Favorite 12AX7?

[jiml]

Looking to get some new preamp tubes for my Ceriatone Expression. I have read it's pretty finicky about preamp tubes, so I'm looking for something decent. I can't afford NOS ($175 for an Amperex Bugle boy???), so I'm looking for something of recent construction.

What's a decent 12AX7? Sovtech? JJ? EH?

[PFunk]

Mike at KCA sold me some New Sensor Tung Sols that sounded pretty good... the sound was fairly open and not harsh. I still like the NOS tubes that I got from him better though and I expect that they will last a lot longer than the current production Tung Sols.

[Blue Strat]

There's a lot of middle ground between $10 and $175 but it sounds like you're restricting yourself to new production tubes.

The Tung Sol Reissues are quite good.

[Natron]

It really does depend on the amp.

But I did replace the V1 12AX7 in both of my current amps with a JJ from Eurotubes that was rated to be especially high gain and kind of love them.

[studiodunn]

look for a NOS RFT 12ax7......around $40 and worth every pennie.

[mmorse]

Originally Posted by studiodunn

look for a NOS RFT 12ax7......around $40 and worth every pennie.

+1 on that. I put some in my 2204 as a test and they were pretty close to the NOS Mullards I usually run in the amp. :AOK

[Rumblefish]

I have a stash of NOS Mullards with the Amperex label.Got a full line up of them in my '68 Plexi.Sound lovely.

[porterburst]

The only new 12AX7's I like are EH. They have great mids, and sound great clean or overdriven. JJ's are very flat and dull, new Tung Sol's are pretty good, but I still like EH better.

They're are a lot of used old stock 12AX7's that test new or strong on Ebay for cheap that sound better and will last longer than any new production 12AX7.


Look around on Ebay for good deals of pre-amp tubes. Power tubes are a different story.

[Category 5]

if that is a trainwreck clone, then it will be very sensitive to noise in the tube and microphonics. Sovtex 12ax7wa/7025 is the magic bullet for thes problems-not the best for tone, but it will work when nothing else will.

DonR

[DC1]

New tubes are cheap enough. Get one of each of the recommended ones and try them in your amp. Start with V1 and change one at a time. Listen.

You will find one that works best.

DC

[EADGBE]

I like the Sovtek 12AX7LPS. High gain and low noise. I got mine from Groove tubes. Because they test them really well. They called it the R2.

[teleman55]

I mostly like NOS. JJ's & EH are pretty good new 12ax7s. But, I just found a new tube I really like a lot, for V1 or V2...the JJ Ecc803.

[7String Thing]

Originally Posted by studiodunn

look for a NOS RFT 12ax7......around $40 and worth every pennie.

I concur, mike at KCA turned me onto these. they are awesome.

[The Pup]

Shuguang 12AX7A gray plate aka Gen 8.



Slightly less gain (slightly later breakup) than the RFT and not quite as dark (but very close). These are great tubes and they are cheap.

You can also try the Shuguang 12AX7B silver plate aka Gen 9 Silver Dragon.



Slightly more gain and a bit brighter...another fine current production tube.

I just spent the evening swapping out V1 and V2 in a 50w Plexi with these two tubes with the RFT and I really liked the Shuguang 12AX7A grey plate.

[whitewave]

It really dipends on the amp. I'm experimenting with my Flexi.
A JJ handselected for V1 is too dark in the first slot of the Flexi.
Tung Sol reissue is really great, but in my amp not creamy but grainy, I use it in PI slot.
Chinese pre tubes are great, buy some selected, you'll be surprised.
Another really good 12AX7 is Ei, it's better to buy them selected too, otherwise they could be microphonic.