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Stone. I hope that Phillips works in your system. To me it was good like the national 7DJ8s are good...Almost really good, but sort of conventional, and in the case of the Phillips, lacking inner detail and spacious character compared to others I have of the 5R4GY type. Once burned in, I tried off and on for a few years and was always impressed at first with something about their "solid" nature, but they rarely stayed in more than a few hours having a little veil I couldn't get past given that I had other choices. Hopefully it will be different there, but this to me indicates the difference between a top tier tube and "almost"...The latter has a lot of good stuff going on, but not world class in my experience.
I don't gush about tubes because systems are so variable, and I don't think that a tube sounding awesome here means it will there, though it may be an awesome tube. Might be just OK (or not) the way your system/room is tuned, where the way another's is tuned might bring out the best of the tube. So I try to just point to their qualities so folks can decide if those comparitive qualities may benefit their system.
If I were to talk about the Mullard GZ32 like I imagine it would be if "Uncle Kevy," were selling them, I would say it is a truly world class tube, the bargain of the century, get them while you can etc, etc......and there would be some truth to that in this case.
I am obviously not Upscale, but I also don't use tubes that don't sound world class to me.
I use this particular GZ32, because to my ears, it is at top of the type (I have tried I think 6 different NOS makes), and I like qualities about this type enough to use them all the time in the Torii, and lately, for an extended period in the CSP3. And I have really nice rectifiers of all types. That said, I have not heard NOS Telefunken GZ32 that a friend I trust the ears of liked a lot in his system.
But this Mullard GZ32 is a great tube...and the price of them reflects that in general.
I got my Mazda coke bottles from a highly rated, experienced tube seller with good testing, from Georgia...not the US one. I do the auction thing on Ebay now and then...but prefer the reduced stress of "buy it now," where, with persistence, really good deals show up. These were true NOS, looked just like Mullards, and were about 80 for a pair delivered. They looked and acted brand new, needing burnin. As soon as I heard them I ordered the other pair he had. The Mullard labelled one I got was used, but tested near NOS and from another highly rated seller that sold mostly other stuff, but had tubes and they tested well...about 30 delivered.
These are excellent prices comparatively, but they happen checking in regularly.
They are one of favorite rectifiers here. Going out on a limb I don't like, from what I can gather from what you talk about loving, I suspect you might like it, but can't say for sure. The speed, warmth, body, and inner detail fits in with what we get from the CSP3. Compared to 50's RCA 5U4G-ST, they are still alive sounding though less passive; a little less extended, but tightish on bottom, and the bass here is still big and bold with the tubes I am using; they are also punchier and more articulate, but with warm body, good micro information and texture...not hard.
So compared to the early 50's RCA, these are a variation of very good to me....
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