Best sounding 12AX7A/ECC83 & 12AT7/ECC81 tubes? Telefunken, Amperex, Mullard?

It's tube season again, and I spent some time reacquainting myself with the stash of small signal tubes. Looking over the recent auctions on Ebay. Its my observation that prices are in the decline for all but the most sort after tubes. I could easily part with 100 or more 12XXX tubes and not miss them. But they'll be staying with me for now. Oh, well- just like stamps, comic books, cd's- etc-tubes are heading the same direction afaict.

 

I use an Amperex 1956 12ax7 foil D getter Bugle going into two Mullard 12ax7 1956 long plate square getter tubes and its sublime. In reality its really three Mullards or three Amperexs if you look at manufacturing back then. Great tubes, what air and harmonics, great with my equipment I guess. Take care, John M.

 

I finally got the Telefunken 12AX7 smooth plate experience. What a sound. Bass - while very nice in its way - isn't the tightest/fastest, but it's not detrimental overall - it just "is". The midrange is amazing...the decay of ambiance/echo/reverb, and rendering it within a believable place (even if artificial originally) is very impressive. Top is nicely balanced with the rest, without etch. Articulate, good dynamics, overall rhythm/timing, etc. Really nice...

 

Any suggestions to find authentic Telefunkens and not fakes. I know to look for the Diamond on the bottom. I'm looking for two good testing teles 12ax7 for my phono stage.

 

In the mid 90's I had a Sid Smith modified Marantz 7c that had all Tele's in it. Glorious. The Mullards were a bit too syrupy in the 7 for my taste.

I foolishly sold it to a nice fellow in Japan (for an outrageous amount of money).

 

Steve, did you run your Joule Electra stuff with 12ax7's in place of the 5751's?

 

Sorry, I don't. These were already installed by someone I trust within a piece of equipment I'm listening to.

 

That's helpful, thanks. I was considering trying 12ax7's in my two units but I think I'll stick with the 5751's . I figure Bud probably knows best in these things.

 

I have a Cayin A-50T using 4 x EL34/6CA7's, 2 x 12AU7's, and 2 x 12AX7's.

Changing the 12AU7's or 12 AX7's makes little if any difference.
The big changes in sound come about when I change the power valves.

Reliability wise though I have had two EH 12AU7's fail but have put around 6000 hrs on some 1960's Philips Long Plates which were well used when I was given them.

 

Had the same epiphany but the Amperex Bugle foil 1956-57 was my go to valve. Like you said to each his own. Take Care, John M.

 

I recommend trying out Psvane 12Ax7 tubes. They are not cheap but not nearly as expensive as NOS tubes can be, and they are great sounding tubes.

 

I have those in my Lamm monos - excellent valves.

 

Metralla, Have you compared the Psvane 12Ax7 tubes to the best of vintage NOS offerings in your Lamms? And if so, I would be curious to which models/vintages. Realizing everything is circuit and system dependent, yet one could conclude if Lamm likes it, that is a pretty strong two thumbs up in anybodies book, and maybe my Aesthetix gear would dig it too.

 

Heads up. I am selling strong testing (I have a mutual conductance tester - a calibrated Stark 9-66A - same as a Hickok 533 tester) smooth plate Telefunken 12AX7 tubes.

I will be posting them later today or tonight in the hardware section...each section measured and noted and they will be $50 USD a piece.

 

I found the TJ Full Music 12AX7s to be very good, and our local shop swapped them into all the McIntosh gear they sold. However, I had noise and reliability issues with them right off the bat. Too bad. I believe Psvane valves come from the other Chinese plant.

 

I borrowed a Mullard set from a friend to try in my Project Tube Box DS phonostage and was not that impressed by what I heard. In short I found them to be too "soft" sounding. I also tried out old Philips but found the sound to be somewhat undynamic. IMO the Psvane's were way better offering improved clearity paired with a sufficient dose of "tube warmth".

 

How do they do with the soundstage? I live valves that throw sound all over the place.

 

Well, I was very happy with my phonostage when I got it but, well you know, I just had to do some tube rolling. I started off by borrowing and wasn't to impressed. I decided to give the Psvane's a try having read good things about them. Let me just say they did what I imagined a good NOS would do. The bass grew firmer, the midrange opened up. Also you will not experience the hard top end of some modern low cost tubes. All with that springle of "tube sound" most crave for. Great tubes.

 

wow, glad i read this. been running a TBDS for a few weeks now and was all set to get a pair of mullards.

 

Of course. It's just that I have the same phono preamp as the quoted gentleman from Denmark and my system is already a little too warm.
I have read about those Psvanes as well and his post kind of tipped it in. For now.

 

No, but I would love to do that one day. Perhaps the 12AX7 in the Lamm power amps is not as critical to the sound as in a pre-amp.

 

Given the long life of signal valves you don't need to splurge on NOS.
I'd buy a set of used Mullard / Philips / Valvo / any other label manufactured in the 50's or 60's before I bothered buying Chinese tubes in a fancy box at ridiculous prices.