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Model: | 12AU7-T |
Category: | Tubes |
Suggested Retail Price: | $83 |
Description: | ECC82 variant / modern |
Manufacturer URL: | PSVANE |
Model Picture: | View |
Review by Audioquest4life on February 20, 2011 at 09:36:52 IP Address: 84.176.225.165 | Add Your Review for the 12AU7-T |
I purchased a quad of the new PSVANE 12AU7-T for my Octave Jubilee preamplifier and based on my experiences compared with other tubes I have rolled; I am pretty confident that the PSVANE tubes are one of the better new tubes in the market today. The outward appearance of the box and the labeling on the tube sure do add some form of bling factor. The box contains a pair of tubes and data sheets with a matching serial number for each labeled tube. Each data sheet contains the measured plate voltage value, both of mine were tested and are identical: 8.5 ma. I can tell you that after I installed the tubes, I forgot about how the boxes looked like and played around with my system off and on for a few weeks, never to even think about the boxes. Why do I care about boxes? Generally speaking; in marketing the perceived value of a product is always decided by how well it looks in the form of its packaging or outwardly appearance. That is why I hid the boxes and left out the other tubes, some quite good in their own right, to compare to these new PSVANES. I know a bit over the edge, but I do not want to think that these tubes are better because of some nice packaging. We all have something to probably say about that, enough about that already and on to tube speak.
The tubes right out of the box bring so much more separation and depth to my system that I thought I had a new system altogether. The voices are really what grab my attention. Listening to Alan Parson’s Eye in the Sky LP, I am surrounded by the richness of the voices and delicate nuances in the music that makes you want to listen for hours. I was using some RFT’s, Siemens and GE-Jan tubes at first, all EC82 types. The Art Pepper LP; So in Love, Acoustech 45RPM pressing sounds so beautiful and the sax sings to you as if Art were playing right in front of you, as should be. I have only about 55 hours on these tubes but I know that as soon as I put them into service that they did an excellent job in helping to lay out the musical playing field. Depth and separation, and the ability to pop out of nowhere all seem like the traits of these tubes on my system. The accuracy and preciseness of the instruments seem to be more developed compared to what I have listened to in the past. What really grabs my attention is that the flow of music is more dynamic yet with a subtle reach into the voices and instruments that make each stand out more in a pleasant manner.
Often you hear where a tube or tubes does a little of this or a little of that, but I am not going to dote on such things, but merely state that the music is more refined with the proper amount of bass, mids and highs that add a tremendous amount of musicality to my system and that across all of the sound spectrum each instrument gets it fair share of emphasis when it’s time comes, be it the bass, the sax or the cymbals. I can listen to music like this all day long. My listening has risen to another notch of musical bliss; pretty much sums up all I need to say. I am pretty sure part of what I am also hearing is also a perceived dynamic swing in the music making all of this seem to me as if I have a new system. There is nothing more that I like than to hear cymbals and drums roll from left to right and hear a musician move on a stage or be able to pick out the musician with so much ease as they play in addition to music seeming more dramatic.
I am fortunate to live only 25 minutes from the place I purchased these from; The Tube Amp Doctor, in Worms, Germany. So, getting tubes to test is pretty fast for me. I have used AEG, RFT and Siemens ECC82’s for comparisons.
If anyone is interested in a new modern ECC82 tube with kick-ass dynamics and a very balanced frequency spectrum with the right amount of emphasis in all of the musical categories, than you should try the 12AU7-T/ECC82 PSVANES. They have not let me down and thus far have exceeded my expectations. Next, I am going to test some 12AX7’s next in my Asthetix IO Signature. More to follow.
Ciao,
Audioquest4life
Product Weakness: | Pricey for a new tube. None otherwise. |
Product Strengths: | Excellant dynamics, soundstaging and well balanced frequency spectrum. |
Amplifier: | Octave MRE 130 |
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): | Octave Jubilee |
Sources (CDP/Turntable): | Transrotor Apollon 80MM 3 motor version |
Speakers: | B&W Nautilus 800 |
Cables/Interconnects: | Audioquest Sky, OEM Neotech with silver WBT's |
Music Used (Genre/Selections): | Jazz, rock, easy listening, classic |
Room Size (LxWxH): | 27 x 18.5 x 8.5 |
Room Comments/Treatments: | Echobusters, measured and tuned room with other treatments |
Time Period/Length of Audition: | 4 weeks |
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): | Silent Wire AC Reference |
Type of Audition/Review: | Product Owner |
I pretty much have to agree with this review after buying a matched pair of these tubes for £48 from Amazon. I also feel like I have a new system and for £48 must be a bargain. These tubes are the business with finesse and clarity separating instruments much better that the JAN 5814A that I've been using until now. The Music is much more enjoyable with background sounds much clearer than ever before and with good balance. The bass is clean and fast with great timbre. The mid and treble are wonderfully clear and fast and vocals sound much more life like. The Rides Pierced Arrow comes alive specially the cord changes on the guitar hearing the delicate zing of fingers sliding along the strings, wonderful.
These tubes are special.
in my Aesthetix Calypso. They were dead quiet and sounded great. Very balanced sound. I really loved them and quickly ordered two more pair.
After about 60 days the first pair I bought started getting noisy. The tube rush which had been virtually non existant became very audible at the listening position. So I pop in another new pair. Once again dead quiet. But after about 30 days this pair became noisy.
So I have gone back to my old standby The Mullard Reissues. These tubes don't sound quite as good as the Pavanes but they stay dead quiet.
I'll be curious to see if anyone else experiences this with the Pavanes,especially with Aesthetix gear. The Aesthetix Calypso & Rhea are very sensitive to noisy tubes.
Tom
System Details
I hope that is not the case. I was willing to try these tubes in my new Octave Jubilee preamp to compare against the original NOS tubes that were already installed. Since I also own Aesthetix gear, IO Signature, I will wait to see what the outcome is with the current batch of tubes I am using. The IO SIG requires 12 12AX7's, so I will wait out for sure. Too bad that your Aesthetix was sensitive to the tube rush brought about by the tubes breaking in.
Ciao,
Audioquest4life
Why do these recviews always sound like they were written by a professional copywriter?
Sure I'm different, I use tubes!
Easier on the eyes to not have to spell or grammar check things...
I'm just sayin'
"If the audio industry built gear that sounded as good as it did 50 years ago, there would NEVER be a need to re-issued anything!"
Well, did you find it of value or not? The purpose of me writing this review was to share with others the listening experience I had with the new tubes. I will take "written by a professional copywriter" as a complement as I am too nice or naive to worry about what others say; up to an uncertain threshold.
Enjoy your tubes, I know I am.
I've looked at several pictures of this tube on the web. The innards look identical to the $5.50 Shuguang 12AU7, and the only visual difference I can see is the gold pins and the glass. But this is all based on pictures on the internet.
I suggest you buy a pair of these from http://www.goodcomponent.com/ for $11/pair and compare them sonically.
It's a big price difference.
"What did the Romans ever do for us?"
$11.00 for two. Shipping from China. I'll post results when I get them.
I was wondering how your new 12AX7's are working out for you? Could you comment on how they sound and if they are getting noisy at all?
Thank you much.
Warmest regards,
No Regrets
I also noticed drop-downs that allowed a qualitative choice (80% +, 60-80% etc.) with a price variant but they were grayed out for me. They look nice. Glad you are enjoying them.
ET
Thank you.
I posted this in Tubes but somehow it ended up General.
I noticed that Grant Fideloty is one of the few carrying these tubes in the US and that they have several options. I just bought my tubes straight out from Tube Amp Doctor and they were matched from the factory and then TAD did their TAD select offering, whatever that is, but I know these tubes are doing something wonderful for my setup.
Ciao,
Audioquest4life
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