NOS Tubes that Disappointed and Impressed

[tonesurfer]

I'm sure most all of us have had a dud tube or two but aside from that which tubes didn't live up to the hype for you.

For me-

Disappointment:
Mullard 12AX7s (70s white label), RFTs

Impressed:
Amperex Bugle Boy 12AX7s, Telefunken 12AX7s, RCA Blackplates of all varieties, Mullard XF EL34s and EL84s

[Eagle1]

Mullard ECC83s rule in the right amp .

[StratStringSlinger]

I found that NOS tubes that disappoint may end up sounding fabulous in another amp. For instance I tried a old pull RCA 12ax7 in my amp and it sounded broken...unlike my other RCA's...bass was thin but then in my friends Deluxe/20112 it sounded awesome. Mullard's don't work in all my amps either, but in a Marshall or DC-30 it's heavenly.

[jcarpenter]

Yeah amp circut is key. For my bugera I like the long plate grey plate RCA 12ax7 in V4 and a JJ gold pin in V3. Use a RCA 12ax7a in V1 and leave the China 12ax7b for V2 to keep that high gain punch.

In the Bugera R.F.T. really disappointed me but they sound great in my rhythem guitar players Carvin M.T.S. same with Jan Phillips, telefunks, G.E. and Westinghouse.

[mrface2112]

I play various black and silver face Fender amps. Across all of them, Telefunken 12ax7s just haven't done much for me. They're clean and clear, but they seem sterile and lifeless to me.

I also don't like RCAs all that much in 12ax7 or 6L6 formats. They sound great.....I just prefer the respective GEs. Now, for 6V6.....i LOVE RCAs.


cheers,
wade

[AJ Love]

It does really depend on the application. I've had the experience (using a 5E3 Deluxe type amp) where Blackplate RCA 6V6's with a Humbucker guitar sounded too dark and muddy for Country music but sounded incredible with single coils for Blues

[harryjmic]

I've come to the conclusion any, tube that is functioning properly will sound good.

[Eagle1]

Originally Posted by harryjmic

I've come to the conclusion any, tube that is functioning properly will sound good.

"BUT" some still sound better than others.

[ozspawn]

I have a dozen (mostly vintage) amps
and probably 40 to 50 different brands and
types of vintage tubes.

Each tube sounds different in each amp.

Some sound good in one amp and terrible
in another.

Also, it depends on what your trying to
achieve (warmth, clarity, early break up,
etc.). Some help and some hinder.

If you have a tube that sounds really good,
keep it there. If the tube doesn't sound good,
move it to another position or another amp.

[johnny q]

The RFT 12ax7 sounded dull and lifeless in my JCM800

The Mullard Cv4004 sounded weak in the same amp and all of amy other Marshalls.

[bbarnard]

Brimar 6v6s really impress me in my Super Champ.

[teefus]

in my 3 valvetechs i have been disappointed in the yugo 6ca7 baby bottles and sylvania black plate 12ax7s. i really like the siemens el34s and matsushita 6ca7s, rft 12ax7s, ge 12ax7s, amperex 12ax7s and 6267s/ef86s.

[vicdeluca71]

[QUOTE=mrface2112;7094742]I play various black and silver face Fender amps. Across all of them, Telefunken 12ax7s just haven't done much for me. They're clean and clear, but they seem sterile and lifeless to me./QUOTE]

I feel the same way about Teles in all of the Twins that I've owned and like too add one more descriptive,very thin.

My biggest disapointment would have to go to the Mullard 12ax7.About 7/8 years ago I fell victom to the internet NOS hype and purchased a very expensive Mullard 12ax7 for my 66 twin thinking the heavens would open with this magical gem from the past,I was very disapointed to say the least.

I agree with most of the posters here,I just don't get it when I hear someone say that a certain tube sounds great without mentioning in what position (if pre) and what amp,makes no sense....I'ts not the tube itself that sounds good, i'ts the way the tube reacts with the circuit,,,,,,,I think

[Igneous]

bugle boy

[eugenedunn]

Brimar 6v6s really impress me in my Super Champ.

I guess what people say about different tubes in different amps and different ears....

I had heard a lot of buzz about those Brimar 6V6's too..... I auditioned some in my 69 Princeton Reverb, but they really seemed to lack the bass response, and I ended up trying a bunch of other tubes at my amp tech's shop. The final verdict was that my RCA blackplates sounded the smoothest and most full range. As backups I ended up buying a NOS set of Sylvania 6V6's.