Tubes ECC88/6DJ8? Need all the help I can get

I'd certainly defer to Detlof or anyone with extensive personal experience with the specific tube type you are considering. I don't think you complcate matters at all Detlof; I was not trying to recommend the JJ, but merely suggested that if someone did recommend it they were probably referring to the ECC802S version since it is supposed to be superior to the standard ECC82 they also make (from what I've read). Sorry if that came of as a recommendation of that tube over other options as it was not intended that way. As I said, I have no experience with 12AU7's at all so would not presume to know which was best and why. The only thing I might disagree with is that NOS tubes should be expected to match if they are "truly NOS" (or new current production tubes for that matter). My experience tells me otherwise. I have purchased sets of otherwise identical NOS tubes both from overseas dealers (Tele E88CC's as well as the GEC's I mentioned) to find out they were certainly not matched. Perhaps 12AU7's are different in that respect(?). Regardless, please correct me if I'm wrong here, but I was under the impression that it was far less important for these smaller pre-amp tubes to match up closely than it is to match up power tubes for amplifiers(?).

Jax2, I am in complete agreement with you and apologise for being unclear as far as the matching of those NOS tubes is concerned. What I had in the back of my mind was exactly what you had stated at the end of you post, that contrary to the matching of power tubes, the matching of preamp tubes is far less important and that generally in the range of the ECC 803s and 802s tubes, if from the same batch, differences are slight and certainly not noticeable to my ears at least when listening to music.

Yep, I think we're on the same page too Detlof! Thanks for the clarification and no need to apologize...no offense was taken in the first place.

Cheers!

Thanks Jax2, Newbee, Detlof... Impressive amount of information on tubes! Tubes were totally unknown for me. But I have learned a lot for the last two days (I think I have, that is...). 1. NOS are USUALLY better than current production tubes; 2. NOS are many times fake BUT there are some dealers we can trust (like Jon) 3. Power tubes need to be matched. Preamp tubes also but it seems to be not as important as for power tubes. The same for NOS 4. There is no such thing (as there isn't for all audio matters) like the best tube. It will depend on the system and, of course, on personal taste. Nevertheless, within the ECC82 family, models like Amperex 7316, Tesla ECC802S, Sylvania GB-5814A or Siemens ECC82 seem to be worth a listen. So, I have one more question: according to your personal taste, and considering the tubes listed above or other, which ones do you like the best? And still one other remark: I do apologise for my English... Thanks!

TGM, in Jadis gear I have had the best results with:
1. Telefunken ECC803s and 802s. They must have the typical Telefunken diamond imprinted as part of the glass bottom of the tube.(not silkscreened but in the glass tubebody itself!)
2."Normal" Tele 83 or 82s with the diamond.
3. Mullards as a close second, or even a first with rather coolish equipment.
4.French Mazdas ECC83/82 are highly musical as well and a sleeper!
5. Amperex bugle boys if you want slam and dynamics and don't care so much for a warm midrange.
6. The Sylvania you mention
7. Personally found the Siemens 82 a bit "whitish" and grainy, did not like them.
All this is purely subjective anyway. Cheers,