I just currently finished a tube preamp using a 6SN7 dual-triode,I've heard of really good NOS tubes to use,like the RCA red base,Mullards,and other various tubes,but these are usually expensive. Can anyone recommend newer versions,that sound really well,and have low noise?

OK- so I'm hoping for some advice from either speaker designers or DIYers who have experience building speakers. I recently completed some DIY Pro-Ac Response 2.5s that sound every bit as good as the originals IMO, in some areas better maybe, but I think perhaps they are overpowering my room a bit. I noticed some lower bass bloat coming through in some recordings (not all, just ones with that area highlighted, like with a big bass drum).

Last high end store I was in, I stayed for a couple of hours, conversing with a speaker mfg. guru......it was educational, interesting, and we discussed all kinds of music, etc. since it was like based on reality , science, and cool stuff. It was a gentle few hours, fa la la la la. Remember, wear some flowers in your hair, when you go....to San Francisco, you'll meet some gentle people there. I suspect, you are not so gentle, you keep wanting to have person arrested, banned, squashed, scaaaaarey. Did you forget to put a flower in your hair?

Greetings!!
Buddha & I are once again hosting suite (1509) at the THE Show. As always, there will be plenty of refreshments and surprises. Bring your own music and sit for a spell! It's at the San Tropez Hotel Jan 7-10.
http://www.theshowlasvegas.com/2008/index.php
If you're in town, give us a visit...we usually close the place.

Steinmetz, Tesla, all did every way of conducting electricty, Tesla even had it wireless, your's is what now? When you build either teh time machine or transporter, then please mention it. Until then, why bother? It's been done

I was wondering if you guys would offer some opinions. I'm mulling some speaker upgrades as you know and this is what I'm thinking.

Ultimately, I want to get the Avantgarde Duos on Audiogon, which run about $7500-$9000. It would take me quite some time to save my pennies to be able to afford them. I figure about a year and a half.

Here's what I'm thinking as the interim solution.

a) Do nothing, enjoy what I have and save the money to get the Avantgardes

b) Get NHT 3.3 as an interim solution. They're better than what I currently have and worth the $1500

To make a long story short I decided 2 weeks ago to enter the world of high end audio. This all sprung from a desire to dust of the old vinyl. I haven't even bought my first turntable yet and today I found an old Altec "voice of the theater" cabinet...It's nice. speaker system is model 820a. Cabinet is 821a. My question: What do I do with this thing? Right now I'm playing mono mixed CD's like the Beach Boys and old Phil Spector stuff. I know I will never find and could not afford another one of these. How do I listen to stereo recordings on it?