...and a hundred systems and sets of ears.100 guys, 100 opinions...
...and a hundred systems and sets of ears.100 guys, 100 opinions...
at least100 guys, 100 opinions...
The Telefunken ECC803S is the most coveted of the 12ax7 type. Especially designed to have very low noise for critical use like recording or medical and instrumentation. The odd look is because they have a "frame grid" like 6dj8 tubes. Most 12ax7 have the grids wound on metal posts. Higher precision is achieved by winding the grid on a frame. I have a few but i have not even listened to them. I felt that the 6sn7 and 6sl7 tubes sounded better to me in a preamp than the 6dj8 or ecc83 tubes.Those might have been the e83cc ( I think that's the version) of 12ax7/ECC83 tube made by Telefunken. They're a "Holy Grail" tube and constructed differently. I think their plates are "boxed". Medical or lab grade tube.
The original BBoy long plate ECC83, is one of the few that i thought made a significant difference in a preamp. This was an EICO HF86. But those are very expensive tubes and i did not try many different brands in the preamp since i only had it for a short time. The original tubes for the HF86 are Mullard short plate ax7.I am sure this has been asked a thousand times here but I would like to know the current thinking on what are some of the better 12AX7's to use in a tube preamp situation. Your favorites?
100 guys, 100 opinions...
Does "new" mean "new reissue", Jed, or "new old"? I have 4 NOS Tung-Sol 12AU7s in a Luxman preamp, and they take my breath away. They're combined with 4 x 50-year old T'funken 12AX7s, and together they put me at risk of respiratory failure.Just rolled a new pair of matched and balanced Tung Sol gold-pin 12ax7s into a Jolida JD5T pre.
Nicely put. Says a lot about the person, very little about the tube...I have it... so it's good
100 guys 100 opinions,,sure but opinions are what I want to hear and there are some great ones here,,thanks.
Those Tung Sol gold's seem like a try to me and might replace the two RCA clear tops I am using now.
I am sure this has been asked a thousand times here but I would like to know the current thinking on what are some of the better 12AX7's to use in a tube preamp situation. Your favorites?
100 guys 100 opinions,,sure but opinions are what I want to hear and there are some great ones here,,thanks.
Those Tung Sol gold's seem like a try to me and might replace the two RCA clear tops I am using now.
I've never seen an RCA 12AX7 clear top, seen several 12AU7 clear tops. Checked my old Cary SLA-30 tube amp today to see what 12AX7s I have in it. RCA short gray plate, not too pricey or hard to get (well, NOS NIB are pricey). Sound good to me. Sure last a long time.
I have a couple of RCA 7025s. Haven't seen any clear tops of those either. Is this a pretty rare tube? NOS RCA 7025 can command a pretty price.