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Tube Rolling Temptation: your favorite 12AX7/EL84 combo?

Erik Tracy

Erik Tracy

Everyone's happy when the wizard walks by
I'm currently running an Audio Note OTO SE using Gold Lion 12AX7s and Sovtek EL84s.

What is your favorite combo?

I'm tempted to go down the tube rolling rabbit hole, or should I just look down and walk away? :)
 
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How any given tube sounds is highly dependent on the circuit in which it is being used. So others preferences might not translate to your amp. If you become a Subscriber, you will see all kinds of 12AX7 variants and less frequently EL84s being sold in Bartertown.
 
The lower the signal level the more components affect the sound.

So input stages, Phono stages is where I use my Telefunken Smooth Plate 12AX7's.

Mcintosh always used Telefunken smooth plates in MC 30, 60, 75's for many decades in the 60's and 70's.
 
FWIW --- (and I can just imagine how good that equipment sounds stock) -- Find a composer/artist/genre and go all-in .. forget for a week/month about those hypnotic tubes, grab a cold beverage and be passive to your excellent equipment .. YES - keep walking (at least for awhile) ! :)
 
BmWr75 said:
How any given tube sounds is highly dependent on the circuit in which it is being used. So others preferences might not translate to your amp. If you become a Subscriber, you will see all kinds of 12AX7 variants and less frequently EL84s being sold in Bartertown.
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This^^ what sounds great in one piece of equipmant may not sound that good in another.
Maybe folks with the same Audio Note amp will chime in? :dunno:
 
Mr Boochie said:
Of all time? The Mullard (Blackburn) ECC83 and EL84 were a match made in heaven! :)
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I still have 3 Mullard EL84's. The fourth one lost vacume. They're getting kind of weak though. I wound up replacing them with Russian 6P14P-K's.
That console amp that had the Mullard EL84's had Mullard 6EU7's too.
They're also on the weak side. :( That console must have seen a lot of use.
 
When I had my Decware, the best combo I figured out was a vintage Telefunken ECC83 and a pair of vintage Valvo's or Telefunken's. Oddly enough, a pair of generic Russian EL84's from TheTubeStore sounded damn near as good, but one died after about a year so I just went back to the Valvo's.
 
Mr Boochie said:
Siemens-Halske E83CC and E84L are a nice premium pair. :thumbsup:
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i dont have those, but i got a lot of siemens ECC83 and EL84.

in what amp have you used this combination?

ive swapped out a few different tubes in my DG SE-1, and i cant tell a much of difference among power tubes.
 
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What would you change about the sound of the current amp if you could? That might help us narrow down some recommendations.
 
It really depends on your amp... I have two tube amps, a Willsenton R8 and a Muzishare X7... Using the British-made Gold Lion KT88s on the Willsenton sounds fabulous but the same tubes sound flat on t he Muzishare. OTOH, the Psvane KT-88-Z Treasures sounds great on the Muzishare but dead on the Willsenton.
 
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