What tubes do you prefer in your preamp?

[FreddieFerric]

If you're running Tele's now you're probably running about the best out there. If you want to go a little more dark in the sound (less treble air) then the RCA black plates are a very good choice.

[Mikado463]

Originally Posted by n_brio

What tubes do you prefer in your preamp?

the ones it came with, 6H30P

Originally Posted by n_brio

Where do you people buy tubes?

http://www.mcshanedesign.net

I had great luck with Jim's recommendations when I had my Rogue M180 mono blocks.

[miketuason]

Gold Lion gold pins cryogenic treated for line stage and
Telefunken 1960 smooth plate for MC phono stage, and
Stock McIntosh tubes for MM phono stage

[mulveling]

Hard to beat genuine Telefunken 12ax7 in the "used tests like nos" category for value, low noise, and sound quality. They're relatively plentiful. More detailed, 3D, and dynamic than modern production tubes. Smooth plates are nice and neutral and are my primary recommendation; ribbed plates are good if you need a touch more zip up top in your system. Now if you buy from a "premium" dealer you'll pay a whole lot. But the quality of these Tele tubes is very consistent, so I don't find that to be necessary.

RCA's of various vintages are also pretty good and also very plentiful. Mullards tend to be a bit thick in the mids and a bit muted up top - I never end up sticking with a Mullard for very long (this goes for the reissue Mullards too). The vintage long-plate Mullards are better, but now you're getting into bigger money, and I still think the Teles are better. If you want to spend big $ and can deal with some extra energy up top, the Mazda silver plates will clobber literally any other tube - absolutely amazing tube, but hard to find.

* I prefer preamps that use 6H30 (or 6922) over 6sn7, 12ax7, 12au7, 12at7, etc. But I like the 12ax7 tube when used in phono stages, amp phase splitters, electrostatic headphone amps, etc.