NOS Tubes for Rogue Tempest II

Tubes choices are a very personal thing. For someone to say what will be best for you is almost impossible. I personally like NOS tubes best. But it is time consuming and expensive to find out what you like best. I can't help much with the 6SN7 but the 12AX7's have some nice tubes to choose from. For NOS I like the German tubes a lot. But that's me. New production tubes I really like the TJ full music tubes. I didn't like the new Tunsol gold pins very much. They lack clarity in my system. If you decide to go after NOS I would suggest you get your tubes from somebody that is trustworthy. Tube rolling can be fun. But be warned once you start! Anyway have fun.

I have a rogue stereo 90 and run ge 6sn7 gta's. Those and ge 12ax7's. I tried mullard and telefunken 12ax7's and didn't care for them (either too forward or too lean compared to the ge's).

Like Detredwings stated above,tube choice is a very personal subject.That being said,in my Tempest II Magnum,I have found that I prefer NOS Amperex 7025 in place of the 12AX7's, NOS Sylvania JAN 6SN7 WGTA's and Gold Lion KT-88 power tubes.Try some different tubes and find some you really like then stock up on them.NOS tubes are getting scarcer and pricier as we speak!!Good luck.

For starters I have some NOS Sylvania 6SN7 GTB (tall) green labels coming soon. These were very reasonably priced and suppossed to be very musical. I might try some TungSol tall which are recommended also.

Hi Sam - I don't have a Tempest, but a pair of M180s, and have been experimenting with the 12AX7 tubes recently. I called Rogue before starting and asked for some tube recommendations, and they were very helpful.

I tried NOS Mullard CV4004 and my impression is that it is warm and laid back. I also tried NOS Sylvania 5751 and prefer it to the Mullard - it is clearer and seems to have more life to it (in my system), and it throws a nice soundstage.

I also tried a new production Tung-Sol for kicks and giggles and actually found it to be better than I'd expected (this is the first new production tube I've tried). It is a different sound than the Mullard and Sylvania - much brighter with crisper bass, overall just more "concise". Not bad for the money though, IMHO.

I've also got some NOS Telefunkens en route - I'm curious to see how they work out.

Good luck!