nighttrain69
New member
wondering if anyone had any opinions on their favorite preamp tubes and how they liked to stage them
Audioholic
New member
I think it really can be amp dependant as far as what works. but generally I like tung sols for average priced pre tubes
insignificant11
New member
I'm running JJ 12AX7s mostly, but I have a NOS RCA 12BZ7 and JAN-Phillips 5751. Seems to be a nice mix until I go tube crazy again. 
Marshall Law
Well-known member
here we go again 
Strat+Marshall
Active member
Old mullards are the best. 
I also like RCAs and Phillips. With newer tubes I usually just mix and match what I have laying around till I hear what I like.
I also like RCAs and Phillips. With newer tubes I usually just mix and match what I have laying around till I hear what I like.
E
edgarallanpoe
New member
I'll avoid posting the obvious answers like Mullard, Telefunken, or Amperex because most of us aren't going to go out and drop $100 per tube on a set of 5-7 preamp tubes.
I'll give you guys some killer alternatives to the above tubes instead.
1. Tesla (Not JJ) ECC83 crossed sword. Unreal tube that isn't as widely known as some others. Great grind and clarity.
2. Sylvania 12AX7. Wicked headroom and a low end thump that can't be touched.
3. RCA Blackplate 7025. Might be the best 12AX7 ever made. The absolute smoothest, sweetest midrange I have ever heard.
4. Raytheon Blackplate 12AX7. Very good at everything but not as sweet sounding in the midrange as a Mullard or the RCA. Still a killer tube that sounds great in just about every application.
5. GE 5 Star 12AX7A. Holy mother of god this tube sounds *massive* in a high gain amp. I have yet to hear a 12AX7 with more gain.
All of the above tubes can be had at reasonable prices when you consider that they will last about 5 times as long and sound *way* better than a modern 12AX7. I have a lot of these tubes that are 40+years old and still peg the needle on my tube tester. My current set of Teslas have been in an amp for over six years and still test as new. I originally had them in a Fargen Bordeaux, moved them to a Boogie Roadking and they now reside in an Elmwood Modena 90. All 3 of those amps can really smack a preamp tube. The fact that they laugh at the abuse I give them is a testament to how ell this stuff was made.
Tone is subjective...we all know that, but quality of materials and consistency are not subjective. When you compare new tubes to these tubes it is like night and day. I laughed when I bought one of the new Mullard reissues and it tested lower than a 60's Mullard that I have had in a Marshall for 30 yrs. LOL!!!
I'll give you guys some killer alternatives to the above tubes instead.
1. Tesla (Not JJ) ECC83 crossed sword. Unreal tube that isn't as widely known as some others. Great grind and clarity.
2. Sylvania 12AX7. Wicked headroom and a low end thump that can't be touched.
3. RCA Blackplate 7025. Might be the best 12AX7 ever made. The absolute smoothest, sweetest midrange I have ever heard.
4. Raytheon Blackplate 12AX7. Very good at everything but not as sweet sounding in the midrange as a Mullard or the RCA. Still a killer tube that sounds great in just about every application.
5. GE 5 Star 12AX7A. Holy mother of god this tube sounds *massive* in a high gain amp. I have yet to hear a 12AX7 with more gain.
All of the above tubes can be had at reasonable prices when you consider that they will last about 5 times as long and sound *way* better than a modern 12AX7. I have a lot of these tubes that are 40+years old and still peg the needle on my tube tester. My current set of Teslas have been in an amp for over six years and still test as new. I originally had them in a Fargen Bordeaux, moved them to a Boogie Roadking and they now reside in an Elmwood Modena 90. All 3 of those amps can really smack a preamp tube. The fact that they laugh at the abuse I give them is a testament to how ell this stuff was made.
Tone is subjective...we all know that, but quality of materials and consistency are not subjective. When you compare new tubes to these tubes it is like night and day. I laughed when I bought one of the new Mullard reissues and it tested lower than a 60's Mullard that I have had in a Marshall for 30 yrs. LOL!!!
L
luxxtone
Member
For new production tubes, my favorites are the TungSols and Chinese (Ruby, Groove Tube 12ax7m, etc.) Very quiet, lots of gain and big sounding.
insignificant11
New member
I know what I'm trying next time I want to experiment with preamp tubes. All of the above!edgarallanpoe":1ytyb9ib said:
B
Buckeyedog
Active member
I'm with Luxxtone.....the TS and chinese are my default tubes for my amps. But I also really like the Sovtek LPS in the PI slot.
Great post above by the way with the "less" expensive NOS types. Very good info.
Great post above by the way with the "less" expensive NOS types. Very good info.
E
edgarallanpoe
New member
Another important thing to remember about NOS tubes is this....
A lot of guys used to the modern Russian and Chinese tubes try these and are initially disappointed. They hear what they perceive to be a lack of gain. Nothing could be further from the truth. In most instances the NOS tubes have more gain than their modern counterparts. Gain and distortion are *not* the same thing. What they are perceiving as a lack of gain is actually a result of the NOS tube have a dramatically lower noise floor and way less exaggerated highs that the new tubes produce. The result is a vastly improved usable gain range. When you put these tubes in, experiment with the gain of the amplifier and more often than not you will see that the amp has a much wider range of usable gain than it previously had. The EQ section of the amp will also behave differently in many cases because the NOS tube is capable of producing all of the subtle nuances of the EQ section that new tubes simply are not capable of.
Also, NOS tubes react very differently than modern tubes so the "feel" of the amp will become very apparent.
All of this will take time to hear and feel. Many player will put the tubes in and yank them an hour later thinking that they wasted their money. Do not think that a preamp tube swap will make your amplifier into something that it wasn't meant to be. If you put an entire set of Mullards into a Fender Twin, it will still sound like a Fender Twin, not a friggin Marshall. LOL!!! The amp *will* however have a noticeably different midrange complexity and the EL34s will feel very different than a 6L6 does when the amp is pushed hard.
Thanks for the compliments on the post above. I am glad I can be of some help. Feel free to PM me with any questions you may have, or ask them here in this thread. I am not an expert by any means, but I have experience with a boatload of different tubes and would be more than happy to give you my *opinion* of them. It is worth what you paid for it... HA!!!
A lot of guys used to the modern Russian and Chinese tubes try these and are initially disappointed. They hear what they perceive to be a lack of gain. Nothing could be further from the truth. In most instances the NOS tubes have more gain than their modern counterparts. Gain and distortion are *not* the same thing. What they are perceiving as a lack of gain is actually a result of the NOS tube have a dramatically lower noise floor and way less exaggerated highs that the new tubes produce. The result is a vastly improved usable gain range. When you put these tubes in, experiment with the gain of the amplifier and more often than not you will see that the amp has a much wider range of usable gain than it previously had. The EQ section of the amp will also behave differently in many cases because the NOS tube is capable of producing all of the subtle nuances of the EQ section that new tubes simply are not capable of.
Also, NOS tubes react very differently than modern tubes so the "feel" of the amp will become very apparent.
All of this will take time to hear and feel. Many player will put the tubes in and yank them an hour later thinking that they wasted their money. Do not think that a preamp tube swap will make your amplifier into something that it wasn't meant to be. If you put an entire set of Mullards into a Fender Twin, it will still sound like a Fender Twin, not a friggin Marshall. LOL!!! The amp *will* however have a noticeably different midrange complexity and the EL34s will feel very different than a 6L6 does when the amp is pushed hard.
Thanks for the compliments on the post above. I am glad I can be of some help. Feel free to PM me with any questions you may have, or ask them here in this thread. I am not an expert by any means, but I have experience with a boatload of different tubes and would be more than happy to give you my *opinion* of them. It is worth what you paid for it... HA!!!
E
edgarallanpoe
New member
One more thing...
The label on the tube is not always indicative of who made the tube.
RCA bought and relabeled tubes from several manufacturers. Sylvania, Mullard, etc...all made tubes for RCA.
That is just one example.
I have several Sylvanias that are actually Tung Sols. LOL!!! Unless you really know what you are looking for it can really get confusing. Add the fact that they are being counterfeited at ludicrous rates and you can get overwhelmed very easily.
The label on the tube is not always indicative of who made the tube.
RCA bought and relabeled tubes from several manufacturers. Sylvania, Mullard, etc...all made tubes for RCA.
That is just one example.
I have several Sylvanias that are actually Tung Sols. LOL!!! Unless you really know what you are looking for it can really get confusing. Add the fact that they are being counterfeited at ludicrous rates and you can get overwhelmed very easily.
nighttrain69
New member
your not kidding the more i research the more confused i get,edgarallanpoe":t4mrwqnn said:
depending on who ya read or talk to you get different opinions
J
just42dave
Well-known member
Thats what I do ...I look for the tube lots and look for the blackburn codes and VOILA!! 7 mullards for 25.01 hahahahahamwuhahahahahahaedgarallanpoe":3f3yev26 said:
J
just42dave
Well-known member
Hell I got 4 Sherwood labeled Siemens 12ax7 for 45.00 the other day Ilove tube hunting its like mushroom hunting.. 
SQUAREHEAD
Well-known member
Try to find the early 90's / late eighties Chinese 12AX7's from Bejing...
They have square getters up top (under the chrome pointed tip)
These are the BEST preamp tubes (in my opinion) EVER produced.
Huge gain and lots of top end bight/clarity!!
I like 'em more than my Mullard 12AX7's...
Everyone has a different set of ears...
Keith
They have square getters up top (under the chrome pointed tip)
These are the BEST preamp tubes (in my opinion) EVER produced.
Huge gain and lots of top end bight/clarity!!
I like 'em more than my Mullard 12AX7's...
Everyone has a different set of ears...
Keith
MOAAH
New member
Pretty much anything NOS. Like these:nighttrain69":3oisvg81 said:
The mil spec are great, but the made for medicine are best:
As for new tubes, it's more a matter of taste.
I used to luv EH, but they changed a few years ago, and not in a good way IMO.
E
edgarallanpoe
New member
Try to find the early 90's / late eighties Chinese 12AX7's from Bejing...
They have square getters up top (under the chrome pointed tip)
These are the BEST preamp tubes (in my opinion) EVER produced.
Huge gain and lots of top end bight/clarity!!
I like 'em more than my Mullard 12AX7's...
Everyone has a different set of ears...
Keith
A great sounding tube but not as well made as the ones above. Killer in high gain situations...not so killer in others. The success of any tube depends on its application. That Chinese tube mentioned above was actually designed for high gain applications so the fact that it shines in that situation isn't surprising. Also, the cat is out of the bag on that tube and I have seen people pay crazy money for them.
MOAAH
New member
Absolutely awesome post!!!edgarallanpoe":1ni7cq6o said:Another important thing to remember about NOS tubes is this....
A lot of guys used to the modern Russian and Chinese tubes try these and are initially disappointed. They hear what they perceive to be a lack of gain. Nothing could be further from the truth. In most instances the NOS tubes have more gain than their modern counterparts. Gain and distortion are *not* the same thing. What they are perceiving as a lack of gain is actually a result of the NOS tube have a dramatically lower noise floor and way less exaggerated highs that the new tubes produce. The result is a vastly improved usable gain range. When you put these tubes in, experiment with the gain of the amplifier and more often than not you will see that the amp has a much wider range of usable gain than it previously had. The EQ section of the amp will also behave differently in many cases because the NOS tube is capable of producing all of the subtle nuances of the EQ section that new tubes simply are not capable of.
Also, NOS tubes react very differently than modern tubes so the "feel" of the amp will become very apparent.
All of this will take time to hear and feel. Many player will put the tubes in and yank them an hour later thinking that they wasted their money. Do not think that a preamp tube swap will make your amplifier into something that it wasn't meant to be. If you put an entire set of Mullards into a Fender Twin, it will still sound like a Fender Twin, not a friggin Marshall. LOL!!! The amp *will* however have a noticeably different midrange complexity and the EL34s will feel very different than a 6L6 does when the amp is pushed hard.
Thanks for the compliments on the post above. I am glad I can be of some help. Feel free to PM me with any questions you may have, or ask them here in this thread. I am not an expert by any means, but I have experience with a boatload of different tubes and would be more than happy to give you my *opinion* of them. It is worth what you paid for it... HA!!!
I agree 1000%
The Made for Medicine tubes are extremely rare, I doubt you could find some at any cost, anyone lucky enough to have them just ain't selling. Lucky for me I've been collecting since the land before time...
Variable
Active member
+1 on the NOS Raytheon Black Plate. Seriously, biggest sleeper tube out there. If you want high gain with detail and clarity you've never heard before, go for a Raytheon Black Plate. Not sure if I'd recommend them in super bright amps, of course, because the high-end is so detailed. But you can always turn the treble and presence down 
Not going to tell you where I get mine, though... I don't want to give up the secret (yes, I'm a selfish bastard, I know 
)...
Amperex Bugle Boys are PHAT. Fat fat fat. Maybe muddy in the wrong amp.
Also +1 for new production Chinese. Great workhorse tube, very consistent in tone and reliability. You can outfit a whole amp with them and odds are it will sound pretty good (assuming it didn't sound terrible in the first place).
I used to be in love with the Tung Sol reissues, but I've recently had a few of them die in certain positions in my Guytron. Not cool. I've read there are a few applications that are guaranteed to DOA your Tung Sol, but I can't remember exactly what circuit position will do this. Good tube for V1, probably the most gain I've experienced in a new production tube. Good, muscular tone, but a little generic compared to the NOS fare.
Not going to tell you where I get mine, though... I don't want to give up the secret (yes, I'm a selfish bastard, I know )...Amperex Bugle Boys are PHAT. Fat fat fat. Maybe muddy in the wrong amp.
Also +1 for new production Chinese. Great workhorse tube, very consistent in tone and reliability. You can outfit a whole amp with them and odds are it will sound pretty good (assuming it didn't sound terrible in the first place).
I used to be in love with the Tung Sol reissues, but I've recently had a few of them die in certain positions in my Guytron. Not cool. I've read there are a few applications that are guaranteed to DOA your Tung Sol, but I can't remember exactly what circuit position will do this. Good tube for V1, probably the most gain I've experienced in a new production tube. Good, muscular tone, but a little generic compared to the NOS fare.
Shark Diver
New member
I'm so confused. I have spent forever trying to just figure out what to put in my X99. Too many NOS to even begin with - plus try to find. Think I'm settling on either the Mesa SPAX7As (Chinese) or Tungsol goldpins. Any help would appreciated.