great sounding amp, congrats! IMO I wouldn't mess around too much w/NOS unless you get them from someone who really knows how to competently test & truly match or you're asking for trouble. If you short an output tube (not fused in ARC) you'll toast a resistor & need repair$. I'd stick w/Ram Labs, ARC or Andy @ Vintage Tube Services & if it were me I'd go w/RAM Labs new production tubes & tweek the sound elsewhere.
Audio Research VT100 tube replacement
Hi everyone, I am new to tube amps and I need to re-tube this amp. I have discovered that some music lovers prefer the sound of NOS tubes over the ones Audio Research sells. I will have my Audio Research dealer bias the amp when I purchase the new tubes. My question is what tubes would some of you with more experience suggest. My musical tastes include pop, rock, dance and some classical. I do enjoy listening at moderate to higher volumes most of the time (don't know if that helps in choosing tubes). My preference would be for smooth sounding highs and mids with punchy bass, my ears are sensitive to higher frequencies and I find that I get listener fatigue very easily from a lot of different solid state and certain metal dome tweeters. Any suggestions would be much appreciated, also any tube retailers that you have had good experience with would be great. Thanks to all and happy holidays