Posted by Albertporter on April 06, 2003 at 18:41:44:
In Reply to: Re: Re: M-2 and MA-1MKII.2's posted by Tom Merritt on April 06, 2003 at 09:43:58:
I hope I have not discouraged anyone from Wolcotts due to my opinions about NOS tubes. When asked if changes to a music system will improve things, I answer only if my experience has rendered an opinion and then as honest an answer as I can give.
With many years of testing with both currently manufactured and NOS tubes (on all kinds of audio gear), I have yet to find where NOS tubes were not beneficial.
Amp tests include Tube Research, Counterpoint, Sound Valves, Tube Research, Sonic Frontiers, Atmasphere MA2, Atmasphere M60, VAC, BAT and several others. My two channel and HT system together employ more than 110 tubes. Four of these are Russian and all the remaining are NOS of various brands and types.
Joe S., who is an occasionally poster here, arrived at near identical tube choices for his Wolcott as I did. We had occasion to speak on the phone after each had experimented. Only then discovering how much testing each had done, and amused at our identical performance results.
An upgrade to superior parts is not a condemnation of the equipment, the design or the original tube choices. It simply speaks to the reality of availability of Chinese and Russian tubes that (unfortunately) fall outside the ultimate performance available.
In these days of $1500.00 power cords and $600.00 isolation devices, spending a few extra bucks on tubes, improving the music so greatly for so little, seems like a good investment.
As always in audio, your mileage may vary.