Tube rolling suggestions for Unison Unico

Hi Glitch,

Thanks. I have the Siemens from Upscale Audio, and they're not working out. That was the original problem. When I talked to Kevin, he said either the Mullards or the Radiotechniques would be good, but I don't want to choose randomly, and I'd really rather not throw down the capital for both.

What speakers are you thinking about? It really is a great amp.

I have done some searches on old threads on Audio Asylum where Mullards come up most often as the tubes of choice, a tad relaxed on top and glorious midrange. Similar to your experiences, I still have the Phillips stock tubes in my Unico, and simply haven't been able to convince myself to do tube rolling yet, as it just sounds so good. In my case I'm not sure I would want more relaxed top end... it is just right. I have visited Upscale Audio's website to explore... and really been thinking about the Siemens... interesting that they did not work out for you. How long did you leave them in, and did you leave the Unico turned on all the time? For me the difference in sound was nothing short of breath taking after about 36 hours on... and I haven't turned my Unico off ever since.

The best sound I've achieved with my Unico is with Brimar 13D5 tubes.

Hi Arni,

I left the Siemens pair in overnight, with the amp on, and listened the next day. So far, they've been very lifeless.

Is there something to be set for letting tubes settle in a piece of equipment for extended periods before passing judgement?

Lousyreeds, when you say lifeless, are you talking about lack of body and midrange jump? If so, Mullards will be a better choice than Siemens. You might also try Raytheon 5814A Windmill Getter or RCA 5814A Blackplates. Both have more body than Siemens, and they are relatively inexpensive at around $50/pair.