Imin2u, Have you listened to the EH 6922 "gold pin"? My comments are based only on the "gold pin" version. I have no idea how much different they sound from the standard version. I know it depends on the gear you put them in, but in the ARC pre(SP9 mkIII) I heard them in they are MUCH better than an expensive set of Amperex 6DJ8's in EVERY way. Many times the proponents of NOS tubes just think if it sounds "different" it's "better". The Bugle Boys are bright and have a downright weird sounding balance even compared to the Sovtek in this SP 9. Perhaps it's just this set, but you never know what you are getting for the huge rip off price of NOS. The "gold pin" has a larger and more open soundstage than the Sovtek and has bass that is fantastic. It's more dynamic, firmer, deeper, and more controlled than the Sovtek or the Amperex. I will be putting the EH in my stuff. Audio Research knows what they are talking about. They didn't get where they are by accident. If you voice a new product with a good sounding new tube and do it right there is no need for expensive tubes from the "Antiques Road Show".
Just say "NO" to NOS! That's how we can make it feasable for current tube manufacturers to make new tubes that we like.Tubes that not only people with money to burn can afford. There are many examples of great sounding current types. The SED/Svetlana 6550 is one. it's a great sounding tube, period.
Yes,all of this is subject to taste and component compatability. I guess you can tell I am not a fan of the NOS trend. I do understand that there has been some junk made and I do remember the situation before we could get anything from Russia, which at the time was the Soviet Union. I used to have to buy 5Ar4's all the time to replace short lived, shorting out crap made in China and before that 5Ar4's made by Phillips that were worse yet. Until Sovtek went back into production with their 5Ar4(probably due for the most part to ARC wanting one for use in the REF pre) the only answer was $85 and up NOS(my god some of these go for over $150 each now). My point is, that if there was no demand Sovtek would have never bothered. Myself, I would like to see all of the remaining NOS stuff put into trash compactors. I get real sick of reading that if it's not NOS, it's "garbage". If your gear only sounds good with NOS, then perhaps it's "garbage". If it needs NOS, junk it, and buy some real gear. I did. Stop living in the past. All this retro,clinging to the "good old days" stuff is a sissy load of crap.
I guess that by now, you some of you know, that I only post over the past year when it really hits a nerve. I will stop now, as I could keep going off about how much it gets me when I keep reading how much better sounding older tube pre amps and amps are than what they make today. That's "garbage" too. I guess people need soft,fat,goopy,lame sounding rolled off "tubey" stuff when they pair it with a cheap ass two dimensional,thin sounding CD player, bright ass hell, burn a whole in your head wire (but they sound so "detailed"), and pair of speakers with tweeters that could be used as a weapon.
Ok, now I'm finished.
