Go to Jim McShane and get a matched set of EH 12AX7's. Give them a try and you might just like the end results. tell him you want a pair or quad low noise and low microphonics. Most of the Chinese small tubes are pretty good. We have found the EH's are dam good in some applications. |
Good older 12AX7s don't need to be costly. One good way to buy is to bypass NOS, and go for used. Those older tubes are quite strong, and can last a real long time. At any rate, I've found a lot of tubes of that era for no more than what you're considering for the new units you're inquiring about, not that the old tubes would be better than the new ones. As they're still a new product, there isn't enough of an opinion base to know how they rank overall. I'd try both, and see what you think.
For what it's worth, in my opinion, the triple mica Shuguang 12AX7 that go for the same price as the poor sounding new 12AX7 variants are right up there with the good older tubes you listed. Given that, I'm curious about these new premium tubes. |
Another very good inexpensive 12ax7 tube is the ( tubeman.com ) is the Ei cryo 12ax7 ( grey plates ) ...They are ( Yugo's ) about the best new production 12ax7 tube I have tried....Very reasonable pricing too...They are Telefunken Smoothplate copies.. |
I replaced some Shuguang 12AX7's and quickly put the Shuguangs back in, they are that good. |
Thanks to all for your opinions.
Trelja, Where do yo buy your tubes?. 12AX7s can be expensive in trusted sites like tubeworld.com.
Thorman, curiously Ei were the tubes I was thinking before knowing about the Shuguangs.
Orpheus10, your Shuguangs are Pavane or the standard model?. |
They came stock in a Primaluna amp from Upscale Audio. I assume they were standard. |
Stts, believe it or not, ebay. Several years ago, I found a guy selling them who lived about 20 minutes from me, and I may have bought 20 for something like $75. There's a whole raft of them on ebay right now, often called 12AX7B or Silver Dragon, at very low prices. Again, I'm quite curious about the Pavane/Psvane myself, but thus far have been very happy with the ones under discussion.
A friend of mine turned me on to them in his Quicksilver amps, which came with them. He had every intention of upgrading them, as I believe he had a big stash of Telefunkens, and Mike Sanders told him something to the effect of, "You can try, but you'll probably put these back in."
Well, I was skeptical to say the least. So, I tried them, and lo and behold they beat my Mullard Blackburns, though I still could not believe it. I had a tube collector friend with very discerning ears try them in his system, and he agreed. Then, to get some real consensus, we had a blind tube shootout over my house with them as the driver in my Jadis DA60 with a bunch of folks in our audio group. It placed in the top three, along with the Telefunken ribbed plate and my personal favorite Sylvania Triple Mica Black Plate 5751. Those three beat out the Telefunken Smooth Plate, Mullard Blackburn, GE 5 Star 5751, EH, Ei, JJ and Sovtek. For the record, in my application, I still prefer (and, it's not as that close) the Sylvanias.
One note, make sure these Shuguangs have the triple mica. |
Trelja, the tube you are talking about in your message (the tube in the top three, along with the Telefunken ribbed plate and the Sylvania Triple Mica Black Plate) is the Shuguang 12AX7B?. Is this the triple mica?.
Thanks. |
Yes, I was referring to the Shuguang 12AX7B in the top three of our 12AX7 shootout. Some of the folks there participate in this forum. |
I think I'll give them a try... |
I have about 40 hours of burning in on them. They say it takes up to 100 hours, so I will back in a few days! |
I've got a Pavane 12au7 on its way to me now to try in my Eastern Electric DAC. If they live up to their reputation, I'll consider an additional pair for my preamplifier alone with a pair of their 845s.
For now they'll have stiff competition against the Siemens silverplate I'm using. |
I have tested the Pavane/Psvane 12AX7's against NOS Mullards, Telefunkens, Amperex, and Mazda 12AX7's in my Pathos Acoustics TT RR integrated. The Shuguang tubes were the best all around, although the Mazdas were close. |
I went for the TJ Full Music 12ax7's in my Nagra PLL. Replacing highly tested EH 12ax7's from the Nagra factory with about 18 months time on them (a few hours a day).
The TJ's slaughtered em. Wasn't even close. I thought my stock tubes must have been broken. better dynamics, lower noise floor, better imaging and detail. Not a single thing went backwards.
I bought 2 replacement sets. I think I need to by 2 more sets...plus my phono stage takes 12ax7's also...I'll try em soon there.... |
i tried 3 other tubes in my c.a.l. sigma 2 dac (besides the stock one). the last one was a psvane 12ax7, and i've stopped looking. it offered the combination i was looking for and since i only had to buy one, it was relatively cheap ($34.00). it was better than a j.j, nos phillips, and a g.e. 5751. |
01-16-11: Cellcbern
I have tested the Pavane/Psvane 12AX7's against NOS Mullards, Telefunkens, Amperex, and Mazda 12AX7's in my Pathos Acoustics TT RR integrated. The Shuguang tubes were the best all around, although the Mazdas were close. Are your Telefunkens ribbed or smooth plates? |
Rolling tubes with my Lamm ML2.1 made me curious for the Psvane 12AX7. I used normally Telefunken, Mullards or JAN Philipps as my favorite 12AX7. The Psvane is a great tube. Good gain, great image, deep soundstage and the high frequency area is top.
The same is for the Psvane 12AU7.
Good products for the money. I would buy them again. |
The Psvane EL84 is an excellent tube, too. |
tested the psvane 12ax7 premium edition $99 a pair against 250-300 NOS Teles and Mullards and found no difference in the sound I preferred the Psvane in my Line Magnetic 518ia integrated again system dependant ... |
