There is no guarantee that NOS= Old but never used, or just Old stock tubes will sound better.
The gold pins are as Swampwalker says and I might add supposedly better tubes all around. Also the diamond between the pins on the bottom indicate made by Telefunken.
I became a big fan of rolling tubes (changing them to another brand even type) after hearing how much better my first tube amp sounded with tubes manufactured in the 1940s, 50s and 60s.
So if your willing to hear sound with no or only moderate improvement for you money you might want to try it.
Be sure that you are buying one of 2 possibilities . The first that you are getting tubes from Tesla made before 1980or
Currently manufactured tubes made by a company sometimes called JJ Tesla. They are JJs which are good tubes but you can buy them for very reasonable prices, if you search the "interweb". I find an outfit called Eurotubes does a very good job with JJs and ships very quickly. I have no association with them at all financial or otherwise.
BTW which tube type are you hoping to buy?
The gold pins are as Swampwalker says and I might add supposedly better tubes all around. Also the diamond between the pins on the bottom indicate made by Telefunken.
I became a big fan of rolling tubes (changing them to another brand even type) after hearing how much better my first tube amp sounded with tubes manufactured in the 1940s, 50s and 60s.
So if your willing to hear sound with no or only moderate improvement for you money you might want to try it.
Be sure that you are buying one of 2 possibilities . The first that you are getting tubes from Tesla made before 1980or
Currently manufactured tubes made by a company sometimes called JJ Tesla. They are JJs which are good tubes but you can buy them for very reasonable prices, if you search the "interweb". I find an outfit called Eurotubes does a very good job with JJs and ships very quickly. I have no association with them at all financial or otherwise.
BTW which tube type are you hoping to buy?