[Laudanum]

I've found a pretty nice sounding tube compliment for the Cornet for the budget minded.
I've been rolling in and out quite a few, mostly current production tubes.
Svetlana 12AX7's, Ei ECC83's, JJ ECC83's, Sovtek 12AX7WB's and WA's, and EH 12AX7's, GE 6681, RCA 12AX7.  For 12AU7 my stock is more limited ... JJ ECC82, JAN 5814, JAN 6189, RCA 12AU7 Cleartop, TungSol 12AU7, GE 12AU7 and a couple others.

The Svetlana 12AX7's sound pretty nice but a bit dry or analytical perhaps but well extended combined with both RCA 12AU7 cleartops and JJ ECC82.
The all JJ compliment isn't bad at all either.

But I've ben listening this afternoon with GE 6681's in the 12AX7 spots (I like them better than the RCA 12AX7's) ... these are ruggedized 12AX7's. I found these too "dark" or warm in my EL84 amp and also in my tubed CD player (Jolida 603) and my Hybrid integrated.  But they seem to be in nice synergy with the Cornet and the 12AU7.  I believe they were made for the demands of automotive use.  Anyway, these combined with RCA Cleartop 12AU7 is a very satisfying combination.  Not overly warm but good bass and highs although maybe a bit rolled at teh extreme treble compared to the Svetlanas and JJ's. Midrange is very sweet.  The 6681's are available in the $10 - $14 range.  The 12AU7 RCA Cleartops are high from tube sellers but I've stocked up on 7 or 8 of them through ebay for an average price of about $7.00.
Anyway .... if you're on a budget for your tube spending and looking for something to try .... try the GE 6681/12AX7's .... and some RCA 12AU7 cleartop - sidegetter or top getter .... they actually both are fairly similiar.
BTW .... I'm using a Mazda 5Y3GB as the rectifier although it seems to look better more than sound any different than the JAN 5Y3 it replaced.

[GRD]

Thanks for the review.  I've tried the JJ, Tung-Sol, Toshiba, and RCA Cleartop for the 12AU7 and settled on the RCA for the sweet and extended highs and good performance across the spectrum.  The JJ is not far behind.

I tried Raytheon, JJ, Svetlana, and Sovtek LPS for the 12AX7 and like both the LPS and JJ, with a slight preference for the LPS.   I agree with your assessment of the Svetlana - the brightest of the bunch.

[Laudanum]

Hi GRD

Funny how the same tubes work out in some spots and not in others according to the same ears.  I'm using a pair of the Svetlana 12AX7's in my hybrid integrated and found them to suite me ear best there out of the other 12AX7's I tried.  But, I don't prefer them in the Cornet or my CDP.
The 6681's I found too dark in the same integrated and the CDP as well as my EL84 amp but am liking them in the Cornet     And the Cornet isn't "bright" even with the Svetlanas.  So I would figure that the 6681's would be too dark as they were in the other electronics but not at all the case.  But that's the synergy thing I guess and part of what makes rolling fun and just another advantage of tubes over ss.  Kinda like little glass EQ's  

Unfortunately however, the noise floor is a little higher with the 6681's and 1 is slightly microphonic .... you have to get your ear near the speakers so they are definitely usable.  But, they don't have much time on them so one or both could very well get worse.  Only pair I have.
I'll pick up a few pairs if I definitely settle on them as the keepers for the Cornet .... they are inexpensive atleast.  So far, I'm liking them.

[GRD]

I've been tube swapping some more and I like your analogy - glass EQ.  I spent an afternoon with a friend comparing phono pre-amps and changing tubes in the Cornet and I could replicate his phono stage response by changing out the 12AX7's and the 12AU7.  The difference was more "air" and "presence" along with a somewhat better definition with the Cornet.   With the right tubes the music comes alive.