EH vs (new) Tung Sol 12AX7

[riffmeister]

I just got some of the new Russian Tung Sol 12AX7's. I was replacing an EH 12AX7 with one and had to do a double-take. They look identical except for the halo thingy on the very top near the getter.

Hmmm.....I wonder if I will hear any difference between the two.....

 

[bscepter]

I have both, and I like the Tung Sols a bit better. They sound a little warmer to my ears, yet they're nice and gainy.

 

[Boogs]

I think the Tung Sol's are warmer and creamier in the top end.

 

[aleclee]

Another one who finds the TS smoother than the EH

 

[JKoeth]

Riff,

What amp are you trying them in?!

 

[KLINKDETROIT]

I prefer the EH (Russian). I also like the gt12ax7 Mullard reissue in the #1 and 3 (fx loop) spots in my dualrectifrier

 

[Red Planet]

EH TS Same tube aint it?

 

[riffmeister]

I'll have to do a comparison: EH vs TS. They sure look like the same tube to me.

Instead of the TS, I replaced the V1 EH 12AX7 in my TopHat CLub Deluxe with one of the new JJ ECC803S's. *VERY* nice!!! Big & Rich but still detailed top end. Me likey!

 

[Red Planet]

Dont mean to derail but arent Sovtek, EH, Svetlana, Gold Lion, Mullard, Tung Sol all the same stuff with different labels on em. All from Reflektor.

Please Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Bluewail]

Perhaps it's just the sample to sample variation, but I'm really diggin' the new Tungsol 12AX7's. I've just finished doing a bunch of tube swaps in my amps (Carr Slant 6V, Allen Old Flame, VHT Pitbull 45 & Super Champ) and the Tungsol's were markedly louder, clearer and had more gain than the EH's I tried. In the Old Flame they are in V1. In the Carr in V2 with a JJ803s (another fine new tube) in V1 to smooth it out a bit. I've purchased 4 Tungsol's so far and they all are very close. The EH's are all over the board sonically. If your looking for some punch, the TS's are a good choice in my book.

 

[Blue Strat]

EH TS Same tube aint it?

Definitely not, despite the similar look of the plates.

 

[Blue Strat]

Dont mean to derail but arent Sovtek, EH, Svetlana, Gold Lion, Mullard, Tung Sol all the same stuff with different labels on em. All from Reflektor.

Please Correct me if I'm wrong.

Same company, and a few might be the same tubes "cross branded" but many of them are not. The TS tubes are unique for sure.

 

[Red Planet]

Thanx Mike.

The Tung Sols I have I like. I'm fixin to compare them to Sovtek LPS's and JJ ECC803S's just to see whitch I like the best. I just got a fresh batch of all of these.

I havent visually inspected the TS's and compared them to others. Though I did inspect the Mullard EL34 reissue from Reflektor and though it was in different glass (bigger bottle) it looked identicale to the Sovtek.

Is there any difference in the EH and the Sovtek?

I've got all of these floating around and will get the old camera out and do some visualls.

Just popped some JJ EL34's in my 2203 and they is sweet and full sounding.

 

[rockon1]

I have a set of Sovtek EL34WXT+ and they are identical looking externally/internally to the EH EL34's I have. If they didnt have labels I wouldnt be able to tell them apart. As riffmeister stated the Tung Sol 12AX7 has a different looking "getter" than the EH .

 

[Buckeyedog]

I'm really digging the new Tung Sol's in my Classic 30 and Budda 80. Nice gain, tight yet smooth. Got 'em in V1 in both amps, followed by the 803s in V2 and/or PI slot.

 

[SuperReverb2]

I have a couple of the Tung-Sol 12AX7's and I like them quite a bit better than the standard EH 12AX7. I also have a matched pair of the Tung-Sol (reissue) 5881's on the way (Doug's Tubes) to try out in my Fender 57 Tweed Twin.
On a side note, my favorite current production 12AX7 (by quite a bit actually) is the "new" JJ ECC803 S.

Chuck

 

[myles111]

Before you try to compare these two tubes you need to spec them each and get two that match:

Current output @ 250 plate volts with a 2 volt bias (RCA book spec)
Transconductance (1600 target for spec tube)
Plate resistance
Gain

If one tube is "stronger" then the other the test is not really valid.

For what is worth, the traces on the 12AX7R3 (EH) and Tung Sol are the same on a Tektronix 570.

Use your own ears and hands to decide for yourself but at least try to have two tubes that have the same basic specs.

 

[riffmeister]

For what is worth, the traces on the 12AX7R3 (EH) and Tung Sol are the same on a Tektronix 570.

Use your own ears and hands to decide for yourself but at least try to have two tubes that have the same basic specs.

So Myles, are you saying that you can have an EH and a TS that exhibit the same measurements on your test equipment, but they will/might sound different?

 

[myles111]

So Myles, are you saying that you can have an EH and a TS that exhibit the same measurements on your test equipment, but they will/might sound different?

I am saying that technically they look to be much the same tube.

I will leave whether they "sound different" to folks own findings.

 

[rockon1]

Well I just try a full set in my JSX. I like them but for now just not as much as the JJ ECC803s(actually 2 803's and 1 83s). They sound similar to the JJ's with a bit more gain and "grit" or grainyness to the distortion.I agree with Buewail-very punchy. To be fair Im just digging the JJ combo to much at the moment to beobjective enough! I bet a combo perhaps a JJ ECC803 in the V-1 and the Tung Sol in the V-2 would be the cats meow.... At any rate-First impression-great new tube!