Quicksilver Mid Mono Tube Rolling

Johnny R, @audioconnection
Cool - Bet that combo sounds really nice! A buddy had the larger 2905s and prematurely re-sold them because (I would suggest) he did not have amps like the Quicksilver Mono 120s to drive them properly. Only had lower power SETs driving them. As you well know, electrostatics can sound amazing with the right amp matching.

If you like the Quads (i do too) you gotta hear was this combo sounds like too, my local dealer had these and the larger ones playing for weeks - quite a amazing with 120 monos. Large speakers though, very tall.

>> Have you ever heard these 845PX before behind some nice tube amps? <<<

SOUNDLAB:
Quicksilver Mono 120s + SoundLab Majestic 845PX speakers.
https://www.soundlab-speakers.com/majestic-px.html

I’ve spent a bit of time rolling tubes into my mid monos and I recommend that you purchase the best NOS 12ax7 and 6dj8’s you can afford.  I wouldn’t waste any more money on new production tubes.  Even the Psvane 12az7’s don’t sound as good as a pair of quality NOS tubes.  I’ve had good luck with Brett Jesse, but there are plenty of reliable tube vendors.  
For output tubes I like in this order

Mullard xf2 double getters - I came across a quad for cheap, but they aren’t worth the money.
Old production Tesla’s
Winged C’s - these are the tubes I use everyday.
Gold Lion KT77’s. Decent current production tubes. 

My other suggestion is to upgrade the output caps.  I have Mundorf Supremes, but I’d also recommend Audio Notes.  
I know this all sounds extreme, but the amps are relatively affordable and they Respond well to better tubes - a testament to the design and construction of the amps. 

Thanks for the suggestions. i do have the Tesla EL34's and GL KT88's .. 

Any suggestions on whats the best 6DJ8's that I should be looking to try ?

Regards

I have found that the driver tubes make little difference.    Mike of QS said the input tube makes the bigger difference of the two.  I have a pair of 6n23p Reflector in there and they seem to last forever in that position.  

I am going to sound like a hippocrate about tube rolling, but I put a JJ Ecc88 in my pre and JJ  ECC803s in each Mid mono and the combination sounds phenomenal with the JJ EL 34.  I must have had a dirty socket or pins, I had noise last time I tried the 803s

@abhi123 OP4 posts04-22-2020 7:31amThanks for the suggestions. i do have the Tesla EL34's and GL KT88's .. Any suggestions on whats the best 6DJ8's that I should be looking to try ? Regards

 - What preamp are you using with your Mid-Monos?
 - What speakers are you running? 

Helped a buddy with his new QS Mid-Monos past few months, and the Input tubes DO make a difference. Stock coupling caps are decent copper/alu but I changed them in my other QS.  Mike was selling them with JJ / EI tubes and lately some generic Chinese  x7s in another amp another friend got last week. Both complained about brightness at first, partly due to break-in needed.  Tried  vintage 6DJ8, JAN military, Valvo, Tungsram, and a few other vintage 12AX7s.  Sounded okay.  Some vintage tubes in the QS preamp helped a lot, but ODDLY enough new non-vintage PSVANE 12Ax7-T MKII actually worked well for HIM in the Mid-Monos.  The first time I tried PSVANE in my Mono 120s, did not work well - had to run mid 60s Blackburn Mullards in mine. However, he's happy as a clam with PSVANE in the mid-monos, fwiw, but his speakers are 97db sensitivity. Was not expecting them to work well for his amp, but they did. It really does matter what else is running in your system. starting at the source and preamp, interconnects too.