Fireblade
Seasoned Member
  

Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers. A.L.Tennyson
Posts: 1046
|
Difficult question to answer without knowing the current sound characteristics in your system (warm/dark, too detailed and dry, slight brightness, lacking transparency and micro-detail, etc.)
There's lots of information on tube-rolling in the Mini-Torii forum section. In particular, check experiences from Les Lammers.
Personally, I'm currently in the process of fine-tuning mine and so far I've some conclusions, but these do not stem from an exhaustive tube selection, just a particular stash of very useful alternatives. There are many more tubes I could eventually try, but that's not the intent in my case. So, consider these suggestions as mere examples.
I would suggest to consider NOS 12AT7 for drivers (Tungsram, Brimar, Psvanes), current production reissue Tung-Sol 6V6GT's (great sound!), Reflektor factory NOS black glass Russian 6V6's (need some long burning in), RFT EZ-80 rectifiers (preferred, but RFT EZ-81 could also be nice).
The rest will depend on the sound you want to get, as stated earlier (from OA3, OB3, OC3 to OD3 output voltage regulators, for example), and OA2 (VR150) as opposed to OC2 (VR75) in the input voltage regulation, all these possible combinations giving you choices in terms of warmth vs transparency and bass profiles with the output regulation, gain modifications with the input regulation.
This, of course, is always system-dependent and YMMV. You'll need therefore to try some potentially interesting tube alternatives on your own to have an idea where you stand/like and then fine-tune.
I'm not familiar with the 5881, but the earlier mentioned 6V6 choices are very good as well as the stock JJ 6V6 S (although to me, the latter is a little dull in comparison). Reissue Tung-Sol 6V6GT's are just the best I've heard so far (YMMV).
Be patient, as you'll need some time to critically listen the various combinations involved and eventually fine-tune based on your own ears. For example, Brimar 12AT7's (really long burning-in times) are not happy with the Reflektor black glass NOS 6V6's mentioned. For these I recommend the 12AU7 variation 5963, as a better pairing (a smooth driver with nice low-end effect). Brimars have better synergies with the reissue Tung-Sol or the stock JJ 6V6 S's.
Finally, if you are replacing the original tube complement just in grounds of reliability, the only issues I know of are with the JJ EZ-81 rectifiers, and not the rest, which have proven very reliable to me so far.
Good luck!
|