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How are Mullards supposed to sound?

System: Rogers Studio 7, Prima Luna Prologue One, Marantz SA-8003

The stock (Chinese?) tubes in my Prima Luna Prologue One finally wore out after two years. The stock tubes sounded really excellent.

I decided to "upgrade." First to Electro-Harmonix tubes, which sounded decent but not as good as the stock tubes, and now to Mullards.

I know that tubes take a little while to "burn-in" but these Mullards sound awful.

They have a hard, clangy, echoing (microphonic) quality that none of the other tubes ever had. The soundstage seems to have receded backwards by a hundred feet. Everything sounds small and far away.

Is this how Mullards sound? I thought they were supposed to sound romantic. Is this all part of the "burn-in" process?
layman

Showing 1 response by trelja

trelja
3,223 posts
 
Attaguy, Unsound! Thank goodness there are ethical sellers like you left in this hobby. It both serves as an example, as well as provides hope for the rest of us.

By the way, Mullard (the real ones - from the past) small signal tubes like 12AU7 and 12AX7 should sound warm, rich, full-bodied, and easy to listen to overall. The EL34 should sound very well balanced from top to bottom, with a combination of great bass, midrange clarity/sunny disposition, and a nice top end. Never biting or glary, but definitely not veiled, muddy, or rich, either. EXCELLENT EL34.
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