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Tube selection 12AT7 and 12AX7 - preamp

Sharing results of my internet reading..

This is all based on current production, no NOS or used tubes.

Best 12AX7.    JJ ECC803S Gold pin

Best 12AT7     JJ ECC81 gold pin or Mullard new.

Should I select,  1.  Balanced? $2 per tube 2.  High Gain? $2 per tube 3.  Low Noice/Microphonics $4 per tube?    as offered by Tube Deport?

Any comments?

dcaudio
rpeluso
1,098 posts
 

Low noise/microphonics

glennewdick's avatar
glennewdick
1,735 posts
 

 

I really do not like the JJ tubes in anything i have tried them in. For new i like the gold lion range better. The first thing i did with my Mac gear was toss the JJ's that come stock in them. With all the rebranding going on it’s getting hard to tell what new production tube is what.  

Other than that, I will stick to NOS tubes even the lower priced ones seem better to me. They are getting harder to find and the resellers are getting rather annoying with the lies, deception of new or not, so it's a crap shoot out there. 

jayctoy's avatar
jayctoy
4,258 posts
 

I just bought 12at7 mullard reissue 6 tubes, and 12Ax7 reissue from mullard cryo 2 tubes, from upscale audio. I will receive them today.Apparently my Tsakadiris Alexander need eight tubes. I have 6  ecc81 and 2 ecc83 JJ they sound descent. The one I heard from the dealer are the 12at7  and 12ax7. I really love this preamp I was about to buy it but the dealer whom I bought the tsakadiris appollon monos. Did not give me the discount ,,I think he even raise the price. No deal then. Tmraudio listed it couple of weeks ago. And I bought for my Christmas gift. This preamp deserve a good tube I end up spending almost $300.

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