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In Reply to: RE: Gold lion 12ax7 or mullard re-issue 12ax7? posted by JoeKool on March 04, 2012 at 23:09:59
Joe, I too have a CAT. A Mk. II. It uses 12AU7 for the line input. Was wondering if maybe you too had this vintage and if so what you'd found you liked for that 12AU7. I tried the GL reissue and really liked it, but one of them went hissy after about three or four weeks. Now I'm back to the seemingly bullet proof RFT. Not that wild about their tone, but they do seem capable of taking the punishment in that spot.
Thanks,
Mike
Follow Ups:
I have the MK1 with an upgraded p/s. SO same tube compliment as yours.
I liked the reissue TS 12ax7 so much (over the new Mullard )that I sprung for the new TS 12au7, so far I am liking the all TS combo.
In the CF I first had the EH6922's tried the GL but didn't care for the sound(too dark), ended up with a Packard Bell branded/Amperex 6DJ8...very clean, 3D sound.
I would like to try Brimar 12AU7, more pricier so awaiting funds for that step.
I should add that the TS au and ax tubes I am using are cryoed, when I first bought the unit it came with non-cryoed TS ax's and I thought the sound was too 'hot' which is when I went with the Mullards.
I tried the RFT au's...clean pure tone but no texture.
Joe, thanks for that. If you don't mind me asking, where'd you get the cryo'd TS's and what kind of money are we talking about? I'm with you on the CF's. Using a Toshiba M3624 (6DJ8) in the phono CF for tone and a Siemens 7308 in the line CF for a little sparkle and punch. I had a nice quiet pair of Tele 6922's that I'm using as phono inputs. For now using Mullard reissues in all the AX positions. For being over 20 years old this CAT sounds amazingly amazing. Have you experienced any early death/noise issues with the AU's? I haven't owned this CAT all that long and am still learning its ropes. Had read that it drives the AU's quite hard and that many are prone to go noisy there.
Cryoset.com
Prices are comparable to market prices of non cryoed tubes: eg; TS 12AX7 @ $18.99...add $3. for matched pair.
I buy many of my tubes from Jim, but he doesn't offer cryoed tubes (as far as I know).
When I first bought the CAT (2years ago), it came with EI 12AU7's, those were the first tubes I changed, to NOS GE12AU7A (sourced from Jim).
After I had such great results with the cryoed TS in the 12AX position(displacing the reissue Mullards), I was curious to see/hear what the cryoed TS12AU had to offer. So far I have not had any problem with early tube death in the CAT. Maybe I am lucky, since I have read/heard of that rep.
I like the LPS 12AX in the phono. I got the GL12AX(cryoed), but haven't tried them yet...I also got the cryoed version of the LPS, but it's still awaiting audition. Vinyl is just 5% of my listening time, a shame since the CAT phono stage is excellent.
Joe, thanks very much for the Cryoset tip. I liked the GL AU's so much that I am going to try them again on hopes that the one I had go hissy was just an outlier. So I just ordered up a cryoed pair from Cryoset. I'm pretty satisfied right now with the Mullard's, but based on your recco, I will also order some TS 12AX's too.
Thanks again.
You are welcome.
Hopefully you will post your impressions in a new thread after the new tubes are run in and you have had the time to compare them with each other.
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