Question about 12AX7's

[Reverend Cheese]

I really have a hard time sorting out what to believe about 12AX7's, seeing as their are seriously conflicting opinions about what is "good" even from reliable resources. So I've decided to take a different approach and see if this might clear up the question. Probably not, but here goes anyway:

 

What brand and 'type' (i.e. WA, WB, LPS, GTr, GTc etc) of 12AX7 do you consider best avoided, or just plain bad?

 

Which do you think most players would reach a consensus on avoiding?

 

Rev. C

[sgt mukuzi]

medical grade chinese 12ax7's

[bhsbhswarp]

i don't think you'll find "bad"just different.the only 12ax7 i found lacking was the groove tubes gt 12ax7m seemed brittle for a lack of a better word.but someone else may say the opp.

[gringo699c]

I really have a hard time sorting out what to believe about 12AX7's, seeing as their are seriously conflicting opinions about what is "good" even from reliable resources. So I've decided to take a different approach and see if this might clear up the question. Probably not, but here goes anyway: What brand and 'type' (i.e. WA, WB, LPS, GTr, GTc etc) of 12AX7 do you consider best avoided, or just plain bad? Which do you think most players would reach a consensus on avoiding? Rev. C

You are gonna get 50 different answers to that question. You just have try them out and see what sounds good in your amp.
I have mullards, telefunkens, rca, ge and every other brand there is and
some sound good in my carvin v3 and some sound like ass.
What sounds good in a fender might not sound good in a boogie.
www.dougstubes.com is a good place to go, doug is the man if you want tubes.
Some of the best tubes being made or JJ's.
Chris

[drasp]

Yeah, there really isn't a right answer. Even in one amps preamp section, some tubes may work really well in position & not as well in others. FWIW, KCA has a good section in the FAQ with suggestions for each position in most Fenders. Good place to start, if that's what you're re-tubing. Beyond that, start with the tubes that seem to make folks with your same amp happy. If the amp is old, there is a good chance the original pres are still good and may even be better than a new current production tube. On the other hand, lots of newer tube amps ship with pretty lame glass and can be helped quite a bit by a little $$$ spent well on good tubes.

Personally, I've had really good luck with "lightly used" old glass - currently running 2x mid-60s Mullard ECC81s in my HIWATT that I got from the Tube Tramp and they're perfect so far - no problems with microphonics, even in my combo which is pretty impressive if you've heard a HIWATT w/ a 12" Fane cranked. . .

With used tubes I'd think its pretty important to really trust your vendor, but it does bring some pretty awesome tubes into a more reasonable price range.

[Reverend Cheese]

medical grade chinese 12ax7's

 

 

I had no idea there was such a thing? Who sells these and under what names?

 

Anyhow, the answers the rest of gave all carry much truth (particularly regarding the 'subjective factor') and are all very helpful in countering this idea that tube "X" is the "best"

 

Rev. C

[Demian03]

medical grade chinese 12ax7's

 

 

i much prefer the military grade