Preamp tube reccomendations

[Electric]

I have an ENGL Powerball, and am going to buy a set of replacement preamp tubes for it so I have a spare set in case one goes. I don't know a whole lot about tubes, so any help here would be appreciated (especially from Powerball or ENGL users). I'd like to stay under $70 or $80 so that pretty much rules out NOS tubes. When I had my Mesa, I used Sovtek 12ax7wb tubes with pretty good results. Just curious what reccomendations anyone else can offer.

[Soloist1]

Re: Preamp tube reccomendations

The Chinese tubes are pretty good for the price. I'm not a huge Sovtek fan. Svetlana makes a nice preamp tube. But they have a high failure rate. So you have to get them someplace where they test them. Why are you worried about spare preamp tubes? Generally they last forever. Power tubes are the ones you'd want spares of.

[442w30]

Re: Preamp tube reccomendations

I bought some Chinese GT (Groove Tubes) a while back for the pre of my EL34 equipped JCM800 (sovtek EL34s and GT 12AX7s are my choice now). I think it sounded better than the Electro Harmonix that were in there. The GTs were less smooth in my opinion than the EHs and I was able to get more of an 80s Accept/Scorpions but not quite the 'pissin on an electric fence' sound of the slayer boys. Mmm barky!