List great tubes in current production

[Ferbose]

One thing I have learned during tube rolling my Cayin HA-1A is how great some modern tubes can sound. Who says all modern tubes are just junk or so so? Most such blanket statements are simply false in audio. So I figure I would start a thread where people can post about modern production tubes that sound great compared to NOS tubes.

By the way, we often say NOS tubes, but in most cases they one can't be sure if the tube were ever used. To me out-of-production tubes that test strong with no obvious sign of use can be called NOS or slightly used, and it does not really matter except for to make the buyer feel better and pay more. Surely new in box tubes are attractive, but who knows if they are pulled genuine tubes or bulk genuine tubes intentionally put into old boxes (or even fake boxes). It is possible to identify fake tubes, but fake paper boxes?

Anyway back to the story of modern tubes. The one I am going to recommend is New Sensor's reissue of Genalex Gold Lion N709 (=6BQ5, EL84).
I don't know the history of the original Gexalex N709, or how much the reissue resembles the original. But I have tube rolled the same position (one EL84 per channel) with a bunch of old and new tubes:
(Label/type/country/year)

Marconi Radiotron/ 6BQ5/ Japan/ ?
Valvo/ 6BQ5/ West Germany/ ?
GE/ 6BQ5/ USA/ ?
GE/ 7189/ USA/ ?
Russia military/ 6P14P-EV/ Russia/ 1980s
Amperex odd pair EL84 (one UK, one West Germany)

Sovtek/ Russia/ EL84/ modern
JJ/ Czech/ EL84/ modern
Electro Harmonix/ EL84/ modern

Although none of the NOS tubes I have tried are the super-expensive type because I can't afford them, the Genalex reissue has to be a pretty special tube to sound clearly better than all others I have tested. I am mainly assessing the tonal purity of classical instruments using a pair of K1000. My second favorite is the 6P14P-EV Russian military NOS. The Genalex reissue stands out so easily for both its warmth and treble clarity. It is neither bottom-heavy nor sibilant, but very neutral. It sells for $55 per pair on tubedepot. Considering that JJ goes for $16 per pair, the reissued Genalex is pretty expensive for modern tubes. For the same price one can almost buy American NOS tubes on Ebay. But I have to say the Genelax reissue is simply better than similarly priced NOS tubes I bought. Although I am still using NOS tubes at the 12AX7 and 12AU7 position of my amp (must have tried >50 different old-production tubes for those two spots), I am now very open-minded to premium modern tubes. I think we need to promote good modern tubes more often.

[pmkap]

I very much like the roosh'n reissue of the Tung-sol 12ax7. Very neutral, IMO, with a slight leaning towards warmth. I've not had much luck with current production 12au7s, and use NOS East German RFTs, which are in plentiful supply.Their initial harshness fades to rather neutral after a few days. YMMV

-Paul

[Ferbose]

So it seems the great modern tubes are mostly coming out of Russian factories?

[musicmind]

Thanks for your comments ferbose.
Your impressions seem to mirror those I have read online, though they were commenting on the application in guitar amps. The Genalex Gold Lion do seem to be the best option.

EL84 Tube Type Review

[komi]

I have big problem with today tube production !

Yes, most of them come from Russia or China etc ...

My problem is - when someone say THIS Russian EL84 - or EL 34 is the best i dont know what to think cuz seems like all Russian Models come from one factory:

NewSensor/

Russian - Soviet tube factories and their logos

[bergman2]

agreed ... there is something inherently oxymoronic with the operative words "current" and "great"

[Uncle Erik]

I've had good luck (so far) with Sovtek 2A3 tubes.

[HumanMedia]

Emission Labs do an awesome modern replacement for the 5U4G/5AR4/GZ34 - the EML 5U4G. Better than even the metal base Philips of old.

5U4G Data sheet. Emission Labs.

[voltraizer]

sovtek 12AX7LPS-low noise
shuguang 300B- cloned SQ of 1959 WE300B
shuguang 12AX7,5881, 6L6GC and EL34-B
JJ electronics-6922/6DJ8
Electro Harmonix 6SN7 -gold pins
shuguang 211 & 2A3
EH KT88

[Ferbose]

Originally Posted by komi

I have big problem with today tube production !

Yes, most of them come from Russia or China etc ...

My problem is - when someone say THIS Russian EL84 - or EL 34 is the best i dont know what to think cuz seems like all Russian Models come from one factory:

NewSensor/

Russian - Soviet tube factories and their logos

It is true that during the golden age of vacuum tubes, one company would generally manufacture one kind of EL84 or 12AX7 in one factory in one country. Therefore, we are used to thinking that all EL84s from the same factory in one period are identical, and just branded differently as Zenith, National, Marconi, and what not. However, back then the demand for vacuum tubes was much larger. Even though RCA was making 12AX7, when the stock sold too fast it would have GE make some tubes with RCA branding. Today, it would not be economical to produce tubes in the old way, but we are still thinking about tube manufacturing in the old way.

Why can't a modern factory make 4 kinds of EL84 under different specifications and designs? One could be a cheap version, one could be low microphonics for guitar amps, and two could be low-noise hi-fi tubes with different tones. Grado can make a whole line of headphone models with the same look and same sensitivity but sound different in its tiny factory. Certainly SR60 and SR225 are not in the same league when it comes to performance.

[BadassBob]

Im gonna go ahead and say the SED EL34s and Electro Harmonix 6CA7s are my favorite EL34 tube types. The SEDs are made by Svetlana, unlike the rest of the Russian EL34s made by Newsensor, and the EH 6CA7s are the only tubes of that style made by Newsensor. Both are excellent tubes. The SEDs are warm, detailed, and intricate with slight high end roll off. The 6CA7s are bassy, with somewhat a recessed mid range compared to the SEDs, and sharper to the ear in the high frequencies.