Re: A quick question about pre-amp tubes....maybe a survey.

Posted by vrogers3 (A) on March 9, 2006 at 21:04:45

In Reply to: A quick question about pre-amp tubes....maybe a survey. posted by full nine on March 9, 2006 at 19:41:32:

You ask a very hard question!!! The same tube will sound different in various circuits. An "awesome" tube in a guitar amp might not sound so good your phono stage. Other components in the chain also play a role in what reaches your ears, and tube choice can compensate/compound for something somewhere else. There are some design differences such as spiral filaments and frame grid construction that will give the tube certain charateristics in all circuits, such as low noise. high gain, etc. There are also some very powerful "marketing forces" right now and some of the hype and bashing surrounding some tubes has really been blown out of proportion.

I like a neutral coloring in the midrange (everywhere really), high image resolution, and overall transparency.

These are the tubes I like in my phonostage:
Ei 12AX7 (Pre-war grey plate)
JJ ECC83-S
Sovtek 12AX7LPS

These are tubes I did not like in my phonostage:
JAN-Philips 12AX7WA
EH 12AX7

I keep going back to the early Ei 12AX7's throughout my preamp. They do not have the microphonic problems being reported with the current version. I've tried most of the current production stuff and they just do not seem as transparent, or are too textured in the midrange which sounds artificial to me. The ECC83-S and the LPS rival the transparency, but I prefer the bass of the Ei over the JJ and the top end of the Ei over the LPS. I have not compared the new Ei's. Maybe I've used the Ei's for so long my ears think everything else is wrong!!!!

my 2 cents........

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - A quick question about pre-amp tubes....maybe a survey. - full nine 19:41:32 03/09/06 (16)

Re: A quick question about pre-amp tubes....maybe a survey. - maxhifi 13:54:10 03/10/06 (0)

Re: A quick question about pre-amp tubes....maybe a survey. - ancient tones 07:31:53 03/10/06 (3)

thanks...maybe you can answer a quick question for me.... - full nine 10:09:09 03/10/06 (2)

Re: thanks...maybe you can answer a quick question for me.... - ancient tones 12:22:53 03/10/06 (1)

thanks.....nt - full nine 12:39:15 03/10/06 (0)

Re: A quick question about pre-amp tubes....maybe a survey. - astralpen 07:24:28 03/10/06 (0)

There is little doubt as to the best - Russ57 04:55:24 03/10/06 (0)

Re: A quick question about pre-amp tubes....maybe a survey. - vrogers3 21:04:45 03/09/06 (1)

that's great!! thanks for the detailed response! (nt) - full nine 22:19:28 03/09/06 (0)

Re: A quick question about pre-amp tubes....maybe a survey. - dean_martin 21:01:20 03/09/06 (4)

Re: A quick question about pre-amp tubes....maybe a survey. - Ken Perkins 09:53:05 03/10/06 (2)

Bellari and 7025 - dean_martin 14:19:30 03/13/06 (1)

Re: Bellari and 7025 - dean_martin 14:29:23 03/13/06 (0)

Here is my experience so far.... - full nine 22:16:30 03/09/06 (0)

Re: A quick question about pre-amp tubes....maybe a survey. - Jeff Day 19:51:42 03/09/06 (1)

thanks.....nt - full nine 20:42:46 03/09/06 (0)

Follow Ups

Re: A quick question about pre-amp tubes....maybe a survey. - vrogers3 21:04:45 03/09/06 (1)

that's great!! thanks for the detailed response! (nt) - full nine 22:19:28 03/09/06 (0)

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