Svetlana 12AX7s

[Jon Silberman]

Curious what y'all think of 'em.

I did some web research. If you go back to '02 and earlier, everyone's dissing 'em. Then it seems to change for the positive. Today, you can find many positive reviews.

That leads me to ask, did the tubes change materially during this time period?

FYI, here's what Mark Bartel of Tone King is using presently in his Meteor II:

http://members.aol.com/jspht8338/sv12ax7.jpg

I picked four of 'em up recently from Mike at KCA, based on Mark's recommendation, for potential use in my Tone King Continental. But today, Mark told me that, in fact, he's finding this Svet a bit too gainy for his reissue Imperials (a very similar amp to my Continental) so I think I'm going to try 'em first in a couple of vintage Traynors.

But I also found some positive web feedback on this Svetlana 12AX7 variant, nicknamed, apparently, the "Winged C":

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/torresengineering_1932_2200685

Anyway, I was wondering what y'all experiences are with either variant (or other variants?) of this tube?

[Blue Strat]

I think the pre '02 ones were probably the St Petersburg (what we now call SED) variety. The newer ones are the New Sensor (makers/distributors of Sovtek, EH, Tung Sol Reissue) variety and a completely different tube.

The earlier version were reputed to have microphonic issues.

[Jon Silberman]

One of the things I love about this place, Mike, is I don't even have to remember your email address. I just post the tube question I know you, of all people, can answer here, you see it, and give the answer! :)

[Blue Strat]

Happy to help. So, what were YOUR impressions of these tubes in various amps?

[AdmiralB]

IIRC they initially didn't work well with AC filament supplies. Marshall used them as OE in DSL/TSL amps after about '02 - those have DC filaments on the preamp tubes.

Maybe they redesigned?


EDIT - here's a confirmation, and a picture: http://www.tubedepot.com/sv-12ax7.html

[Jon Silberman]

Happy to help. So, what were YOUR impressions of these tubes in various amps?
They're still sitting on my shelf! :o

Hopefully, I'll have some time to give 'em a spin this week in my Traynors and Cage.

[Ronsonic]

I've only got experience with the old ones that were used as OEM in Marshalls at the time. A lot of failures with those, though they did sound good when they worked.

The one in the picture with a box is really a New Sensor product and looks like one. No telling what MM thought would be helpful to stuff in that bottle.

I will want to try the C tube though. All their other products have been excellent aside from that first run of AX7 and I'd expect they've gotten it worked out by now.

Ron

[BillK]

I've only got experience with the old ones that were used as OEM in Marshalls at the time. A lot of failures with those, though they did sound good when they worked.

The one in the picture with a box is really a New Sensor product and looks like one. No telling what MM thought would be helpful to stuff in that bottle.

I will want to try the C tube though. All their other products have been excellent aside from that first run of AX7 and I'd expect they've gotten it worked out by now.

Ron

Referring to the 'new' Svet (shown above), to me, they sound
great but may be somewhat inconsistent (sound-wise) from
tube-to-tube. My first experience was when Dr. Z gave me several to try.
It -looks- a helluva lot like a EH, fwiw. Within the swill of the not very
good current production 'ax7 types, it's not too bad at all.

bk

[Jon Silberman]

So, what were YOUR impressions of these tubes in various amps?
Better late than never!

Finally got to replacing all three preamp tubes in my Traynor YBA-1 with the Svets. The prior tubes were all NOS Philips. I have no idea how old they are but they look to have been around for a while.

The Svets are very interesting compared to the old Philips. They have about the same top end, better character/complexity in the mids, and (suprising to me) less bass response. They are also slightly (not hugely) gainier. I like them, though, and will keep 'em in the Traynor for at least a few months and continue to work with 'em. Oh, and they also show no signs whatsoever of microphonics - very nice.

As a general proposition, I think the new stock tubes we have available to us today are so much better than the first generation of new stock tubes that I began seeing and using around I guess the late 90s. The new designs have really come a long way. If they continue to improve like this it bodes well for us tube amp nuts way into the future. :)

[jamison162]

Any updates on these? Tone wise?

http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/thetubestore_2075_83190101 (http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/thetubestore_2076_20971423)