Really? Then you haven't heard the best yet. Justifying that cheaper tubes can sound just as good just doesn't cut it.
The price of a tube is determined, like everything else, by supply and demand. As I mentioned earlier in the thread, there are significant factors driving up demand for specific types of tubes. Guitarists have been steadily chewing through supplies of the best kt66, 6l6gc, and el34 tubes for 6 decades. Hifi amps have been doing the same for kt88 and 6550. As supplies dwindle prices go up. The high prices of these tubes says nothing about the “quality” of other tubes.
The idea that it is expensive therefore it must be the best is why everyone laughs at audiophiles. Indeed, the entire original point of at least one of Tomas’s amps was to get phenomenal sound using inexpensive tubes.
You know what was an inexpensive tube? The Melz 6sn7. Did that mean it was crap? Of course not. When did it get expensive? When people depleted the supply. It’s only suckers that buy tubes after they have gotten expensive. The rest of us look for quality tubes before they get expensive.
I won't butt in too much now on this tube rolling thread, recognising that people have preference. You roll what you love and can afford. I won't rain on your parade.
I am more focus on the McChanson amps thread. New amps coming out now are exciting
You won’t rain on our parade? This is the second thread you have scurried away from after saying something ridiculous. I have heard systems with every tube you can imagine and some you’ve never heard of. Some of those systems were over $200k 15 years ago. Those used 6c33cb output tubes, all of $20 or $30 back then. I can promise you that great sound is possible from many different tubes. Ask me why I spent 4k+ on my amp but won’t spend $400 on my output tubes. It’s not like I haven’t heard them before or can’t afford them. I can honestly say that they are a waste of money. That goes double if you are only getting single digit output power from them. Expensive pentodes excel at good sound and high output. Hell, I am very close to selling my GEC b36 tubes. As much as I love them they are no better than the 14n7 and those still go for 1/10 the price. B36 are different, but not better in any meaningful sense.
If I were better at memeing I would use the template of the normal distribution curve with the clueless beginner on the left saying “These 6aq5 tubes sound really good,” the raving audiophile in the center saying “You don’t know good sound until you’ve heard the original Gold Lion KT88 from 1966,” and the wizened amp maker and experienced tube monger saying, “Yeah, those 6aq5 are really good tubes.”
Some of us have been around the block and have learned how to get great sound. I even paid my rent selling things to audiophiles for a while. I know how the games are played, how hype cycles work, and how to make money doing it. You sound like an excellent customer.
Sorry everyone for ranting but the “…just isn’t cutting it.” line was really uncalled for and insulting. Your ears are not deceiving you, you really are getting great, enjoyable sound from your non pedigree tubes. Outside of very specific situations, mostly for guitarists, grail pentode tubes are wildly overpriced for what they offer especially in single ended amps. Don’t fall for the hype that you will enjoy your system much more if only you had the right tube, cable, or capacitor. Or do fall for it, I’ll make a killing!
Here is my share. 
Cossor GZ37, STC 5A/152A driver and power tubes.
