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RE: Rogue Audio Ares tubes

Posted by mulveling (A) on December 16, 2014 at 08:26:25

In Reply to: Rogue Audio Ares tubes posted by PMC0607 on December 6, 2014 at 17:56:27:

The Telefunken 12AX7 are definitely really really nice in the Ares, but they're certainly NOT worth paying a premium to a dealer. There's scads of "used but tests extremely strong, low noise" examples of this tube floating around -- there were a LOT of them produced over the years. I've paid between $70-$110 for used/strong pairs.

I didn't try many 12AU7 because I have lots of 12BH7 which are better in most applications -- and you CAN use the 12BH7 in the Ares (I asked Rogue). The main problem there will be finding an acceptable quiet pair, since the big plates tend to be microphonic in phono stage applications (even in just the output buffer, as here).

Best combo I had in the Ares was the Tele 12AX7 plus Hitachi/Japanese 12BH7 (round plates). However, the Teles are not the proper choice when you need something to warm your system up and/or tame brightness (the Japanese 12BH7 are also very neutral; RCA are warm) -- but if not then I think they're amazing in the Ares. RCA black plate 12AX7 were also good (not as good as the Teles, though), and warmer.

For a more traditional 12AU7, I kinda like the GE 5814 3-mica gray plates (I've also used these in the Ares). Good sounding tube, drop-in sub for 12AU7, and not expensive. I've also used Upscale CV4003 in a Rogue Atlas (not Ares though) and wasn't really impressed vs. the cheap as hell RCA clear-tops.

I never tried the Brimar 12AX7; be aware that like Mullard there are box-plate-ish CV4004 military versions which are a different tube -- and with Brimar the CV4004-type tubes are the more common, though I believe Rogue's strong preference is to the domestic 12AX7. With Mullards, I definitely much prefer the long-plate 12AX7 (rare) to the box-plate CV4004 (common as hell).

Edits: 12/16/14 12/16/14 12/16/14

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