In Reply to: Electro-Harmonix 2a3 Gold Grid posted by Mr_Steady on November 25, 2014 at 02:09:00:
I use these Sovtek/EH (premium Sovtek) types for "dinking around". Cheap-tube initial fire-up of a new piece before it's tested.If all voltages and currents are spot-on, these go out, and JJ 2A3-40 go in.
I have tried to listen to these-- EH2A3's-- they give you a listenable slice of the midrange-- they are Sovteks that have been gold-gridded and improved in other areas-- premium Sovteks.
Alas! As soon as the JJ or the EML gets in the door, these go into the Closet-- they gather dust there until a new amp needs initial fire-up.
Typically, I buy 5 in order to get a usable pair-- if I'm lucky--- TWO pair? Typically, one of the 5 is no good at all.
I have used over 75 JJ's now, and have not found ONE bad one! I do, however, never send out ones that have loosely-stretched filaments in them. I don't like the higher distortion sound, although it's never bad.
I have used about 55 EML's. Again, not a single bad one! (but I do get some loose ones which I keep around here and abuse at will-- these will NOT go out to customers-- only the best ones-- the tight ones that "ring" identically (as close as I can get them) are for that.
We get what we pay for.
---Dennis---
Edits: 11/25/14
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Follow Ups
- RE: Electro-Harmonix 2a3 Gold Grid - tube wrangler 10:48:35 11/25/14 (4)
- RE: Electro-Harmonix 2a3 Gold Grid - Mr_Steady 18:49:30 11/25/14 (3)
- RE: JJ 2A3-40 - Cathode Ray 09:59:31 11/29/14 (2)
- RE: JJ 2A3-40 - maxhifi 20:43:42 11/30/14 (0)
- RE: JJ 2A3-40 - Mr_Steady 04:43:29 11/30/14 (0)