An E188CC tube is a big improvement specs-wise, over an E88CC. E188CC is another name for the 7308, both being prized in the tube world.
I think tubes are definitely a flavor kind of thing, very system and audiophile dependent. I may prefer this tube for its low end, but you might dismiss it out of hand because of something that irritates you.
I used to wonder how different people could prefer different tubes, as the rankings always felt more or less clear cut to me, but I now I strike it up as a vanilla/chocolate kind of thing. For example, I am not a fan of most Russian tubes. The Slovak and a lot of the current (and I do stress, current) Chinese tubes appeal to me a lot more. But, as I read these threads, a lot of people I respect like the Russian tubes better than the ones I like. I don't understand it, and don't agree, but people should run what they like best.
Still, in my experience, better tubes are worth the additional money. If you're the type of guy who has some serious money invested in your system, it seems automatic to me that you'd strive to have the best tubes you can get. You'll definitely hear it, and the effects can often be far more than subtle.
All this being said, "better" must be found through experience, as it doesn't often correlate with price. As an example, we have been running a lot of tube shootouts, and have found a few new tubes that can match or even exceed the stratospherically priced classic varieties. In these cases, you can live well on a fraction of what is normally considered the way to go. It's really great when you sell your $300 tubes, and replace them with a $6 tube! The end goal always being to maximize sonics, factoring in value.
I think tubes are definitely a flavor kind of thing, very system and audiophile dependent. I may prefer this tube for its low end, but you might dismiss it out of hand because of something that irritates you.
I used to wonder how different people could prefer different tubes, as the rankings always felt more or less clear cut to me, but I now I strike it up as a vanilla/chocolate kind of thing. For example, I am not a fan of most Russian tubes. The Slovak and a lot of the current (and I do stress, current) Chinese tubes appeal to me a lot more. But, as I read these threads, a lot of people I respect like the Russian tubes better than the ones I like. I don't understand it, and don't agree, but people should run what they like best.
Still, in my experience, better tubes are worth the additional money. If you're the type of guy who has some serious money invested in your system, it seems automatic to me that you'd strive to have the best tubes you can get. You'll definitely hear it, and the effects can often be far more than subtle.
All this being said, "better" must be found through experience, as it doesn't often correlate with price. As an example, we have been running a lot of tube shootouts, and have found a few new tubes that can match or even exceed the stratospherically priced classic varieties. In these cases, you can live well on a fraction of what is normally considered the way to go. It's really great when you sell your $300 tubes, and replace them with a $6 tube! The end goal always being to maximize sonics, factoring in value.