[kartik]

Anyone know of a good place to get a deal on high quality NOS EL84s and ECC88s for a custom amp. Which are the best manufacturers for each type?
I'm sorry I am not allowed to give out more details on the headphone amp, but I will be posting a review sometime in the first weeks of June.

 

[dd3mon]

Triode sells the JJ EL84's for a very reasonable price - they are not NOS, but unlike most current production tubes, they don't suck. You have to spend quite a bundle on NOS EL84's to beat 'em.

http://store.yahoo.com/triodeel/6bel71elsv.html

-dd3mon

 

[kuma]

Dunno what type of circuitry you are using, but, my favorite is Russian 6BQ5-EB. ( EB is a military designation. ) Lower noise and pretty robust bottles.

6BQ5 is equivalant to EL84.

 

[Dusty Chalk]

My favourite EL84 is the Ei Elites. Bought them from some tube shop in the UK, but it looks like Triode Electronics, thetubestore.com, and other more familiar merchants are carrying it now.

I think it beats the JJ's.

 

[kartik]

Thanks everyone. I was just trying to improve the amp, as this is my first tube amp. Another question, the ECC88s vary in cost from $20-$120. How much bearing does cost have on sound quality?

 

[kuma]

Quote:

Originally posted by kartik Thanks everyone. I was just trying to improve the amp, as this is my first tube amp. Another question, the ECC88s vary in cost from $20-$120. How much bearing does cost have on sound quality?

Kartik,

You don't have to spend a bundle to get good ECC88s. Luckly, there are many equivalants.
My experience so far, NOS are more reliable and sound better than new tubes. Others might disagree but, I had more tube failure with new ones and they tend to be more sensitive to a voltage drop

Again, russian NOS 6h23n-EB are excellent and they can be had for around 20 bucks or less. I prefer these to more expensive Mullards or Amperex.
My favorite to date, tho, is Siemens Cca.

I'd suggest you'll try a few since they all have different tones and *expensive* ones might not agree with what you want 'em to do.