2. amps-preamps
  3. 186107-98013

Sweet sounding tubes for preamps

First, I am a relative novice when it comes to tubes. I have been using LuminX1>Benchmark LA4>Benchmark AHB2>Soundlab, which is incredible with great clarity and speed. Some times, I wouldn't mind some sweetness in the sound (?2nd harmonics), without compromising clarity. I had Don Sachs 6SN7 preamp in the chain and it sounded sweet. I see that some preamps use 12au7 tubes. What is the character of 12au7? Can it give the sweet sound of 6SN7?

chungjh
weebeesdad's avatar
weebeesdad
140 posts
 

@elliottbnewcombjr Thank you. And my apologies if I in any way hijacked this thread...

elliottbnewcombjr
5,773 posts
 

 

weebeesdad

My memory sucks, turns out it was his phono stage we were testing.

he is out of town working, will get the answer in a few days.

Kara did send him some alternate tubes, I got the units confused.

marco1's avatar
marco1
607 posts
 

Take a look at an Atma-Sphere MP3.  Uses 2ea 12AU7 and 6NS7's in the line stage. I have one and use GE NOS tubes in both positions.  Its a wonderful preamp that will pair up nicely with many different amps, particularly balanced amps.

 

elliottbnewcombjr
5,773 posts
 
weebeesdad

my friends responses:

"Kara (dehaviland preamp) sent one or two replacement tubes. But not the rectifier, and I have never swapped it on the dehavilland.  
We played with the rectifiers at your house on the phono stage.  You’re referencing the current hagerman product.  The one I have is a legacy / discontinued model that has a different tube layout….. but with the rectifier you are recalling we compared

http://www.hagtech.com/pdf/cornet2.pdf

the two rectifiers in the Hagerman Cornet Phono Stage that we played with were Sylvania 5Y3G B8M and an RCA 5U4GB. We preferred the RCA slightly

 

 

 

weebeesdad's avatar
weebeesdad
140 posts
 

@elliottbnewcombjr Thanks for the follow up.

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