique electronic supply, Tube Depot, insert a dealer here. These people care about their reputation. I had a new set a JJ's, which after being in the amp for an hour they cracked when they cooled down. No other tube has done this since or before, AES send me two replacements that week. These JJ's have been rock solid.
Once you get tubes, you will notice that two tubes that measure 100% the same can sound different in the same amp, why?  I am not sure, but I believe that most amps that sound good are not engineered the same way amps that have no style do. And two of those amps will not sound the same. It seems that amps that are correctly designed, where a tube needs to conform to its specification, and it should not matter which tube brand you use all sound cold, no life.. Or they have no style, that imperfection that brings out art.
I sometimes catch myself doing this, I replace a set of tubes and think this amp sound so much better, then in two weeks I put the old tubes back in... And wow that amp sounds so much better... Is it the tubes or me?
I do not believe that you can go wrong with EH or JJ's as your first tubes. Then judge from there, each amp will sound different.
If you by on ebay, which I do all the time, be prepared to get some crap, most they mark as New Old Stock is just old stock, I will buy used but working before NOS, as at least I feel they are more honest in some cases.
Also I build an amp just to test tubes, after reading http://tone-lizard.com/Tube_Testers.html, it was clear that tube testers only ensure that the tube should work, not that it works well or will sound good, only that it functions, I do not pay to have tubes matched either, as I found that the readings off my amps always come out different than what the vender says, they may match on their equipment but not on mine, so I get a couple of tubes and test them in the amp, and match myself.

[Ben N]

I bought JJ's for my amp about 7 years ago and I still love them. They sound great!

Funny, I did the same (from Eurotubes) at about the same time, and every one of the 12ax7s was microphonic. Every one.

[iccaros]

microphonic can happen in shipping, or from a bad set of tubes. A simple drop of a package

[runmikeyrun]

I bought JJ's for my amp about 7 years ago and I still love them. They sound great!

Funny, I did the same (from Eurotubes) at about the same time, and every one of the 12ax7s was microphonic. Every one.

I've bought tubes from Eurotubes many times and never had an issue.  They (supposedly) test all their tubes to weed out the bad ones so that seems weird to me.  I recommend Eurotubes, JJs are great and 12ax7s/au7s are 10.95 if memory serves me right. 

[brett]

Hi
Sovteks are used by amp manufacturers because they are tough and sound good.
The best 12AX7 on the market, for any price, is the JJ IMO. They have more gain than Sovteks and NOS tubes (which IMO sound "mellow" and "musical" because they generally lack gain). Cheap Chinese tubes often sound similar to NOS IMO.
There is a LOT of BS in tube discussions. Ei were cheap, common and shunned, now they are uncommon, desirable and expensive. Go figure.
cheers

[guitarrob]

I appreciate the feedback.  I have seen a vast difference in tube prices.  I am more or less just looking for reasonable quality units to work with for prototyping and final builds that provide good sound without breaking the bank.  I know this can be a subjective questions and I think I will probably end up trying a few different sets to see which fit the bill for my 12AU and 12AX7 builds.

Thanks for the information.

[seedlings]

Old Tung-Sol black glass tubes are superb.  I compared half a dozen (new chinese, couple nos RCA, one JJ and a few other NOS) 12AU7 tubes and the Tung-Sol black glass just tore the others up.  Very creamy, responsive and louder.

CHAD

[DavenPaget]

I'm not gonna talk about my dislike for tubes , i would rather make myself useful than rather being totally off-topic and becoming a blacklist .
China brands are OK if you can test it out for yourself . I can that's why .
I am able to buy some for 12$ SGD at a local shop ...
But still , go for EH's or JJ's or Shuguang's . Well worth the slight premiums and less hair-pulling episodes .