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I have happily listened to my 300B push-pull monoblocks for years now with Mullard nos 5AR4s. For fun the other day, I pulled the mullards and replaced them with the amps original nos GE rectifiers. I tube roll all of the time, but have left the mullards in place thinking that while the mullards are a great tube, the rectifier should have little effect on the sound.What a surprise I got!
My amps were transformed. Not all for the better, but an obvious change in sound.
I would say that the mullards produce the classic tube sound. Warm, large soundstage, palpable images.
To my suprise, the GEs produced much deeper and controlled bass response and an extended high end. Not all was perfect. The soundstage became much more shallow and the images were not quite as palpable. Dare I say, a more solid state sound.
I am still not sure why a rectifier should have so much effect on the sound of an amp, but this was very easy to hear.
enjoy,
richard
Follow Ups:
I have two different GE 5AR4 rectifiers in my stable so I am curious as to which GE rectifier you used....One type looks like a Mullard made rectifier but with no hole in the guide pin, and has seams on top in the glass (no plate serrations)and has the same size envelope as a standard black base Mullard rectifier.
The other type has a smaller bottle than a Mullard rectifier and has folded plates that show a ~3mm bright copper edge on the sides of the plates.
Does yours look like either of these?
MAK
The GE is the classic small 5AR4 with the serrated edge and the copper plates. Like I said, they have been sitting quietly in my tube cabinet for years. I wouldn't say that I like them better than the mullards, but I was surprised at just how different they are.richard
Rectifier tubes def have an effect on the final sound. I had been using the Mullard 1960s 5AR4 which greatly improved on my factory rectifier.....a fine upgrade to be sure. I then, however, rolled to a 1950s metal-base Holland Amperex, and found the perfect tube for my system. YMMV of course.
Nice Amperex metal base story.
Just slotted in a U52 in place of a GZ34 in my phono stage and as you say "pure bliss". Replaced the 6SN7's with ECC32's and combined with the U52 now I have "PURE BLISS"
OLLY
On most tube gear, the rectifier contributes a fair amount to the tone. I had owned only one amp that sounded clear enough, but did not change much in sonics with different rectifier tubes- go figure.The most sensitive tube rectifier based item I have owned to date are a pair of DIY triode conn 6V6 and of all things, a modified FM tube tuner. The tuner simply demands Mullard EZ80- period!
i may be wrong but sound like it is.
Richard's right, The GE's do have more extension than a Mullard. Well maybe the metal base ones are exceptions, but the regular GZ34's don't have the the top end of the GE's. A very underrated tube, IMHE.
Stu
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