Well here is an update. I won the RCA/Mullard 12AX7 and a NOS Raytheon Black Plate 12AX7. Then when Reed's tube came up to bid on, I fell asleep and didn't get to bid on any of them. That was like sucking the hind tit on a boar hog...useless. Anyway, I made up for it as I won a lot of six Mullards for $69. That was a huge win for six Mullards for well under $100. I should get the first two soon, like tomorrow and I will try to do an A/B test in my TSL122.
On a side note. Here we are rolling tubes for that special sound. However, some people go all out, even more so than me. They put in the USA NOS preamp tubes and they have Telefunken EL34's for power, but they do something else that runs more than $700 (parts only). They replace the output and power transformers and they also install a choke. I went to the Mercury Magnetics web site and they have kits for almost any tube amp. I can do a choke upgrade on my DSL401 if I want. The downside is that the upgrade transformers are huge! It probably adds 20 pounds or more to an already heavy amp. If anything, I think I would probably just go with the choke upgrade. The choke is an inductor that replaces a fixed resistor in the power supply. It makes for a smoother power supply throughout the entire frequency range. I think that the choke and some really good tubes would create the sound I am looking for over a vanilla Marshall amp. $700 bucks is what I paid for my almost new TSL100 head.
For example:
1.TSL100 Head @ $900.00 (average price for a like new model)
2.Replace PWR, OP Trannies and install choke, including labor @ $1000.00
3.Telefunken EL34's (quad) @ $460
4.USA NOS Preamp Tubes (quad) @ $80
Damn! It's like owning a Ferrari. It adds up quick. You got to go to Mercury Magnetic's and look at the power tranny for a 100 watt amp. It looks like one of the old NYC Trade Towers. Some of the kits aren't available for combos, because of the size of the transformers. Think "Matchless."
Just thought that I would add this, Marty
