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Shuguang 12AX7 Pavane/Psvane Reference.

I was wonder if anyone has feedback about these tubes. They have a very good review at Positive Feedback.

I'm searching for good tubes to replace the "no brand" 12AX7 tubes that came in my preamplifier. Sadly the "perfect" tubes (50's NOS Mullards or Telefunkens) can cost almost the same that what my preamp cost. Also, I have heard about overpriced old tubes that doesn't produce good sound, simply because they are poorly matched. With the Groove Tubes Mullar replicas out of the market few years ago, I really don't know what should be my next tube investment.

Thanks for reading!.
stts
thorman
1,262 posts
 
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..
orpheus10
8,668 posts
 
I replaced some Shuguang 12AX7's and quickly put the Shuguangs back in, they are that good.
stts OP
9 posts
 
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?.
orpheus10
8,668 posts
 
They came stock in a Primaluna amp from Upscale Audio. I assume they were standard.
trelja
3,223 posts
 
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.
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