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12AT7WA,, CV4024, E2157, E81CC, ECC801S, M8162, 6060, 6201, 6679, 7492, 7728, A2900, B152, B309, - - and more !

Posted by Bambi B (A) on March 16, 2007 at 21:06:59

In Reply to: 12AT7 meltdown posted by Rivieraranch on March 16, 2007 at 17:59:41:

Rivieraranch,

There are a quite a number of variants of the 12AT7: 12AT7WA, 12AT7WC, 6060, 6201, 6679, 7492, 7728, A2900, B152, B309, B739, CC81E, CK6201, CV4024, E2157, E81CC, ECC801, ECC801S, M8162, QA2406, QA2407, QS2406 and these all have different qualities and ratings, but as far as I know, the above are plug in and electrically about the same- no dangerous loads when in a 12AT7 socket. Several are proprietary to one or another maker. I think the 6060 was only made by Brimar, the A2900 was Bendix, the M8162 was only by Mullard, the 7728 was a CBS/Raytheon and so on. Several companies made ECC801S, with Telefunken the famous one, but there are also Siemens and I think Mullards

My favourites are the 6201s which is the military designation 12AT7 ruggedised and low noise, low microphonics, often a long life tube with gold pins. The 12AT7WA is a US designation that's very similar. The Philips made 6201 is a really good tube. Just today, after trying to buy them for four years, I received some 1963 Valvo 2- mica blue label, gold pin 6201s, not the amazing triple mica ones, but quite wonderful in themselves. The eordinary Valvo 6201 of the mid 60's to late 60's is just fine. I think the Philips 6201s were all made by Philips, Hamburg, though there may have been late orange globe labelled Amperex made by Mullard, Blackburn.

For a punchy, dynamic 12AT7, I like the triple mica Siemens E81CC- extended, detailed, and natural. These are especially wonderful in slightly dark vintage stuff like McIntosh.

If you're after a really lush, tube for your Jolida, look for Sylvania 12AT7WA triple mica, black plate, square getter tubes. These are almost shockingly deep, and perhaps very slightly dark, but make a really great sound with a wide, deep soundstage in the right gear. I bought 4 of these about three months ago at about $7 each. These are better in modern gear than vintage as in vintage they may be too dark.

Another surprisingly good 12AT7 is the older black plate RCA and even the ubiquitous GE triple mica 6201- there are millions of these made for computer use- are quite alright and very cheap.

If you like the rare and unnecessarily expensive, the Telefunken ECC801Sis very nice- the regualar Telefunken 12AT7 I find completely ordinary, and the Mullard M8162 is wonderful, but only the early ones. Later Mullard 12AT7s- the ones with all the KKQD & etc. labelling, to me are on the "avoid" list.

For overall balance in your Jolida, my suggestion would be Philips 6201- check German Ebay for early 60's Valvos. I bought some nice early 70's military labelled Valvo 6201s for about $20 each. You might try the admirable RCA 6201 and perhaps Raytheon triple mica 12AT7WA as well, as these are not overly expensive to have around for some comparison. If your taste runs to the punchy and authorative bass, the Siemens triple mica E81CC could be the one. I mention the triple mica as there were late E81CC that are 2 mica. These are labelled only "SIEMENS" in block letters while the triple mica has the intertwinned S&H logo over the "Siemens" These actually are just fine- better than the standard Telefunken ECC81 in my view,, but the triple mica one.

I've noticed that premium 12AT7s are getting quite expensive now- the Telefunken ECC801S is a $100 tube NOS and the 6201 offered now on US Ebay seem to be almost all the GE 6201- not bad at all, but not as interesting as several others. There are, however bargains, and I bought a couple of the later two mica Siemens E81CC for about $12 each and the RCA, Sylvania 12AT7WA, and older triple mica Raytheon seem to me to be real bargains.

Let us know what ends up working for you in your Jolida.

Cheers,

Bambi B

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