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NOS Tube Recommendation for Quicksilver Phono Pre Amp

I recently upgraded from the onboard phono stage in my Technics 1500SL to an all tube Quicksilver Phono Pre Amp. I’m about half way through the 30 hour recommended break-in period and so far, there is a lot to like about this piece of gear: Much thicker/more pronounced bottom end (I’ve had to readjust the gain on my subs quite a bit) and much wider/more defined sound stage. However, because I’m also running an all tube integrated amp (Raven Audio Osprey), there is now a very noticeable "warm" coloration to the music that wasn’t there before. I don’t want to give up on my new phono stage, but it’s like I’m listening to music with a wool blanket over my speakers. I’m thinking rolling the tubes to something a little cleaner/brighter could give me the best of all worlds. There are 3 tubes in the circuit topology: 2 12AX7s (one input, one gain) and 1 12AT7 (cathode follower). I’m currently considering a matched pair of Raytheon JRP black plate 12AX7s and either an RCA or Telefunken for the cathode follower (all NOS). Any and all suggestions/inputs are very much appreciated! P.S. my speakers are Raven Audio Corvus Reference Monitors and my current cart is the always amazing Nagaoka MP-500.

crawfishdaddi
larryi
4,156 posts
 

The Telefunkens I run in my phono stage are the crazy expensive ECC 803S (equivalent of 12AX7).  I have heard others, but I don’t recall specifics.  

tomcy6's avatar
tomcy6
2,612 posts
 

Are the diamond bottom NOS several hundred dollars better than the standard telefunken 12ax7s?  

There are new production Telefunkens (Black Diamond) that share only the name with vintage German made Telefunkens.  I have no idea how the new ones sound, but probably very different from the old ones.

larryi
4,156 posts
 

New Teles are JJ (Slovakian).   Even supposedly vintage Teles could be Chinese fakes.  These days, the fakes look pretty authentic—they have the diamond molded into the glass like the real thing.  Anything good has fake copies.  I’ve seen fake Audio Note speaker wire that you can only tell is fake by peeling back the heat shrink cover at the spade or banana plug.  I saw a Western Electric preamp that cost $20k that was totally fake—rusty transformers and all.

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cey's avatar
cey
292 posts
 

ask dave thomson at raven audio he also has a lot of NOS tubes for sale. 

your phono amp may not be a good match for the integrated you have. 

pass on mullard,  brinar, amperex/philips and tungsram seem the wrong direction

for your qicksilver.

the raytehon iblack plate s worth a try. 

if you want to spend a lot money, get mazda nickel plate; if you want to spend not as much, get telefunken smooth plate. RCA blackplate have good upper frequency extension as well 

go ahead and start with the top dealer in the US, brnt jessee. hes not the cheapest but not the most expensive, neither. or check with dave thomson at raven audio hes welll-educated on the matter.  

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