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REVIEW: CBS 12AX7 Tubes

Model:	12AX7
Category:	Tubes
Suggested Retail Price:	$90/Pr.
Description:	NOS 1957 Long Grey Plate D - Getter
Manufacturer URL:	CBS
Model Picture:	View

Review by el34eh@yahoo.com (A) on February 09, 2006 at 15:58:20 IP Address: 205.188.116.132

Add Your Review for the 12AX7

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Hi Fellow Tube Lovers:

As I've been wanting to review this tube here for awhile now, but was merely awaiting the opportunity where I had in fact obtained enough of them to us in either of my Tube Integrated Amp's throughout either theirs or my lifetime.

As I noticed that very little has ever been written about these tubes, I only felt that it was my duty to let others know more about them and about my on-going journey of the last 3 years in search of the better options available to not only myself but as a means to offer more information to those whom have been kind enough to email me off-line and inquiry about my recommendations for tubes for our beloved little Cayin TA-30's.

As most of you have been able to admit after-wards that many of my prior recommendations where as described and in fact loved what I had to say regarding those and just about anything else which I had mentioned in the manner of either tweaking or Tube Rolling our Cayin's - I just wanted to state for the record first off that these Tubes were first brought to my attention after reading mention of them by none other then our beloved Robert H years ago. And being someone whom more often then not tends to read between the lines on most Audio related matters before pursuing whatever my interest might be at any given time I just research till my hearts content with what has been said or either overlooked by others.

With that being said, here's my take on these.

About 2 years ago while doing my usual in-depth researching mode I was fortunate to come across a pair of these in an ad @ A'Gon by none other Tubemonger, and was quite taken by there asking prices at the time considering that no one else besides Robert H had ever mentioned them, yet upon looking further still into what many had in fact considered the best sounding/made 12AX7 Made in the USA and having asked that same question both here and at other Forums without much assistance's from others I might add, I just decided to pursue said matters into my own hands and find out what's what and which versions are considered worthwhile to begin with. I started this Journey as many of us do, I first ventured out into those often-mentioned European alternatives as they tend to get more attention both here and abroad for one reason or another?

You might have even heard of many of the usual 3 yourself? they go by the names of Amperex - Mullard and Telefunken's. As mentioned in Joe's Tube Lore - and by Robert H as well - The Amperex 12AX7/ECC83 Long Plate D - Getter NOS 50s Type 1 Made in Holland and their later Short Plated versions from the 60's do in fact strike me as the best sounding of these 3 brands, as I find that the Mullard's can be a very nice way of adding a greater sense of warmth and what I refer to as a more Human Sound to many of the newer designed tube amplification which many of us are using these days - as current production small signal tubes from either Ei - Electro Harmonix - Sovtek - JJ or Sino [ Shuguang ] don't appear to offer the same warmth and texture which NOS Tubes had in their favor - and in ways which only the more current designs can only aspire to become. The Amperex's to my ears are merely what I consider as across between what Mullard and Telefunken's could have been, they have the nicer top-end extension of the TFK's and the smoother and more relaxed feel throughout their mid-range much like the Mullard's only less colored overall, and have better upper and lower bass then both. Period.

These along with the much overlooked and under appreciated Tungsram 12AX7/ECC83X Low Noise Short Plate Industrial Grade Version [ Red Serial Numbers and Shiny Silver Pins ] NOS 1963/75 Made in Hungary and Mazda 12AX7/ECC83 Nickel Plate 4 Claw Versions NOS 1963 Made in France, are to my ears, my system and more importantly to my heart are what I honestly consider the 3 best of what Europe had to offer.

While doing they same with the American made tubes - I was fortunate to gain more insight into which options were considered to be the best sounding and with just cause to pursue, and pursue them I did !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, here's what I know for a fact - The RCA/ Tung Sol 12AX7 Long Carbonized Black Plates with Sq. Getter NOS 1947/49 and later versions produced between 1950/56 are the best sounding options available - Period. [2] Tung Sol 12AX7 Long Grey Plates with either Sq. or D - Getter NOS 1952/58 are second overall.

And finally what this was meant to be about to begin with, those CBS 12AX7's - These are to my ears much like the RCA/Tung Sol Long Black Plated 12AX7s overall but with an even greater sense of refinement - texture and the ability of adding nothing at all to their sonic signature whatsoever, these have a sound which flows much like an untainted lake that hasn't been altered by careless Human Beings whom don't care in the least about Mother Earth to begin with.

These tubes offer a sound which I consider to be highly Musical in the sense that each phase of ones favorite Female Vocalist becomes all that much more addictive, you hear - see and feel the Emotion behind the words more so then ever before, you start to notice little shifts in what said Artist is doing with their breathing techniques and also just how much air said singer is holding in their lungs themselves.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I know that I want to hear what goes on when I'm listening to either Cassandra Wilson or Patricia Barber - as I consider them both very good at their craft, and if you ever seriously decide to understand what makes both these Artist Audiophile favorites? All that one had to do is listen to their Voices and just as importantly - Listen to the respective Bands !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! as these to my ears have to be the tightest bands out there to date. Each one builds upon what appears to be a sense of open-mindedness which others simply lack. Nuances become all the more clearer, cleaner and more Real - Real with these CBS 12AX7 then with just about any other 12AX7s which these ears have heard to date.

As I've recommended the RCA/Tung Sol 12AX7s to owners of either Air Tight or just about any Tube Pre-amp or Power Amp which uses them, most have mentioned that they have found a tube which allows them to finally just listen to their systems and become more Emotionally attached to what the Musicians/Artist were doing and became more interested in buying more Music as opposed to more hard-ware. [ Which I for one tend to make my primary focus as well. ]

The CBS along with the RCA are more then capable of adding a certain sense of warmth - refinement - agility and speed when required - and the ability to simply allow all of the Instruments to be heard in a very unbiased manner, they simply step aside and allow the Musician's to do their thang [ If you will ] their bass if full - round and very tightly held together without any form of either slow, loose and somewhat over-hanging bass detailing at all - it has a snap to the strings which I find quite Realistic and more Natural overall. Highs are Beautiful - the Angels could only look down on you and smile from hearing these asend to the Heavens - Beautifully refined - yet quite responsive - real Human Beings in the room with you and even at times sitting beside you [ No Joke ]

I love them and only wish to share this with others, as I feel that they aren't mentioned mainly because either not many others have ever had the opportunity to listen/own a pair or they simply don't care to share what many of you should know !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and that's -

Just how really really freakin' nice sounding and made these Tubes were/are - Do yourself a favor and get a pair/quad of these into your system and seriously re-think where we all when wrong in allowing the best Tube Companies of Days gone by to ever close their doors in the late 60s early 70s.

That in my mind was one of the greatest mistakes we ever made. I just thought that this review/article would give many of you something more to look 4ward to besides - settling for some of the more currently designed BS while Tubes like this are often overlooked and in most cases aren't even known about - Until Now I Hope?.

Tubes are Music no matter which side of the fence you're sitting on - all that's required to know the Truth of the matter is an open-mind. Don't make the same mistake we made will allowing Tube Companies to fold as was -

A very sad mistake indeed.

Regards,
- Oscar

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Product Weakness:	It makes you realize that - You need more Music in your Collection, as you begin to hear things anew.
Product Strengths:	Music is just More Human Sounding without cause for concern - you find yourself Listening for about 15 Hours straight

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Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Cayin TA-30 along with their newer A-50 T Model [ 35 w/ch ] EL34 Based Designs - With the newer version being able to be switched into Triode mode @ 16 w/ch.
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	[ As above ]
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Accuphase DP - 65V or Sony SCD-777ES [ w/ Richard Kern Mods ]
Speakers:	ProAc Tablette Reference 8 Signatures [ 88 Db ] - On Sound Anchors 3PM Stands @ 30
Cables/Interconnects:	: Chimera Labs Advantage Series 2 and/or Harmonic Technology Truth - Link and/or Purist Audio Designs Elementa or Alpha-Core/Goretz TQ 2 either being used with a pair of Harmonic Technology Pro 11 Plus LS Cables [ RCA Connectors have been replaced with either Vampire Copper or Xhadow Precision - Large Version ]
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Jazz [ 1956/89 mostly in the Post Bop vein ] Jazz Female Vocalist [ Cassandra Wilson - Patricia Barber - Holly Cole - Sarah Vaughn - Ella - Lizz Wright - Sade and many others ]
Room Size (LxWxH):	18'7 x x 8'.8
Room Comments/Treatments:	Golden Sound Acoustic Discs - Set/12
Time Period/Length of Audition:	First pair - Since 2002 with 9 more pair just last week - which is why I felt it was time to mention these now.
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Alpha - Core BP 30
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner
Your System (if other than home audition):	N/A

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