Amperex Tubes

[roadie1]

Firstly...a great thanks to all of the "tubie" AK'ers for guiding me into the tube world! I was hesitant at first but after finally trying the waters I find myself a convert. Albeit only a tube pre/SS amp user right now until I can save enough for a decent tube amp so I can go "all the way".

I've already been doing some tube rolling with my pre's and have found my liking to be with the Amperex tubes. One set is the Orange label 12AT7's in my Dared and the other being the White label 12AU7's Bugle Boy "types" from Holland in my Bottlehead Foreplay.

My question is...before I spend anymore $ tube rolling is there any difference to be heard between all of the Amperex variations, i.e...Made in France, Great Britain, Orange, White, Bugle Boy, etc?

As usual...Thanks to u all!...R1

 

[jaymanaa]

I think there would be. Especially if the internal structures are different. Examples could be gray plates, black plates, long, short, ribbed, and smooth plates. If you like the Amperex, you might want to try some Telefunken as well. In other words, spend more money

 

[dmax99]

The tubes made in France & G. Britain are prolly rebrands from other manufacturers....

 

[Audible Nectar]

Not sure about the 12AT7, but the 12AU7 and 12AX7 are most desireable in the Holland manufactured vintages, the earlier the better (and the earlier, the more $$$). While the 50's D getter longplate versions are the best, I'm happy with just about any of the Amperex 12AX7/12AU7 tubes that were made in Holland. Those are the ones you want in 12AX7/12AU7.....no experience with the 12AT7, so not sure there, but I wouldn't be shocked if they were similar.

 

[fredmarantz]

As far as I know the Amperex brand was a part of the Philips company (Holland) - directed for especially the US-market. The tubes I've seen are exactly the same internally as the most production tubes from the Philips conglomerate ment for eg. the European market and the rest of the world.. The factories ware based in Holland (Heerlen) - Germany (Valvo) - France (RTF-Suresness)) - England (Mullard- Blackburn) + even more places.. I'm quite sure that most mainstream production tubes from eg. the 12at7 - 12au7 - 12ax7 + many many more were the same as the other tubes from those factories. Of course the tubes from the Philips company has undergone changes during the production years, but those changes were implemented in the Amperexes aswell. I think that the only difference is the label + box + name.
I might be wrong and somebody who knows this at a higher level could chime in here?
Regards
Freddy

 

[Bob E.]

I have no direct knowledge of the mysteries concerning various generations and construction techniques of the various Amperex tubes, but I do know that it was originally a U.S. company, with manufacturing plants in Hicksville, NY, Slattersville, RI and Cranston, RI. Some time in the late 50's/early 60's they developed a marketing arrangement with North American Philips to sell European-manufactured tubes under their own name. They were later bought out by Philips.

--Bob

 

[soundmotor]

I have no direct knowledge of the mysteries concerning various generations and construction techniques of the various Amperex tubes, but I do know that it was originally a U.S. company, with manufacturing plants in Hicksville, NY, Slattersville, RI and Cranston, RI. Some time in the late 50's/early 60's they developed a marketing arrangement with North American Philips to sell European-manufactured tubes under their own name. They were later bought out by Philips.

--Bob

That pretty much matches what I know of them. I believe their main offerings were transmitting tubes prior to their arrangement with Philip.

 

[soundmotor]

My question is...before I spend anymore $ tube rolling is there any difference to be heard between all of the Amperex variations, i.e...Made in France, Great Britain, Orange, White, Bugle Boy, etc?

Before you pay someone top dollar for "hand matched on calibrated Hickok" oscilliscope pulls, I would check out all the new production offerings from Russia, China, & the former Soviet countries of east Europe.

Secondly, there is no greater thrill than finding the stuff yourself. Start investigating your locale for a hamfest. Everytime I go to one, there is always an HP or Tektronix boat anchor oscilliscope for short money. Unless they've been raped & pillaged, they are usually full of Easter eggs.

I just picked up a Tektronix a few weeks back w/ 3 plug-in modules. They were stuffed with Amperex PQ 6DJ8, 12AT7, & 12AX7 tubes & a host of other goodies. If you like, I can sell you some "hand matched on calibrated Hickok" tube nirvana.

:thmbsp:

 

[Kegger]

Amperex tubes probably are my favorite small signal tubes and many are different.

In your Dared pre (Which I have one) try some 40 gain and 20 gain tubes instead of
the 60 gain 12at7's, mine sounds better with like 12bh7's or 6829's or 5965's as well.

Cheers!