[PatOMalley]

I think I found a great set/mix of tubes for the Cornet2.

V100: CBS-Hytron 5Y3WGTB
V202: RCA 5814 Black Plate
V201: Tung Sol 12AX7 (current production )
V200: Sovtek 12AX7LPS (current production )

All are warm and vibrant but plugging the Sovtek in at the bottom brought out the halo on voices and shimmer on guitars that was needed. Maybe a NOS Tele smooth plate can take it's place ....but thought I'd share

[hotrod]

 Hey Pat,
  After many months of tube rolling this is what has been in place for quite some time:

V100-Mullard GZ32
V202-Philips Miniwatt ECC82(1967)
V201-Amperex 7025(mid 60's)
V200-Amperex 7025(mid 60's)

 As you can tell as far as small signal tubes go,I am inlove with the Philips/Amperex sound ,vibriant and smooth with an unbelievable 3D soundstage.

[el34]

Agreed on the 12AX7LPS.  I had one in for a couple of years and it sounded great.  I think
the high gain may help in the first position.  Recently it got a little noisy, so I dug into my
stash of used/nos, and the Amperex Holland orange globe is sounding nice in there now.

Lineup is:
RCA 5Y3gt
RCA 12au7 clear top
GE 7025
Amperex 12ax7a/ECC83

Haven't tried too much in the 12au7 position, but another winner is Sylvania 5814/12au7 (labeled as both)

[PatOMalley]

My thinking was that I really liked the Amperex 1959 au7's. Very active dancing sound. But I also like the phat black plate RCA sound. How to  get both, maybe, was what it was.

The current Tung Sols are really vibrant while being heavy on timbre vs light and airy.
But two Tun Sol au7 + the RCA black plate left some shimmer and inner detail wanting.

The thing is that first position. A cool, stable tube in that first slot delivers up enough detail to inform the schmooze downstream.

Same thing works for me on the Clarinet:

back to front:
Bendix 6106
RCA 5814A Black Plate
Siemens E82CC

[PatOMalley]

OK, hotrod,

I swapped that Siemens out for a Amperex 12AU7 Holland 1959 Bugle Boy in my Clarinet and it makes the Siemens seem sterile by comparison.

[hotrod]

  In general I stay away from any GE tubes but found a diamond in the rough,late 40's early 50's silvery black plates with the earlier ones being labeled Ken-rad.This tube along with some 1951 Hytron black plates are very pleasing to my ears.
 About a year ago I purchased off E-bay a quad of black plate RCA's branded "American" with date codes of 48-12 these have to be some of the earliest 12au7's made,also a very nice sounding tube.
 All of these tubes miss what the Philips/Amperex tubes have in spades,extended highs,smooth mids,and that 3D sense of soundstage.