Premium 12ax7 recommendations?
After chasing ghosts in my hifi system I think I finally have the culprit of a random scratchy sort of noise tracked down to the 12ax7 driver tubes in my preamp. The tubes are Psvanes, pretty expensive, and im not certain i want to go with them again. Not because I don't like them, I do, but for the cost I expected a longer lifespan. (Hell, I have Amperex Bugle Boys in my DAC and their perfect and decades old.
I switched out the Psvanes and replaced them with Sovtek 12ax7 LPS that i had on hand and these ran the Vanes damn close, so close it was almost a case of why not leave them there and not spend anymore. It's only that the Sovteks aren't that brilliant with strings and, especially, piano, that I feel the need to change them. Obviously, and touch wood, the errant noises have disappeared since this change.
After recommendations of an alternate to the Psvanes, that are just as good, alrhough maybe a little more organic , without losing their tremendous detail and clarity. I don't want to go looney tunes pricing and would prefer to keep under 100 dollars Australian for the pair, current manufacture is preferred. Gold Lion is a candidate, any others I should consider?
As an aside, I've been loving my Lite Dac60, with the Bugle Boys, and a Kimber PJB interconnect. Insanely clear, able to track every nuance and stunningly musical, and with imaging that pinpoints every instrument as though it's in the room with you. Rediscovering my Mannheim Steamroller collection with this, and it's being a breathtaking experience.
Without music, powerboat racing, photography and a whole stack of other stuff that floats my boat, life is just a non stop procession of deadlines and bills.