Modern Tubes 12ax7

[demonufo]

The mullard re-issues are one of those clear sounding tubes. Nothing outstanding, but bright and full. I'm preferring the Sovtek 12AX7 LPS as a first gain stage tube, but generally I don't use current production tubes for myself ever. Just other peoples stuff.

[ivan H]

I have a Mullard reissue as the added stage in a 39+/36 type build & it 's doing well there, with no noise or microphonics. I have 1 of the Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7/B759's as the first tube. After reading the review at tubestores site & seeing that tubedepot had "keep an eye for more of these great new tubes from Russia" on their site I thought I'd try 1. I'll be getting more even tho they're expensive. Quiet, no hum or microphonic issues. The tubestore review got it right, detailed mids with controlled low & high end. Cheers

[stef]

JJ ECC83 Gold Pin my new favorite!

+1
Just tried them (GOLD PINS) last night in V1 and V2 in my SL 12xxx spec. A little more gain (overdrive) and slightly fuller sounding in low mids than china 12ax7B and A but with the same amount of brightness - highs. They just give "more"

[malig]

Yes the JJ ECC83 are very very good !!!!
The attack is wonderful, they are full sounding tube while retaining every bit of attack and definition, and punchy
I don't know if I will find a tube that can top that.... It's kinda like you don't notice how good they are, until you change to other brands.
Works wonder in any marshall, and They last very long time too (that's a very important point to me

[hevan]

12ax7 Tubes are the most famous and widely used guitar amplifier preamp tubes
in history. This venerable tube can be found in almost every famous (and not
so famous) tube guitar amplifier ever made. It seems veryhttp://www.live4mmo.compopular in this line.
Maybe the people in science and technology are more interested in it.

[C-ball5150]

I like Chinese tubes allot for there compression and grind. I have an old rca i like, lots really meaty mids but the darn thing is micro-phonic. JJs are Awsome for metal rhythm and bluesy type stuff but i have hard time crankin up the buzz saw on them. Maybe good compressor is in order.

[stef]

JJ ECC83 Gold Pin my new favorite!

+1
Just tried them (GOLD PINS) last night in V1 and V2 in my SL 12xxx spec. A little more gain (overdrive) and slightly fuller sounding in low mids than china 12ax7B and A but with the same amount of brightness - highs. They just give "more"

These tubes died on me after a year of use - crap

[GilmourD]

JJ ECC83 Gold Pin my new favorite!

+1
Just tried them (GOLD PINS) last night in V1 and V2 in my SL 12xxx spec. A little more gain (overdrive) and slightly fuller sounding in low mids than china 12ax7B and A but with the same amount of brightness - highs. They just give "more"

These tubes died on me after a year of use - crap

Both whole tubes? Or did just the cathode follower half of V2 eat it?

[stef]

Both (V1 and V2)! Now I'm using Philips Miniwatt in v1, Chinese 12ax7 V2 and telefunken V3. Chinese are much better and last longer than JJ crap...

[GilmourD]

Both (V1 and V2)! Now I'm using Philips Miniwatt in v1, Chinese 12ax7 V2 and telefunken V3. Chinese are much better and last longer than JJ crap...

That's kinda crazy that both tubes just died. Have you tried the one that was in V1 without V2?

[stef]

Both (V1 and V2)! Now I'm using Philips Miniwatt in v1, Chinese 12ax7 V2 and telefunken V3. Chinese are much better and last longer than JJ crap...

That's kinda crazy that both tubes just died. Have you tried the one that was in V1 without V2?

No need for swapping them around.... First the tone has gone south then a friend of mine measured them and they are too low for further use - both triodes per tube

[Haze13]

I remember when I changed all rpeamp and PI tubes from Sovtek to Thung-Sol in my Carvin xt112 (x100b amp that Steve Vai used in early 80's but in the combo version) and tone of the amp Changed completley! It gave more Bass, Mid, Treble, Presence and Gain. I think that they were harsh sounding gainwise, but the first gain stage was with 1.5k on the cathode, so may be that was the reason.
Im my 2204 I use EH tubes in every position, and they sound much better than Sovteks, so I think they worth the money. Amp has an PPIM that sets on "2 o'clock" (small attenuation) and I don't think that I need more Bass from my amp. With MV on 2 (9 o'clock) my dishes in the kitchen starts to rattle

[Haze13]

Update...
JJ ecc83s in the V1 and V3 and Mesa 12ax7-A in the V2. EHX compared to JJ sounds so fuzzy... JJ are cheaper too!
Does any one know what are Mesa 12ax7-A is? I saw an "A" letter on GE and RCA brands, but they are all NOS. So who makes tubes for Mesa?

[demonufo]

They're just plain Shuguang 12ax7a's. Not a bad tube.

[Haze13]

Better than EHX 12AX7 I would say. The regular ones, not the gold pins version...