Both Elbit thin film WP F9400 XLSH tubes. This is a PVS-14.

2511 fom (31snr 81lpmm)
.80 halo
.39 ebi
Zone 2 dark spot (.008)

2041.6 fom (31.9 snr 64lpmm)
.62 halo
1.1 ebi
Clean cosmetics

I don’t have it in front of me, but photocathode sensitivity was ~2400 for both.

The zone 2 dark spots is at 6:00-7:00.
I’m leaning towards the 2nd tube with the clean cosmetics because I’ve heard that the average user can’t tell the difference between 64 and 81 lp/mm. The EBI is also better, though tube 2 isn’t exactly terrible either.

Which one would you choose and why?

Edit: Here’s the higher FOM tube with the blem (option 1)
https://imgur.com/a/HxuuOZu

Here’s the “clean” tube (option 2)
https://imgur.com/a/Hja51WZ

I'd take tube 1. The difference in SNR isn't much at all and the EBI is a good amount lower.

If you can look through them, just pick which one gives you the best image. Lack of FPN is pretty important to me.

Those are pretty close. I'd do option 2 for the cosmetics and smaller Halo. 95%+ of the time you'll won't see the ebi difference if ever. The larger Halo would be seen every time. Although a .8 is pretty good.

I'd take whichever one looks more pleasing to your eye.

Tube 2 has a slight SNR advantage and a lower halo.  The EBI isn't terrible.  You can't see 64 vs 81lpm resolution absent magnification.

I'd personally take tube 2.

I'd take tube #2, because photographers/astronomers are the main customers for 81lp tubes, and noone is going to be paying top dollar to photograph or cosmos search through a tube without clean cosmetics, much less 0.008 zone 2 blem, so you won't pull more resale out of it, than tube 2, and your naked eye can't tell 64 from 81, so...I'd snag the clean tube. The EBI does make it appealing to astronomers, but still. Clean tube in this case, in my noob opinion.

.008 is pretty big for zone 2.   I would take the clean tube in this case.

I have a high spec xls with a blem and my wife has a lower spec similar to #2. Its honestly hard to tell the difference between the 2. I would recommend the clean tube. My blem doesn't bother me but it might bother you. A tube with a blem is also harder to sell if you want to upgrade.

I ended up picking the second tube (clean cosmetic tube). It was a hard decision, but ultimately I know that the blem in zone 2 would bug me. Going into this, I wasn’t expecting to be able to get as good of specs as I had to choose from. I see that as a win-win.