by Ty_Bower » Fri Jun 17, 2011 5:02 pm
I bought a set of New Sensor "Gold Lion" reissues when I rebuilt my Mark III. They are expensive, but I've been nothing but happy with their performance. I do admit that I've got too many amps, and my Mk3 do not see continuous use. I'll also note the reissues do seem to show rapid getter wear, or at least more rapid than I might have otherwise expected. So far, it hasn't affected their sound.
When it comes time to purchase another set of tubes, if I didn't want to pay the premium prices I'd probably go for the ElectroHarmonix. I've heard they perform well and the cost is reasonable considering the alternatives. If I could land a set of JJ for cheap, I might be tempted to spring for those as well. Many people seem to bash JJ (especially their octal tubes), but almost as many support them. I have a pair of 7027A from JJ and rather quite like them a lot.
"It's a different experience; the noise occlusion, crisp, clear sound, and defined powerful bass. Strong bass does not corrupt the higher frequencies, giving a very different overall feel of the sound, one that is, in my opinion, quite unique."