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12AX7 Tube questions.

post #1 of 8
11/22/11 at 5:29pm
Thread Starter 

Heya,

 

I have a Bellari 540 that I have been messing around with lately (great little budget tube amp BTW). I have tried many of the 12ax7 tubes that I researched from almost all of the newer made tubes to a couple of vintage tubes a Mullard and an RCA. The best sound stage was the Mullard, but the low and high end seem to be not strong at all. The RCA was well rounded but lacked in bass. The only tube that seemed to please my ears in the high and low output was the stock Ruby tube this unit came with ($10 tube lol).

 

Can someone please suggest to me a tube that would have the have the tone of the Mullard but the output of the Ruby. I have found that there are long plate and smooth plate versions of some of these vintage tubes that are spoke so highly of, what are the tonal aspects of the different plates?

 

Thank you in advance for any help.


Edited by Fearless1 - 11/22/11 at 5:31pm
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post #2 of 8
11/22/11 at 11:04pm

I use Tung Sol grey plates.  Fine bass, sounds like RCA (they share assembly).  Lots available all over.

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post #3 of 8
11/23/11 at 9:53am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by wavoman View Post

I use Tung Sol grey plates.  Fine bass, sounds like RCA (they share assembly).  Lots available all over.



Thanks for the reply, I ordered one today for around 13 dollars.

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post #4 of 8
11/23/11 at 2:46pm

If you can find, try NOS TESLA E83CC

 

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post #5 of 8
11/23/11 at 6:24pm

Bet you can't find the Telsa's for $13!

 

Let us all know how the Tung Sol sounds.

 

Did you know the Orpheus, which many consider the best sounding HP-AMP combo in the world (until they hear Stax 009 / BHSE), uses 12AX7's ??

 

And there is nothing like a creamy 12AU7 in the right unit.  So many tubes, so little time.

 

Tubes are like women.  Identical relationship pattern.  I dated and married a twin, so I understand matched pairs.

 

Some dude at the last NJ meet had a kewl Tung Sol t-shirt.  I was going to mug him outside the back of the hotel and take it off him, but he was younger and stronger than me.  Besides, it wouldn't fit, not being XXL.

 

If you are reading this in the US, have a great Thanksgiving!

 

 

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post #6 of 8
11/24/11 at 1:39am


No, NOS TESLA E83CC do cost more. I think you mean JJ TESLA and thats no way even close to the real thing.

 

Personally, I like old production Mullards, everything between 1950-60's must do very well.
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by wavoman View Post

Bet you can't find the Telsa's for $13!

 

Let us all know how the Tung Sol sounds.

 

Did you know the Orpheus, which many consider the best sounding HP-AMP combo in the world (until they hear Stax 009 / BHSE), uses 12AX7's ??

 

And there is nothing like a creamy 12AU7 in the right unit.  So many tubes, so little time.

 

Tubes are like women.  Identical relationship pattern.  I dated and married a twin, so I understand matched pairs.

 

Some dude at the last NJ meet had a kewl Tung Sol t-shirt.  I was going to mug him outside the back of the hotel and take it off him, but he was younger and stronger than me.  Besides, it wouldn't fit, not being XXL.

 

If you are reading this in the US, have a great Thanksgiving!

 

 



 

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post #7 of 8
11/24/11 at 2:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blackmore View Post


No, NOS TESLA E83CC do cost more. I think you mean JJ TESLA and thats no way even close to the real thing.

 

Personally, I like old production Mullards, everything between 1950-60's must do very well.
 



 


Probably the best recommendation by far. This is one of the most overlooked 12ax7s in existence. The Tesla E83CC has a frame grid and identical construction to the famed ECC803S at a small fraction of the cost. Whenever my tube dealer has these I snatch them up.

 

However, the real NOS E83CC are not easy to come by. I highly recommend Telefunkens or alternatively experimenting with some 5751's. Tubes are very personal and no amount of recommendations will ever substitute for trial and error in finding what suits your tastes.

 

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post #8 of 8
11/24/11 at 7:47am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by PanamaRed View Post


Probably the best recommendation by far. This is one of the most overlooked 12ax7s in existence. The Tesla E83CC has a frame grid and identical construction to the famed ECC803S at a small fraction of the cost. Whenever my tube dealer has these I snatch them up.

 

However, the real NOS E83CC are not easy to come by. I highly recommend Telefunkens or alternatively experimenting with some 5751's. Tubes are very personal and no amount of recommendations will ever substitute for trial and error in finding what suits your tastes.

 



I agree with you that tone of a tube is very subjective to the users taste, just want to fish around on here a bit and check out what you fellows use. I have honestly tried all of the newer made tubes and always seem to gravitate back to the stock Ruby that came with this particular unit. The Mullard I picked up  sounds fantastic, great soundstage, but just seems to lack output. The RCA (foil back plate) also sounds good, but again lacks on the low end quite a bit.  A friend of mine is sending me an old Fisher tube he had laying around, I have read that Telefunken made these?  Coming from  Soid State I guess I just have to get accustom to the tube sound.

 

One more question from the tube noob, what does D Getter represent as marked on some of these older tubes?

 


Edited by Fearless1 - 11/24/11 at 7:49am
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