Looking for a super accurate speaker

[EtherealWidow]

So I recently got done conducting a super thorough, albeit small, tube test. The bottom line of which I swapped out the stock mesa in the V2 tube position with a VERY crappy Chinese tube I got from an ART preamp. No difference in tone at all. Personally, I'm shocked. Either Mesa's tube quality is so bad that it's comparable to this tube - although I doubt that because this tube's filament honestly looked like it exploded every time I turned it on - or my speaker is a big fat liar. Although I like the tone, I'm a sucker for honesty. An EVM12L isn't out of the question, but if I can get something cheaper I'd love that. I know Eminence makes a Delta that's a clone of it, but do they even sell it anymore? Can't seem to find it on their site. Any help appreciated.

 

[J.J]

Have not really got anything on speakers, but with the tubes that "exploding" turn on is not uncommon I have a number of new and very old tubes that do that. Its not anything to worry about. It is to do with hot spots forming at turn on due to the rapid change in filament resistance.

I have some old Chinese ruby tubes that I always assumed were cheap and nasty, but on trying them in the express they sound fine. The stock Mesa 12AX7s from my amp sound ok, but are not in the same class as the better ones around.

 

[EtherealWidow]

That's the thing, in the preamp you can't really tell what a tube sounds like because it's starved plate. In the amp, it sounded fine. I've just always been told they're awful and I just thought that the filament flashing like that confirmed that it's crappy.