Recommended Tubes

We often get asked for recommendations for quality tubes to be used throughout our Bella EXtreme amplifiers as well as the many other products found throughout this and our retail website. We are not interested in stocking several different makes of tubes but we do listen to our customers. The tubes mentioned below have been mentioned several times to me by customers of our Signature and Reference Series products as well as owners of the many of the tube products currently on the market. Our personal experience with Thetubestore has led us to the point of being able to highly recommend their products and services. You may choose from any number of their available tube manufacturers if you have a preference.

Thetubestore, has no problem drop-shipping these tubes directly to us, Response Audio NY, at no additional cost for installation into your new product. Just use our address for the shipping address when ordering online from their site. We make nothing on the sale of tubes from thetubestore but rather offer this as a convenient service.

If we are custom building your amplifier, we will bias and test the unit with your new tubes installed.

Disclaimer:

Like anything audio, tubes are very subjective and personal. There are many out there that frown upon Sovtek tubes (Russian) just as there are those who will not run a Chinese tube. Don't let anybody tell you one tube is better than another. This is your system we are talking about and they are not the one listening to it. If you come across a tube or combination thereof that you like, that is the tube for you regardless of what others say.

NOS Tubes

I am a firm believer in the use of NOS tubes. Certain products such as the Purity One and Purity Reference preamp take very nicely to tube rolling with NOS tubes. However, we do not get involved in NOS tube recommendations. Why, you ask? Well as I mentioned above, tubes are very subjective and some NOS tubes are very expensive. What I find to my liking may not be your cup of tea. I don't want to be in a position of recommending an expensive tube only to have you not like it. Please do your research on NOS tubes before laying out of the cash. The Tube Store has lots of options for tubes so you are sure to find what you need.

"Build your system for yourself, not the critics"


Please follow this link to purchase tubes from Thetubestore.

If you are interested in ordering Tubes  from The tube store, it would be greatly appreciated if you could do so by clicking on this TUBESTORE logo above to place your order online.

Here is a list of some of the tubes our customers have commented on being their favorites in various products. You may also contact us for recommendations based on your personal listening habits and preferences. Please note that the order in which most of these tubes are listed is based primarily on customer favorites and do not reflect any influence from myself unless otherwise noted.

Output tubes:

For a more "tube like" presentation, the Shuguang tubes are the #1 choice providing exceptional detail and transparency while maintaining that seductive tube sound. My personal KT88 tube of choice. For a faster, more articulate presentation, the Electro Harmonix are a personal favorite.

Signal Tubes:

I have no problem with the Shuguang 6SN7 and 6SL7 signal tubes but cannot listen to any Chinese 12xxx series tube.

ECC82 = 12AU7
ECC81 = 12AT7
ECC83 = 12AX7
6H8C   = 6SN7

Purity Audio Design "Purity One", "Purity Reference" and "Purity Silver Statement"

          12AU7 (or equivalent) x2

  • These linestages will tell you the truth with any given tube installed. We recommend you go with a tube you are familiar with. While we have never been ones to recommend NOS tubes in the past, we find them to be more than justifiable in the Purity linestage products. You will not be sorry.

Purity Audio Design "Basis" Linestage

6SN7 x2

  • Shuguang 6SN7GT (warmer tone)

  • Electro Harmonix 6SN7 Gold (more articulate tone)

  • Tung-Sol 6SN7GTB (no personal experience)

Jolida JD100 Extreme CD player

  • Genalex - Gold Lion ECC83 / B759 (a favorite among many Jolida JD100 Custom owners)

  • JJ ECC83-S / 12AX7 Gold

  • RFT ECC83 / 12AX7 (a personal favorite)

  • JAN Philips 5751 (a good, affordable 12AX7 type tube)

"PhonoMax" phono stage

12AU7 Output Tube x1

  • JJ ECC802s gold pin (my personal favorite)
    Very clean yet musical.

  • JAN Philips ECG 5814A / 12AU7pad

  • Electro-Harmonix 12AU7A / ECC82 Gold
    Very articulate, detailed and clean. A little on the lean sid

12AX7 Input Tube x1

  • Ei ECC83/12AX7. Very clean yet musical. Personal favorite for this application

  • JJ ECC803S / 12AX7padA premium quality tube

  • JAN-Philips 12AX7WA Warmer, more seductive presentation.

  • Mullard 12AX7 / ECC83padThis new production 12AX7 / ECC83 tube is New Sensor's reissue of the famous Mullard 12AX7
     

Musica Bella "Bella SE10" single ended amplifier

12AX7 Input Tubes

  • JAN-Philips 12AX7WA Warmer, more seductive presentation.

  • Ei ECC83/12AX7. Very clean yet musical. Personal favorite for this application

  • JJ ECC803S / 12AX7padA premium quality tube

  • Mullard 12AX7 / ECC83padThis new production 12AX7 / ECC83 tube is New Sensor's reissue of the famous Mullard 12AX7

6L6 Power Tubes

  • Winged "C" (SED) 6L6GC

  • Svetlana 6L6GC

  • Tung-Sol 6L6GC-STR

KT66      Stay tuned

Musica Bella Estremo 88 Single Ended Amplifier
    The Estremo is a superior product that is deserving of the best vacuum tubes.

  • POWER x2

  • Shuguang KT88 - A personal favorite of all KT88 tubes

  • Electro Harmonix KT88EH

  • Electro Harmonix 6550

  • SED KT88
     

  • INPUT x1

  • Shuguang 6SN7GT (warmer tone)

  • Electro Harmonix 6SN7 Gold (more articulate tone)

  • Tung-Sol 6SN7GTB
     

  • DRIVER (x2)

  • JJ ECC803S / 12AX7padGold Pin A premium quality tube

  • JAN-Philips 12AX7WA Warmer, more seductive presentation.

  • Mullard 12AX7 / ECC83padThis new production 12AX7 / ECC83 tube is New Sensor's reissue of the famous Mullard 12AX7
     

  • RECTIFIER x1

  • Contact us

 Bella Extreme 3205 MKII, MKIII & original (output tubes)

  • Svetlana EL34

  • JJ KT77

  • Electro Harmonic EL34

  • SED EL34
     

  • Shuguang KT88

  • SED KT88

  • EH6550 / KT88

Jolida JD302/502 Upgraded Amplifiers

Input 12AX7 Tubes

  • Genalex - Gold Lion ECC83 / B759

  • JJ ECC83-S / 12AX7 Gold

  • RFT ECC83 / 12AX7

  • JAN Philips 5751

Bella EXtreme 100 mono bloc amplifiers

  • EH KT88
    Very clean and articulate. Lacks the body of the Shuguang.

  • Shuguang KT88-98 (my personal favorite)
    Smooth presentation with a good sense of body and warmth without sacrificing air and extension

  • EH 6550

  • JJ KT88

  • Sovtek 6550

  • SED 6550

  • Tung-Sol 6550 (see below)

Bella EXtreme Custom ASL Hurricane mono bloc amplifiers

  • EH KT88

  • Shuguang KT88-98

  • EH 6550

  • JJ KT88

  • SED 6550

  • Sovtek 6550

  • Tung-Sol 6550 (see below)

Bella EXtreme Custom ASL Monsoon MK II  mono bloc amplifiers

  • Svetlana EL34

  • Electro Harmonic EL34

  • JJ KT77

  • SED EL34

Audio Note Custom M2 Preamp  -  12AU7 x2

  • JJ ECC802s gold pin (my personal favorite)
    Very clean yet musical. On the warmer side of neutral

  • JAN JRC-12AU7 tube made by Raytheon
    A bit pricey but many enjoy it's characteristics

  • Electro-Harmonix 12AU7A / ECC82 Gold
    Very detailed and clean. A little on the lean side

Audio Note Custom DAC 2.1 Deluxe  -  6922/6DJ8 x2

  • JAN-Philips 6922 Low Noise

  • Electro-Harmonix 6922 Gold

Jolida JD502

  • Shuguang KT88

  • EH KT88

  • EH 6550

  • JJ KT88

  • SED 6550

  • Sovtek 6550

  • Tung-Sol 6550 (see below)

Jolida JD302

  • Svetlana EL34

  • Electro Harmonic EL34

  • JJ KT77

  • SED EL34
     

Click to enlarge

 

The word on the street is that the new Tung-Sol 6550's are the cat's pajamas. I have not yet personally auditioned these but plan to very soon.

I have heard word that they can be ever so slightly noisy in some circuits. This is not a big deal to me as it is very slight and does not interfere with the music,

If anyone else out there is running this tube in one of our products, please feel free to drop me a line and let me know what your findings are.

 

Thetubestore also has some excellent selections for signal tubes used in the Ming-Da preamps such as those by Electro Harmonix, Tesla, Ei and even some NOS treasures by Tungsram, Mullard and many more.

                  
Shuguang KT88      EH KT88             SED KT88           EH6550

          
       SED EL34       EH EL34       

 

Power tubes:
For the emotional, seductive tube sound while maintaining detail, resolution and transparency, I have found good Chinese tubes such as the Shuguang KT88-98 to be among the best. Looking for a clean, dynamic presentation? The EHKT88 fills the slot.

 If you are looking for a cleaner, more accurate and dynamic presentation while sacrificing a bit of body and fullness, the KT88 and Sovtek 6550 tubes would be my first consideration. I have found the Sovtek 6550 to be the most reliable tube ever made.

 Obviously tube choices are very subjective with everyone having their favorites. I have personally become quite fond of some of the Chinese output tubes with preferences leaning towards the Shuguang pieces for the warmer, more seductive sound. If you are a newbie to tubes, all I can do is recommend doing some reading on what others have found with various tubes and try to come to some kind of conclusion as to what would be best for you and your system. Every person is different as well as the components and systems these tubes will be incorporated into.

 Signal tube types:

 In this area, I personally do not find the small Chinese signal tube variations (12AX7, 12AT7 & 12AU7) to my liking if you are looking for an articulate, clear presentation. If a warmer, full bodied sound is what you're after, this could be the tube for you. I do however, find their 6SN7 & 6SL7 tubes to be a good compliment with our amplifiers and this is what we run in our showroom. Below are a few quotes about their characteristics...... you be the judge. I do like many of the NOS (new old stock) pieces but do not like recommending these due to their high price tags and some compatibility issues. I would not like recommending these high dollar pieces only to find out that the consumer does not like my recommendation. I stick with current production units and leave the NOS experimentation up to the consumer.

 

".......Chinese manufactured Shuguang preamp tubes, specified by some of the top boutique amplifier designers. Highly regarded for their bright sound, high gain and very ample output......."

".........The Chinese 12AX7 is popular with Marshall owners for it's gain and bite. It is currently re-branded by both Ruby Tubes and Groove Tubes......"

".........This Chinese-made 6SN7 is used as original equipment in several amplifiers. There are two versions available: one with a metal base and another with a brown base......."
 The 6SN7 is one Chinese input tube I do like and can live with in many applications.
 

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