Seeking best sounding El-34 tubes for my power amplifier

You know, if someone cannot afford, say, $100 per month on average to spend on tubes, maybe he should not have high end tube equipment. I didn't have my VAC integrated until I was certain that I could spend $50 per month on tubes. Yeah, I had to spend over $3k upfront but it will be about $50 per month. I got all vintage and recommended by either the amp's designer or other very knowledgeable people, including here. Two sets, one in the amp and one spare.

Amazon have new Tung-Sol EL34B at a reasonable $69 a pair. You might also look at the excellent Tung-Sol 7581A and check if your amp can accommodate them. 

Alright, you guys do what you do. More vintage tubes for me and others like me.

@inna 

RE: More tubes for us, Amen.

Which VAC integrated do you have? I have a VAC 200IQ currently, which replaced a VAC Phi 200. Currently trying to work out the best this side of too poor for a signature or master series pre-amp to pair with it.

amongst old stock alternatives

1) the gold lion genalec gec kt77’s were viewed as the best... superb all around

2) followed by the mullard or amperex british or dutch made el34’s, also superb slightly weaker in bass but palpable and refined

3) third best were japan made matsushita el34’s with seam top, these were made on mullard tooling moved to japan after mullard ceased production in the uk, lovely spotlit voices and imaging

4) svetlana el34’s were next best (winged c st pete factory), beautiful balance, a little less refined

5) siemens telefunken skinny body el34’s with dimple top ... somewhat lean in character but clear and precise

6) usa made ge or sylvania fat boy 6ca7’s next (somewhat rolled off)

the above are probably cost prohibitive in an amp set up needing many multiples of these though

probably best to use what is available from upscale in terms of modern tubes but even then tube supply from russia is curtailed these days, so you are looking at jj/czech or chinese alternatives

note that modern day versions of gold lions mullards and so on are all russian made... not necessarily bad tubes but they are not the real deal from the 60's-70's-80's from first world western europe and so on