i know nothing about tubes
if i were to get a modwright bdp-105, where is a good place to start with tubes?
also i'm not sure if i missed it, are there any pictures available of the modwright bdp-105 with the external ps?
One irritating thing I learned after I started buying and trying tubes, is that, for the MOST part, you get what you pay for. Many many audiophiles have sampled hundreds of tubes - especially the 6sn7 series - and have scored them, ranked them, written about them, probably painted pictures of them, etc. I read lots of stuff about which tubes would sound best on my Woo Audio WA22. Even with everyone else's experience, I thought that MY system would be different in some way that would make it necessary for me to try some middle-ranked (less popular) tubes in order to find the perfect match. Well... after spending $1500 on tubes, I can tell you that for 6sn7 series tubes, Tung Sol Black Glass Round Plates, Sylvania Bad Boys, Ken Rads, Raytheons, maybe National Union, all sound top-notch. Different, but all very good. And they range from about $100 to $500 per pair. Unless you're really lucky, you won't find tubes that sound as good as these for $30. I kept trying and failing.
The most over-rated tube (I think) is the RCA gray glass. I hate it and they can be very expensive. I have another pair of cheap RCAs that sound small and scratchy.
I think my WA22 came with a pair of super-cheap GE tubes. They are terrible. I don't think I've read anything good about GE tubes. I wouldn't waste money there.
Another thing I learned was just because a tube looks (and reads) to be very similar to a high-dollar popular tube, it doesn't mean it will sound 'almost' as good. A true Sylvania Bad Boy has three hole in the plates. They sound incredibly smooth and detailed in the upper-end and have a really nice mid-range. The "same" tube with 2 holes in the plates sounds fine but not nearly as smooth or detailed. These are sometimes sold as "Bad Boys" but they are not, really.
Another general note: I think most inexpensive tubes, and a lot of pricey ones, tend to be light in the bass. I might recommend finding a counter to that signature and making your first NOS tube purchase some Ken Rads (black or clear glass doesn't matter ((that's what I've read - haven't tried black glass)). You can decide from there if you really require that much bottom end or if you can afford to lose a little for something with a more pronounced midrange or something - like some Sylvania 5962 Brown Base.
I have not dabbled in the current production tubes other than $15 Tung Sols. I can't say if $15 Sylvania Chrome domes sound better than the popular Chinese tubes. Many seem to think so.
Anyway. Hope that helps a little without being too confusing. Have a blast! I've brought some of my rectifier tubes into work for a photo-shoot and people can't get over how cool and crazy they look. I tell them I can't get over how we don't have current production tubes that sound nearly as good as tubes that are 70 years old!!
Buy a plastic camera case to hold all your new tubes!
Chris
