[jdandy]

Canudos.......It is rare that a tube seller will express the sound of a particular tube other than a very generalized comment. This is because the tube is only part of an audio circuit and the final result of the sound is dependent on the entire circuit design, not just the tube. This is why tube aficionados who routinely swap tubes in their amplifiers often have many different versions from different manufacturers of the same tube. The only way to truly understand the sound of different tubes is to use them in your amplifier.

Matching triode tubes is done by comparing a tubes transconductance, gain, and plate current to other tubes. When tubes display close electrical properties with other tubes they are considered a matched pair or matched quad, etc. Most tube venders charge an additional fee to match tubes. If it is important to you, be certain your tube vendor will provide that service and provide the electrical data on the tube box. It is very rare to see triode tubes that are a true perfect match, but being close is generally satisfactory.

EC86 tubes can still be found from Mullard, Philips, and others, usually costing $15 to $30 each. The EC806S is a Telefunken tube and can be a bit more difficult to locate. Do a Google search for tube sellers of these tube types.