Buy 12ax7 tube


Hi im searching for best vacuum tube in low distortion and accurate sound up to 40$/each
For my vincent 226 mk2

I can buy raytheons black plate and rca black plate and genalex gold lion are they any good or you have some more options?!

Thanks in advance

https://drive.google.com/file/d/104Hkj3uNChEvzm4psy1Kgg3-S6Bi4XKW/view?usp=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tgd21OgSaQfo5yaozCmw4VJHWt54CqHl/view?usp=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W7Iu-JxZWDV3KGjb0okOrt5wD7AS-T1g/view?usp=drivesdk
mehdikh423
I wold take the Raytheon or RCA over the Russian Genalex. I don't know where you'll get any of them for $40 though. I use Telefunken medical grade AX7 in my phono stage and original Tesla ECC803S for the AX7's in my amp. Telefunken is generally recognized as the most accurate and tonally neutral 12AX7 ever made. 
The Genelax 12AX7 tubes worked wonders in my McIntosh C2500 preamp. Much more fully fleshed sound.  
Apart from the primary consideration that must be made, i.e. any tube's potential to synergize with your other components, speakers, room acoustics, etc, assuming you want a neutal tube, ala the Telefunken, which I consider one of the best, you might consider the not so old NOS EI12ax7a which was made with the Telefunken machinery which was purchased by EI. I just saw someone selling an unused octet of these tubes  (labeled ARC) for slightly under $200. A deal(!) if you can justify getting the octet. If you are interested in the Tele's you might do some research first. I haven't heard the other tubes you mentioned so I can't compare. 
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I own both the Raytheon & RCA black plate 12AX7’s and both (IMHO) are better than any new production 12AX7 tubes. For what it’s worth the RCA’s black plates are my favorite 12AX7’s. The RCA’s are on the mellow side but plenty of detail. I also own Mallards and Telefunken and to my ears the RCA’s are somewhere in the middle. Another great low distortion tube especially in the phono section is the RFT 12AX7.


First of all, I must say that it's preferable to buy tubes from a reputable dealer who's stock will be high quality and guaranteed. Tubes from a Chinese website may not be genuine or may not test as new or NOS. There are plenty of good, inexpensive dealers on Ebay.

Regarding your tubes, I see the Vincent uses 3 12AX7s (ECC83) in the preamp stage. I assume you are  replacing all 3. 
Telefunken are the most neutral and linear, but expensive. RCA Blackplates are affordable and offer a sweet midrange with good dynamics, $40 to $50 each. Raytheon is a low noise tube with open sonics. I would choose these NOS tubes over Genalex.

You'll want these tubes to be matched since they're in the preamp stage.

A reference for the 12AX7...
https://www.audioasylum.com/scripts/d.pl?audio/faq/joes-tubes.html#12AX7

On Ebay, Viva Tubes is a reputable dealer with good prices.
Brent Jessee has everything.


Don't discount these for new production. They have bested a lot of NOS in my phono pre
SVETLANA 12AX7 
Most of the tubes I get are from Brent Jessee; have also bought from Tubeworld. I think the guy is Brandon. Good products from both.
That's interesting about the Svetlana 12AX7. They are famous for making the highly rated  Winged C EL34.

lowrider, I think that the company that made the the SED Winged C El34 (the old Svetlana in St Petersberg) is not the company that took on the Svetlana name and now markets the 12AX7 and other tubes labeled Svetlana. I don't think that the St Petersberg Svetlana ever made a 12AX7. If they did I missed it. :-)
^^^
Svetlana 12AX7 - For several years the original Svetlana 12AX7 tube from St. Petersburg (Winged "C"/SED) tried to develop a good 12AX7 and mostly failed. The current production Svetlana is a New Sensor product and is a member of 12AX7-EH and Tung-Sol 12AX7 family. All three of these tubes is virtually identical. The biggest difference seems to be in plate coating, gain and sound quality. I find the tube to sound a bit smoother than the EH and it has less gain than the Tung Sol. If you are not inspired by the Electro Harmonix and also find the Tungsol too grainy then this is the tube you want to give a chance. It has everything you want in a good pre-amp. Low noise, no Microphonics issues and very clear and open without being too bright. The construction is on par with the more expensive Tungsol. The price point on this 12AX7 tube is great because it will hold its own with more expensive options. Samples seem very reliable. If you like the JJ ECC83S but want something with a litter more glimmer this is where you should put your money.
Post removed 
Joe of Joe's Tube Lore did not favor the 12AX7 Telefunkens.  I still consider his opinions the gold standard.  That said, I have been purchasing the matched pairs of  Psvane 12AX7-TII from Grant Fidelity.  You pay a little more for Grant Fidelity supposedly picking the best pairs.
Can i use 2 brand or 3 in my amplifier in same time?
For example rca svetlana and chinese tube in same time?
Isnt harmful?
It seems that one of the tubes is the driver and the other two are the left and right channels (the gain stage).

The driver can be a different brand, but the L & R must be matched tubes.


I prefer vintage GE circa 60’s and 70’s. You can pick them up at real good prices. The Sylvania Baldwin green label is another one of my favorite 12AX7 type tube!

Good comments here and I have reviewed this extensively for my Phono Stage.

Check out Jim McShane at mcshanedesign.net for Tube needs.

I bought these from Jim and they are New with a number of good comments in the chat threads;

*Sovtek 12AX7LPS tubes, very low noise spiral filaments, checked for good section-to-section match, $14.75 ea., or $29.75 per matched pair; quads (if available - these are VERY rarely needed) are $61.50. For specially selected tubes (for Aesthetix and other hi gain/noise sensitive gear) selected pairs (when available) are $37.50. These are great for sockets where a good quiet tube is needed, and the tone is top shelf. My tube of choice for Citation phono stages!

Search Ebay since there are also very good comments on these but I have not received my pair yet;

TJ Fullmusic 12AX7

There is also a Thread on Audiogon using Full Music in the Header.



and now that i read the posts the Sovtek 12AX7LPS are what i meant to recommend, not the Svetlana. they are excellent. i am all Russia confused right now, and rightfully so /:

For new production tubes, this is a good reference. In my preamp, the EH gold pins sounded much better overall than Mullards.
https://www.tubedepot.com/tube-comparison-tool


I have problem that the system cant control the sound in sophisticated genre like trance
Separation isnt enough
I cant hear the separated frequencies!!

Do you think the problem is from tubes?!!

Speaker : dls r55
Amp vincent 226 mk2
Dac burson da160

Poor frequency separation may be caused by your interconnects. They may be limiting the bandwidth or detail.
What ICs are you using?

A dayio usb cable(2$)
Rca cable is ifi cable i think it have good quality
So i think usb cable may be the problem
I can hear very loud background noise(shshshsh)
That i really dont care about it
But i like to know what is the problem
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Psvane 12AX7-TII selected by and purchased from Grant Fidelity are Chinese production and a fabulous tube. 
Lack of separation and detail is an inherent problem with the trance recordings you are listening to. They are hardly audiophile quality! Try some well-recorded classical recordings instead: Munch/Heifetz BSO Beethoven Violin Concerto RCA Red Seal SACD, etc ...

Agree with @roberjerman on all points. Your noise floor may be too high and your choice of music is not reference quality. Also agree to try using a well recorded symphony to help tweak your system. A revealing setup will present layers of instruments with detail and separation between.

It may not be the fault of your amp, but you need to use low-noise tested tubes. Face the fact that it will cost you more than $40 each. Out of your list the Raytheon may be the most revealing, but testing for noise and microphonics is a must.
  Telefunken or Siemens are really the way to go for transparency and low noise. Andy at Vintage Tube Services sells very low noise tubes, but only takes phone calls for orders. You tell him what you're looking for and your budget.

The noise floor is also affected by dirty power in your AC line. With the volume up and no music playing can you hear any noise or low-level hum thru your speakers?

Well recorded song are very good in my system!
What is ac line?
Low or high volume isnt effect much to the level  of noise(im not sure i should test it),i can hear the noise if i stop the music
Maybe a power filter can help me more than new tubes?!
I read in my dac guide that if i connect directly to a power socket it will have a better sound quality
But im using and old and cheap electric tee for my amp and dac
Maybe the power is the problem?!
Can you hear noise (with no music) from your listening position or only up close to the speaker? It could easily be noise from tubes, but your power setup is far from optimal.

 You should use a quality power strip or a strip with power conditioning, not a multi-plug. It's like you're choking the flow of  electricity (AC) going to your system.

In addition to the Vincent, what are your components?


I just hear noise when im near the speakers,off course i should buy a good multi plug,can you recommend me anything?

Dac: burson da160(i think its best part of my system)
Speaker: dls r55
Speaker cable vdh gold water
Rca cable ifi(i have a tchernov standard series too)
Usb cab 2$ dayio cable!
It's good that you only hear noise when up close to the speakers. The fact that the noise is constant even with volume down either means your amp is the problem, or more likely it's due to noise on your power line. This is the noise floor of your system, the goal is to lower it until you have a "black background." 

 Your AC line comes from the power grid in your city/town and is shared by everyone in your neighborhood, then it's wired into your service panel, then travels thru all the circuits in your home. At this point your electricity is contaminated, or polluted may be another way to describe it.

A power conditioner is typically recommended and/or a dedicated line to lower the noise floor by  isolating your system from the rest of your devices and appliances.

Your budget will determine what kind of power conditioner to use. A basic unit would be a Furman power strip/conditioner.



Mehdikh423-Following up on Lowrider57's suggestion. I purchased Brick Wall audio surge protector and this helped lower floor noise on my Cayin 50T amp.

https://www.brickwall.com/products/eight-outlet-audio-surge-protector
The New Sensor Svetlana 12ax7 is a very good sounding tube.  I have yet to try a Gold Lion 12ax7  in my amp's input but I have tried a bunch including some nos and the Svetlana is one of the better sounding current production.  JJ ecc83 were dark in my amp, Sovtek LPS were ok but not great,  mullard repop good, tungsol repop good but a little too much energy on top.  The Svetlana is currently in the input of my amp 
Thanks everyone for your advices
I have another question,can bad electricity reduce dynamic of sound and cause bloated bass?
Bloated bass could be caused by speakers positioned too close the the wall or by the amp not having enough power to drive the speakers. But, your amp shouldn’t have this problem.
It could also be caused by the choice of tubes. And lack of dynamics is often due to tubes.

Your power setup could be causing lack of dynamics and muddy bass, but I wouldn’t call it bass bloat. It would be a lack of clarity or transparency. Your components should not be plugged into a cheap multi-plug, especially the amp. Amps need unrestricted clean AC feeding them from the wall receptacle.

As stated before, I recommend that you use a power strip with a short cable (under 6 ft). Also, replacing the stock cable on the amp would provide better sonics; better dynamics, transparency. I think you should start by improving your power to all your components especially the amp.


Another vote for Psvane 12AX7-T11. Rolled them into my Vincent SA-T8 Pre. Massive jump in performance. Very bright initially, but settle nicely after 70 hours or so. Quiet, superb dimensionality, highly resolving.
And yes improving the Power going to your Equipment will help greatly.
Go to Brent Jesse Tubes and read... Tubes are heavily researched for character and tested. He stands behind his inventory.
I use Telefunken smooth plate on my McIntosh C2300 MC phono stage and Gold Lion gold plated pins, cryogenic treated for my line stage.
+1 to Loweider57, he is spot on with all advise . At your price point Tungsram and EI are your best bet . Telefunken is the best overall . Once you go Telefunken, you’ll never go back . I have a pre that takes 2 12AU7’s . I have about $ 2500. invested in 12AU7’s alone  . From RCA to G73-R Telefunkens. The smooth plate regular grade Telefunkens are the best bang for the buck . When looking,  Tungsrams might be relabeled as RCA or Raytheon. If you want Telefunken sound but a little brighter , try the Nickel plates . Happy Hunting , Mike. 
@lowrider57 can you suggest me a good power strip? I see they say connect your amp directly to the wall socket ac,how can it possible when i should use a power strip?
Sorry for my noob questions

And another question
If i can change my speakers with a good audio physic or dynaudio speaker or buy good power strip+power cable+new tubes+usb cable

Which one is better choose?
I just can select 1 option!
Wiremold is a well-built power strip that is transparent, meaning it doesn’t colour the sound and no filters are used. This is not a power conditioner, but is much higher quality than using a multi-plug for your components.
I use a Wiremold with surge protection, meaning it has a circuit breaker to protect against voltage spikes.
https://www.mscdirect.com/industrialtools/wiremold-power-strip.html
Use a strip with the shortest 3-prong cable.

Typically an amp is plugged into the wall receptacle and source components are plugged into a power conditioner to help filter noise from the power line. As mentioned, Brick Wall offers surge protection and power conditioning; the result is a noticeably lower noise floor. Furman is another good power strip/ conditioner. Brick Walls are available used on Ebay.