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Been out of the game for awhile. Want to replace some stock China tubes and would like suggestions in the <$20 each range. Not sure if I should go NOS or reissues.....
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I would heartily recommend the RCA clear top. It's characteristic sound is closer to that of the 6CG/FQ7. As mentioned below if you know that your heater supply can handle it, the 6FQ/CG7 is an even better choice. It's an inherently more linear tube. The RCA clear top version of this tube also rocks.
As for the 12AX7- man, there are so many good ones. Collect a few if you can, and see what makes you happy. At least try to obtain two very contrasting brands/ versions and go from there.
Cory
Hope I didn't steer you wrong on the Toshi's.
Many years ago, I went a little crazy comparing 12AU7s/ECC82s. In the end, the best sounding were Amperex BugleBoys that I knew were authentic, because I bought them in the late 60s/early 70s, when fakes were not yet a la mode. However, the best 12AU7 is no 12AU7, IMO. I far prefer 12FQ7, which is a pop-in replacement, and NOS ones are MUCH cheaper than NOS 12AU7s. This is if you have a 12V filament supply. If you have a 6V supply, you can use 6FQ7, 6CG7, and/or a few others, all of which kick butt of any 12AU7 (again, IMO). However, if you do use any of the latter, please check the pin-outs; you may have to do some minor re-wiring of the socket to get the filament voltage where it needs to be.
Have used some Japanese made, Raytheon labeled 12FQ7. Very nice tubes. IIRC, the heater line would need slight change (pin 9?) --- to use the 12FQ7 in a circuit designed for the 12AU7 (parallel pins 4&5 and 9).
When I get the chance, I will check out what you say about the filament pins, but in practice, I was able to use a 12FQ7 in place of a 12AU7 in my Quicksilver vintage full-function preamplifier (from the 1980s). The Q has a 12V filament supply, and I made no changes to the wiring. I do agree there would be issues if you have a 6V supply. I believe I said as much. In that case, one might choose the 6FQ7 or 6CG7, both of which would require a little de-soldering and re-soldering of the filament pins. Also, the 12FQ7 may require more filament current than does the 12AU7, which is usually inconsequential but not always.EDIT. I just looked it up. Both the 12FQ7 and 6FQ7 leave pin 9 blank. One consequence of that is that the 12FQ7 can ONLY be used with a 12V supply, which goes between pins 4 and 5. Soooo, if you have a 12AU7 wired for 12V, pins 4 and 5 would not be strapped together but rather would have 12V across them, and pin 9 would be naked. The swap of 12FQ7 for 12AU7 would, should, and does work fine, because in 12V mode, the 12AU7 would have no connection at pin9, either. Also, the 12FQ7 does indeed use 2X the filament current required for 12AU7. This did not faze the Quicksilver filament supply.
Edits: 03/23/16
The new tungSols 12AU7s are VERY good. I'm using them in my VTA ST-70 right now with a Sylvania in the center position.
The 12AX7 - spend the bucks and just get the Gold Lions. It's like a good version of a good vintage tube!!!!
I'm a little iffy on the Gold Lions. I purchased some 12at7s for my VTA-ST120 and i just could not fall in love with them. They were just very flat and boring. Ran them for hundreds of hours. Anything sounded better after listening to them. Maybe mine were duds, but idk.
I"m running them in the preamp of my Sherwood and they are nothing like you describe. Very lush and lively - try contacting Bob latino for a recommenation on those tubes. Or contact Jim McShane for a tube with more of a top end.
Does your design use a phase amplifier then two phase splitters? Like theVTA St-70 design?. That design uses the 12AU7's.
1960s JAN Sylvania 6189 are a nice 12AU7 and can still be found for about $25.
The Tung Sol 6189 works very well for me, in fact I like them a lot. There are 1958's floating around.
Thank you! Readily found on "EPray" for under $20......a pair!
Is there a cheap surplus JAN tube for 12ax7?
Can you get anything other than cheap Chinese tubes these days for less than 20 bucks, especially 12ax7s?
Easily done.
"I can't compete with the dead" (Buck W. 2010)
"It would take me forever. I don't think I have forever" (Byrd 2015)
mt
.
"I can't compete with the dead" (Buck W. 2010)
"It would take me forever. I don't think I have forever" (Byrd 2015)
To these NOS 12AX7 and 12AU7, for under $20.
Thanks!
.
"I can't compete with the dead" (Buck W. 2010)
"It would take me forever. I don't think I have forever" (Byrd 2015)
Byrd, I highly doubt you are referring to true New Old Stock (unused) 12ax7s for less than $20 each. Perhaps used tubes that test good.
If I am wrong, please PM me with the list of available tubes. Thanks.
I know very well what 12AXs and AUs I'm referring to. However, these days I follow my set my priorities. NOS AXs or AUs only escape occasionally, at less than $20. I'm not a pig. Pigs get slaughtered.
"I can't compete with the dead" (Buck W. 2010)
"It would take me forever. I don't think I have forever" (Byrd 2015)
It might help if folks knew what it was you were going to use them in.
$20 for NOS. It's been quite awhile. LOL!
Anyhow, I like the new Gold Lion 12AX7/B749. Their 12AU7 is ok. If the 12AU7 is in a critical stage, tone-wise, you may need to go to $$$ NOS.
My favorite 12AU7 type is the CBS Hytron 5418A or -WA. German Valvo E82CC. Both of which are very $$$, these days.
8^)
Where did you arrive at that budget? Tubes that inexpensive tend to be inexpensive for a good reason. It would be a reiterative process with more losers than winner if I had to predict the outcome. I don't want to sound like an elitist oligarch swine. Let me explain, the 12AX7 is one that the guitar amp guys like as much, if not more than the Audio guys. Thus Big Demand and for NOS the supply for real ones is diminishing rapidly now. The price for true NOS if you can find them is astronomical, for examples you might want to watch a few E-bay auctions of true clean and well known and liked 12AX7s.
Fortunately Current production is pretty good now as explained but the really good ones such as'Gold lions with the gold pins while truly excellent (if you like the rich lush and somewhat warm, with superb treble) are more money than your budget. The good news for you is that they sell the GL with steel pins, less money and prob less rich I don't know I haven't auditioned them.
Some of the heat has left the 5751 market where you might be able to get really good tubes for about your price.
The less sought after NOS 12AX7s, such as the Tungsram as was explained above.
Finally some rare advice put a free Ad in the Asylum market place asking [for 12AX7s. Somebody may be able to help you.
I may have some to sell I will look. Please don't think I wrote this response to sell tubes I honestly didn't . I merely that about helping another tube lover, that's all.
BTW I saw an ad in E-pray buy a older guy with radios like Mazola He is claiming that a pair of GE 12AX7As are equivalent to and are in fact 803s. He only wants $375 for the pair that do possess an odd GE factor Gold Pins.
Good Luck,
I think you will become a tube roller like most of o\us here. It is great when you can make serious to your sound quality just by plgging a different tube.
Unless I really knew the seller well and truly trusted him --- it'd be very hard to spend $20 on an "NOS" 12AX7 or 12AU7. Could be a waste of money. IMHO.
Both hi-fi and guitar amps use the 12AX7. And a good one can make all the difference in the world. This is driving the $$$ up. Just look at some of the new, "boutique" 12AX7 coming out of China.
I did note that it was argues that there are tube vendors who carry real NOS 12AX7s and 12AU7s for $20 or less (never been used). Some including myself wondered who were these vendors. An imagined rule prevented naming the vendors in a running thread.
I hope you were trying to be amusing because I am not aware of any such rule.
If not I hope you mean that you have purchased an inexpensive NOS 12AX7 tube or two from a dealer who may be sporadic and that there is no ongoing dealer with considerable stocks or access to stocks oftrue NOS tubes in this case the widely implemented 12AX7, or the somewhat less widely used 12AU7.
Please provide the link requested before, jut buy what you want for yourself before providing a link.
So sorry.
"I can't compete with the dead" (Buck W. 2010)
"It would take me forever. I don't think I have forever" (Byrd 2015)
Yep the answer was there all along, but only between the lines.
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