Last Friday I received my first tubes in rolling the G.F. DAC-11. I ordered a couple of tubes from Upscale Audio, Matsu****a/National PC88/7DJ8. I just got around to changing the stock tube this morning and have only spun one disc, Jan Garbarek, Rites.

So far the difference from the stock tube is greater inner detail with a more delicate rendering of the cymbal taps and shimmer. Mid-range is forward and favors the upper mids over the lower mids. Bass is full and complete notes but rounded out at this time.

Now playing Miles Davis, Kind of Blue. Nothing to note regarding change of presentation this described. I realize AU7's and AX7's are different tubes but for the sake of comparing what I have used the JJ 803 S is more balanced with a deeper and controlled bottom end. The Tung-Sol AX7 is just a articulate in the top end but is a real bass slammer and does not favor one segment of the mids. In AU7's, the La Radiotechnique tube still sets the musicality standard for me. In some respects the Matshu****a tube upper mids to upper end remind me of the L.R.

Gotta give the M. tube more time to burn in.