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How are Mullards supposed to sound?

System: Rogers Studio 7, Prima Luna Prologue One, Marantz SA-8003

The stock (Chinese?) tubes in my Prima Luna Prologue One finally wore out after two years. The stock tubes sounded really excellent.

I decided to "upgrade." First to Electro-Harmonix tubes, which sounded decent but not as good as the stock tubes, and now to Mullards.

I know that tubes take a little while to "burn-in" but these Mullards sound awful.

They have a hard, clangy, echoing (microphonic) quality that none of the other tubes ever had. The soundstage seems to have receded backwards by a hundred feet. Everything sounds small and far away.

Is this how Mullards sound? I thought they were supposed to sound romantic. Is this all part of the "burn-in" process?
layman
unsound
6,115 posts
 
Quack, quack, oh, you said Mullards, never mind.
tomcy6's avatar
tomcy6
1,368 posts
 
The easiest and cheapest way to solve your problem would be to contact Jim McShane or Kevin Deal. They are tube dealers who are known for their knowledge and integrity. Kevin Deal sells the Prima Luna amps and has access to more NOS tubes (I think).

Either one will discuss with you what kind of sound you would like to hear from your amp and will suggest tubes that should get you there.
layman OP
34 posts
 
Thanks for the responses everyone.

Just to clarify...I changed all the tubes to Mullards.

The El-34's and 12AX-7's are the new Svetlana Mullard reissues and the 12AT7s are NOS.

I suspect (though I could be wrong) that it's the NOS tubes that are not to my liking, so I think I will replace them with the Electro-Harmonix.

As for Kevin Deal...I bought the amp from him but since then he has seemed impatient on the phone and unwilling to provide advice. He always seems to either rush me off the phone or fob me off on an underling. So...I have given up on asking for his advice and have decided to experiement on my own. It's starting to cost a lot of money.
layman OP
34 posts
 
Update:

Thanks everyone. Thanks to your comments, I now realize that I goofed.

I ordered NOS Mullard 12AT7s rather than 12AU7s. That could explain the weird sound.

When I get home this evening I will replace the 12AT7s with 12AU7s and see how that goes.

Thanks a lot.
br3098
660 posts
 
As for Kevin Deal...

I have had similar experiences with Kevin. I know that there are a lot of folks here on A'gon that give Kevin high marks, but every time I have called him (and actually been able to speak with him) he has basically shoo'ed me away.

Ex: I called Kevin last year to see if I could arrange to demo of a Manley Steelhead. Kevin asked me about my other gear and inquired where I had been buying my audio gear. He then asked if I ever bought gear off of Audiogon, and upon answeing him truthfully ("occasionally") he proclaimed that he didn't waste his time with low-ballers who shopped on Audiogon and hung up on me.

Incredible but true!
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