12au7 tube rolling. But dammit, we're going to try and answer you.
12au7 tube rolling That "might not" part always curtailed my tube rolling in later years. In the 12AX7 spot I rolled a vintage RCA Long Plate, an RCA 7025 that tested NOS on the tester in the shop where I bought it (most expensive tube here at $150), and a new production Genalex Gold Lion I played for about 2 hours flipping between Amperex 12au7 BB Long Foil and that tube and at first it was not very obvious that 7316 was better, This will be the last tube you will be rolling Update: Interestingly enough, after the listening session, we did blind testing, between Mullard 12au7 LP, Amperex 12au7 LP and Amperex 7316 LP. Post #2 of 6 tube rolling won't offer significant benefits as they would in pure tube amps. The Gold Lion gold pins also provide a more fleshed-out midrange. What type of sound do you seek; warm, lush, neutral, high-end extension? Here is a good reference for the 12au7 rolling options. The 12au7 is a dual triode tube, that can trace its heritage back to the 6c4s (EC90) of the 1940s. . If it helps, my current mono tube amps use both 12au7 and 12at7s for input and drivers. And incredible phono stage designed in a way I've not seen before. Overall a more neutral and “correct In the 2 12AU7 spots, I rolled a pair of RCA Black Plates that tested NOS from Brent Jessee, and for new production, Genalex Gold Lion gold pins. Skip to main content. Very nice upgrade. Thread starter rudedogg; Start date Jul 8, 2018; rudedogg AK Member. Tube Rolling the Xduoo Ta-26; Tube Rolling the Xduoo MT-601; Tube Rolling the Xduoo MT-602; Tube Rolling the Xduoo MT-604; Xduoo Ta-01b, Ta-10, Ta-20 12au7; Xduoo Ta-02 and Ta-05 6J1/5654; Xduoo Ta-03s The person told me, I can use 12BH7 instead of 12AU7 in my BHK pre. This obviously isn’t going to provide the audio quality of something like the Fireflies, but it’s so simple and inexpensive that it’s practically an impulse purchase. I liked the Amperex Bugle Boys a lot , but the the best tube I found by far was the Amperex 7316 PQ. If this describes you, we encourage you to explore different tubes, and feel free to 12AU7 (4x) EL84 (4x) Z10e. No vintage warmth or smear. I was expecting a somewhat rolled-off treble, along with a somewhat muddy indistinct bass. CAUTION: Tube amplifiers run on dangerous high-voltages and the tubes get very hot during operation. Really enjoying tube rolling. KT08 July 30, 2022, 5:28pm 14. Excellent balance, lots of air and focused but still a glorious midrange Mullard (Mitchum made) ECC82 The first matched quad to arrive were the Sylvania JAN-CHS 12AU7’s at $20/tube. Never used a Euro 12au7 type that I consider sweet/warm with the exception of a handfull of Mullard 12au7 types (have most common Euro Telefunken/Amperex/Siemens versions). 12AU7 (2x) the opportunity to alter and improve the sound of their amp by tube rolling, is one of the joys of owning a tube amp. 1; 2; 3; Next. Posted on April 16, 2013 by . All observations and opinions here are my own, based on my experience with the product. Trade Count: Apprentice; Posts: 33; Liked: Likes Given: 0; Tube Rolling: 12AU7, 12AX7, Khan and SVT-DI circuits are built to make the tube/OT a major part of the sound, so you probably will hear some differences in some tubes. 5814 tubes are low distortion 12AU7s thus you never want to buy any 12AU7. Given all the tubes I've heard, for someone wanting a "first" tube for rolling on a 12AU7 pre-amp section I'd recommend the GE 6201 - GE, or the vast number of other makes - as a first tube/pair to start tube rolling. Excellent finesse. Each will pair and sound differently depending on your power tubes. It is a Lampizator Amber based DAC designed optimally for 12AT7 in V1 and 12AU7 in V2. like the sound that those tubes impart but I would like to try some other tubes since the MiniMax is so great for tube rolling. 7: 723: September 26, 2022 Received new M1200's yesterday. The Mazda kills the stock Psvane 12AU7-S. Sounded great with both my Vincent s/s SP-998 Mono Blocks & upgraded s/s Benchmark Plexus Power Amp. Just got off the treadmill rolling tubes in my Oto Phono SE Sig, including the crucial 12AU7. Psvane 12AU7 T-II (input), Genalex Gold Lion EL84x2 (output), and Electro-Harmonix EZ81 (rectifier). Put these low 3rd Harmonic tubes in a adjusted SRPP circuit the H2 harmonics would nearly cancel plus with the inherent low 3rd harmonic we are talking very low (for vacuum tube) levels of distortion. Hope that this little trip down memory lane is of some help to you. Tube Rolling 12au7, 12ax7 06/07/14 at 14:23:34 . It sounds good out of the box but can definitely be greatly improved by tube rolling and fuse upgrades. Additional Information and Downloads. e. Skip to content. It was time to stop enjoying for a second and get into some serious listening with two other great tubes However, in that time frame TS manufactured several different variations of 12au7's(A) that have different sonic characteristics from each other. AmpTubes is an Australian based Vacuum Tube supplier dedicated to providing you the best quality products at the best prices possible, with fast shipping, great customer service and a smooth online shopping Tube Rolling among the Great's 12AX7. Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2012 2:41 am Here is a good article from PrimaLuna about tube rolling: Tube Rolling — PrimaLuna USA Read the part about the 'gain tubes'. Often poor tube performance is a result of poor connectivity. Welcome to the rabbit hole of tube rolling. The matched quad of the Mullard CV491 Long Plates cost me a small fortune. This is probably that tube: telefunken 12au7 - Google Shopping . But I'm now still hankering to try a vintage Mullard in the pre-amp position, as stereo5 did. A medium-gain dual triode tube with many names for identical variants, or others that are designed for certain characteristics such as long life. But since 12BH7 draws more current I think the difference in the caps makes The V1 be able to work with the Electro Harmonix 6922 and the Shu Guang 12AU7 tube with the V2. They sound great and were the seated “incumbents” in my reference system. Whereas the E80CC is a Current tube rolling Favorites: 12AU7 Slot: NOS RCA 5814A BLACK P 3 MICA S-RODS 12AX7 Slot: NOS Telefunken 12AX7 Other 12AX7 tubes that I tried, I was surprised the Mullard 10M tubes were not the best fit: GE 5-Star TRIPLE-MECA Current tube rolling Favorites: 12AU7 Slot: NOS RCA 5814A BLACK P 3 MICA S-RODS 12AX7 Slot: NOS Telefunken 12AX7 Other 12AX7 tubes that I tried, I was surprised the Mullard 10M tubes were not the best fit: GE 5-Star TRIPLE-MECA 5751 BLACKPLATES (second place to the Teles) what tubes you've rolled; power- conditioning, cabling; what amps, speakers and source; Interconnects, cables, speakers . I This morning I exchanged a bunch of new budget JAN GE 12AT7WCs and some used tubes for 5 pairs of tubes - a pair each of Mazda, Tronix, Belvu, and 2 pairs of the Miniwatt Dario. In phase splitter applications the 12AU7 does not have the effect of preamp tubes though. I swapped out stock Chinese sourced Primaluna 12AU7s--6 of them--from the preamp section. 99 per tube or $179. I also like the RCA 5963 premium industrial grade, Very dynamic, clean and natural sounding and a great value. Mullard CV4003 is a very good tube and would be where I would start. You’re in good company. I rolled a number of tubes from the 12AU7 family in this unit. There will be a tube headphone amp that can be run two different ways. The 5751 thats often substituted for the 12ax7 has an amplification factor of 70 thats much closer to the 12ax7. But I am looking forward to doing it. But dammit, we're going to try and answer you. WATChad April Tube rolling on the M1200. Westinghouse. a lot. PrimaLuna says 2 tubes in particular (preamp tubes) will have most affect on the sound of its integrated amplifier. To be clear, I don't have the G1217 adapter so I can only speculate, but from the info I've gathered you'd still need a 12au7 to 6dj8 adapter between the amp and the G1217 adapter. All of the tubes I acquired are used but were measured there and then, 4 pairs classfied as Grade A, a pair of the Darios graded B. The phono section does not use a tube. Amplifiers. My experience has been that so long as you don't have to stress a 12AU7 (which unfortunately most tube amps need to do) they are remarkably clean and quiet. My Cary CD Player (303/300) uses two 12AU7 tubes. Many claim they are the same sounding tube RCA 12AU7 clear tops get a lot of recommendations, but they aren't my favorite Sylvania JHS 12AU7 Amperex (Holland made) ECC82 short plate w/ large halo getter. Very nice pairs of rare Holland tubes that will work wherever a 12AU7 tube is called for! Some audiophiles say this tube sounds better than any 12AU7 they have ever heard. I have not tried them yet, as I am slightly nervous to drop them in as I have a number of NOS 12AU7 and 12AX7 tubes that I roll: My Amperex Bugle Boys 1950's vintage are absolutely delightful. Second I am no audiophile. For a year plus I've been very happy with a matched pair of CBS/Hytron 5814A tubes. While there are probably over 100 options for different 12au7 variants, the 6s19P has considerably fewer options with most being either current Chinese manufacture or Russian I got the 5963 tube first, so I put it in the preamp 12au7 position and wow, much different in my system than what I was expecting -- due to the general consensus I read about that tube. When I rolled in some Mullard 12au7 / CV4003 that I got from Upscale, I knew I had found the right tube for that preamp. You won't find better bang for your buck. Has the best midrange of all the tubes I have. Reply reply AdamAberg Tube amps may add substantial amounts of Even-order harmonics, depending on the way the amp is designed, which can give a lush, rich enhancement to the sound. Hi-FiGuy AK Subscriber. EDIT: Also Added 6AS7/6080 Since those are CMII owner here. Clear, strong, detailed, good bass and smooth Just wanted to chime in here with a 12au7 rolling experience in the Mainline. The difference was pretty noticeable to me, on par with rolling the 12AU7 in the Crack despite the tube's different function in the amp design. Keep in mind though that the 12AU7 is going to effect things too- whatever you hear from the 12AX7 will be passing My favorite American 12AU7 is the early 50's Westinghouse, long black plate with a D getter on a copper post. The Voshkod tube is supposed to be a step above the stock as it was designed for Russian military use with upgraded tube heaters, heavier glass, and vibration resistance built in. Thread starter Bannon; Start date Mar 19, 2024; Tags primaluna evo tube rolling Prev. BHK Preamp tube A 12ax7 will only dissipate 1 watt max vs 2. 12au7/5418 Tube Roll: Mullard vs. Rolled in 3 Psvane 12AX7-11 into my Vincent SA-T8. I was missing tube magic, but had the ultimate Pre-Amp to showcase the uniqueness of new tube to come. Have only been able to pair with a Gold Lion ECC82 and the stock Baldwin 12au7 as of now, but have ordered some Mullards and 6SN7s to try. RCA immediately built the 5814 to replace the 12AU7 and Collins never used the 12AU7 again. Hi all, I know a lot of people have Primaluna equipment and play around with tubes. lostrockets New Member. paul172 April 27, 2021, 12:22am 16. Will be interested to hear Danter's impressions of the triple micas. And, a good high fidelity amplifier won't have a "tube sound" or a "MOSFET sound". I am now looking to roll the 12AX7's but I don't really know if those tubes will really effect the sound. I only need one for my Eastern Electric Minimax preamp. 12AT7 (2x) 12AU7 (4x) EL84 (4x) ZOTL Ultralinear. This setup in the X7 sounds really nice and clean. To make things even more complicated – there is no such thing as THE splitter stage, as a lot of Asking what tube you should get is like asking what ice-cream flavor you like. BmWr75 AK Subscriber. This is a great little unit to really bring out the most in your power amps. I heard that 12BH7 is compatible with 12AU7, but Google search gave me conflicting answers: some say the pinout is different, but som esay it will work. What is tube rolling? Answer: Tube rolling is the process of trying out a number of tubes in the same spot in an amplifier and selecting the one that sounds best to you. Mullard Radio-technique, amperex will all sound great as long as they measure well and are matched. The results of tube-rolling are dependent on your audio I’m building my own amp based around the 6SN7 and the 12AU7 as Drivers (And as Shunt Regulators, although the tube used there doesn’t have to be such a high quality tube For the 12au7 position try a 5963 tube. If I would like to get some advice in choosing a specific 12AU7 to be used in a splitter position on my amplifier it is completely wrong to ask stupid questions like ” what is the best 12AU7″. It is just the best tube I’ve tried so far, but I’ve only rolled a small number of tubes. Deleted Ok So I’m putting this here since I guess it applies to alot of different Amps, Pre-Amps, Power Amps, DACs, etc. . It’s priced at $119. For example the ECC82 you mentioned is the same exact tube as a 12au7. So, until things settle down and I get accustomed to the sound of my system rolling that new tube is going to have to wait. Tried at least 20 different au7 pairs (mostly vintage), and while some of the best are my vintage "close triode matched" mid-60s Mullards, yes, was able to find a nice smooth tone with newer production Psvane au7s as an alternative. I have found that a new old stock RCA 12au7 ($20. The Tube 05 features a 12AU7 vacuum tube and tone controls. I love the warm sound from the Mullards. Here we will discuss the 12au7 as it applies to the Ta-03s and the 6s19p power tubes used in it as well. Aikido preamp and tube rolling. Reading about this tube, it would appear these were manufactured ie 12AU7 or 12AT7 as well as 12AX7 i would give those a shot as well. I guess this applies to the other Bravo amps as well. Thread starter Hi-FiGuy; Start date Nov 14, 2013; H. Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Mambo Sun, Oct 21, center 12au7: Amperex treble clef Bugle Boy 12au7’s: RCA 5963 Blackplates I found the JJs a bit more forward in the midrange but treble rolled off on the low end but somewhat sibilant on top. I swapped the stock NOS tube provided with the kit for a JJ ECC802S I had lying around. The included tubes are of decent quality and can be expected to provide years of great sound. In 1947 Collins Radio stated to RCA the new at time 12AU7 was very non-linear and anyone can see the poor plate curves. Which was why I was interested in the 12AU7 / 12AT7 possibilities - I can borrow a fair range of 'em. Trouble with tube rolling is the expense of course. Seasoned Member Posts: 219. I think if you search these topics you will find quite a few opinions about rolling the Pre and 1200. I'm rolling between 3 RCA 12au7 clear tops and a RFT 12au7 all nos. So then I got an Amperex Bugle Boy 12AU7 from Andy Bowman at Vintage Tube Services, and that also is better. It is the worst miniature triode tube ever built. Which 12au7 tube do you recommend for rolling the stock Chinese TungSol used on MiniMax DAC? I know the best ones are the NOS 50's Telefunken but they cost $150 each. Gonna be Well, I think I just found the ideal 12AU7 preamp tube for my C-J PV12, but before I disclose it, I'm curious, those of you that use this tube, what's your favorite 12AU7 ((ECC82)? I'm sure some of you guys have done some tube rolling for this tube specification and have some useful experience and input for all of us to benefit from. The clear tops really sound good, but the lead vocals are too That's the beautiful thing about tube rolling, if you have several sets of tubes with different sounds you change the tubes and change the sound to your feeling and mood. If this noisy input tube is Guides on what a particular tube will sound like are not very accurate as tubes will react differently in each situation so take them only as a rough indicator Often on EBay you can find a mixed bag of 12au7 tubes in one auction they are usually used and come with no guarantee but you will get a selection of tubes to try cheap . Nov 14, 2013 (uses 12AX7 & 12AU7) Shannon Parks sells for less than triode electronics which also has it in stock along parts or kits. The best made were Telefunken but are nearly impossible to find NOS at this point. To my ear, this tube just adds a sweetness to the music that just makes me want to listen more. Disclaimer: This sample was provided by HiFi College for an honest review. Recommendations tube rolling for Muzishare x7 . Tube rolling is lots of fun - too bad the "good stuff PrimaLuna EVO and Tube Rolling. Excellent dynamics and ability to convey emotion. edit: that article has lists of tubes and sound signatures. If I had an amp with 12AU7, I would sub a 6CG7 tube. Page 2 of 2 [ 29 posts ] Go to page Previous 1, 2 Previous topic | Next topic : Author Message; Burgerchow Post subject: Re: Tube Rolling 12au7 into Prima Luna Dialogue Premium. What preamp are you using? RCA blackplates, Mullard boxplates, and Amperex 7316 are all excellent tubes but have different sonic signatures. 00) works best. Go. The Bottlehead Crack circuit uses two tubes. The best sounding 12AU7, AT7 and AX7 I have used are Amperex holland or made by Amperex for other brands. 1 of 2 Go to page. to/3LFTgEHPSAVNE Horizon 12AU7-AT: https I posted a thread on that tube rolling exercise with a comparison of all the combos I tried (search Herron Tube Rolling if interested), which might offer some more food for thought, even though the specific tubes and the gear are not exactly the same. The Sennheiser HD660S / HD598cs were the motivation for getting a Tube based . that tube rolling tube rolling process. The latter adds a significant amount of resolution. The two stereo channels each use half of the tube. I bought . Jul 25, 2018 i'm looking at around $20-40 NOS per 12AU7 tube and $80-$100 per NOS EL34, 6L6GC, KT66 tube which seems about double new production tubes. It's lots of fun. You'll be able to find the best pairing for your speakers by rolling lots of tubes. First Prev 2 of 3 Go to page. After some extensive listening tests, ended up with a set of KT88-Z black coated tubes, a gold lion 12AX7 and the gold pin version of the EH 12AU7 with the supplied Sovtek rectifier. There are some new PrimaLuna products coming out that will use 12AU7's and 12AX7's come January. It also allows some tube rolling to compare various tubes in your stash. These days for a low mu gain tube I prefer a 6SN7 or 12AU7 or equivalent as I mentioned above. Mullard 12au7 were a forum favorite at Bottlehead. Discussion For the new release 12AU7, 12AX7 & 5AR4 Each tube has its own sound signature by manufacturer . the Sphinx responds well to tube rolling with NOS tubes. Equipment Forums. Now want to roll the tubes of pre and found a NOS GE 12BH7 in my local old tube shop. Just food for thought on your tube Quite a few PL owners have emailed about my tube rolling with my Evo400, so thought I'd right about it a little as intend on doing more - JJ Gold Pin Long Plate 12AU7 I was expecting big things form these as theres regular comment on the 'other' forum about them being very close to NOS, but for me, they just sounded too much like the I never owned a 12AU7 equipped tube amp, but that 5963 plate curves are superior to the 12AU7 unless you run those 12AU7s at maximum current and the 5963 still looks better at medium to maximum current. Thread starter Gary Mattis; Start date Sep 14, 2019; Tags 12ax7 tube rolling 1; 2; I went one step further and grabbed a pair of Amperex labeled Electronics for Medicine 12AX7 & 12AU7. Kinda curious on other people’s takes on Driver Tubes, specifically 6SN7 and 12AU7/ECC82, plus any close enough equivalent, even things like using Dual tube Adapters like 6J5 + 6J5 to 6SN7. Tube’s sonics will perform differently depending on the circuit. Thanks DT It would be ideal to do some tube rolling to get the best of all worlds is there a tube selection that could work with the Evo preamp that would tame the harsher high end and smooth out the sound a little bit on top? I preferred RCA 12AU7 Clear Top side getters in a preamp that used 12AU7. They are light, sparkly and incredibly fast without harshness or fatigue. Admittedly, the Russian makers had no concerns about audio use as most of these tubes were built for radar arrays. I was new into tubes when I had my first Bottlehead Foreplay amp and did a lot of tube rolling. Seems like you're having a lot of fun tube-rolling. If you can afford it, great, many people who can't afford it get sucked in by the flowery language but have no way to objectively tell if the tubes they just carelessly stuffed in are even working. Tube rolling is only for those who are part curious, part OCD, and can yield different results for those wanting to chase the rabbit. After trying many 12au7 variants in my Tavish Design Adagio phono stage, the 5963 sounded the best. Overall love the amp, but after a year of ownership am getting the 'tube rolling' bug. Now Hello Mates - Recently I bought a BHK Pre and BHK 250 combo. Aug 22, 2015 #5 If you want to roll tubes there must be a dozen or more 12au7 tube brands to try before you mess with the gain structure of your amp. Hard to find the real deal as they were later contracted out to RCA and sometimes Sylvania. Mullard CV4003 Brimar cv491 Matsushita 12au7 Amperex Bugleboy 12au7 I recommend trying as many as you can. The heater supply needs to be changed from 5 volts to 6. Spend over $200 and get free shipping! We also do special orders. Tube rolling is a slippery slope to a mental disease. The 7316 is a variant of the 12AU7 that, from all that I’ve read, is compatible with the 12AU7. arts Addicted Member. They are still in production, made by New Sensor in Russia, Shuguang in China, and JJ My Cary CD Player (303/300) uses two 12AU7 tubes. Never trust an ebay seller who says a tube is “Just like” another tube type. Forums. Reactions: Gary Mattis and Re: Tube Rolling 12au7, 12ax7 Reply #119 - 04/28/23 at 21:43:49 After some reading I went way way way down the wrong road all the while convinced it was correct. Even Rogue Audio told me the most noticeable change comes from the center 12AU7 tube roll. I guess Collins and I plus the poor plate curves are wrong per your 'expert' statement. Read the reviews for the Rogue Medusa which uses a Hypex 400 module, the DragoN should be a little better. Have already swapped out the output tubes with KT88s--overall effect was not that noticeable if at all (from stock 6550s). Have to google to see it is a preamp. Might not. That is why the 5814 was made a year later after the 12AU7 was built. Do you know an article where people did tube rolling for the 6sn7 tubes? On the TA-26? joshua_g July 30, 2022, 9:29pm 15. Besides reduced "tuby" sound this gain stage will be robust versus any attempts of The 12AU7 rolling can make a big difference too. Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 4:19 pm . 12AT7 (2x) 12AU7 (4x) EL84 (4x) ZOTL10 Mk II. 3 volts to allow the following tubes to be substituted as straight drop-ins. So, tube rolling in the amp can definitely yield sonic benefits. The Ray 12AU7 tubes sell for $79. It must sound very good indeed. Next Last. g. But since the 12au7 tubes needs to be wired differently, it might not be compatible directly. Good choice! 1 Like. What I wasn't ready for was the size of the As you might guess, the 12au7 is a versatile tube and is seen a lot in preamp functions do to its low output power. Should test good. It came with a real nice set of JAN 5670 tubes glued into adapters from “ifi”. ZMF Verite open on LOW-Z with the following tube setup. For a year plus I've been very happy with a matched pair of I think this is where a good opportunity exists for tube rolling, especially in the preamp. Other NOS Treasures . Sylvania JHS-5814 3 mica Black plates or GB (gold brand) 3 mica. So, I began rolling in pairs Tube Audio. They are extremely rare and its a tube that one would buy not for tube rolling or experimenting with. First off, special thanks to tomy6--a fellow audiogoner who helped me identify, with specificity, the exact tube I was swapping in: an Amperex 12AU7 tube made in the early to mid 70s; Great Britain Mullard factory. Unit sounded good as it was 1) Cycling the tube on and off shortens the life 2) Leaving the Tube on 24/7 uses up the tube life faster (24 X 365 = 8,760 hrs per year). Thanks! Share Jul 9, 2017 at 9:56 AM. Thread starter lostrockets; Start date Jul 25, 2018; 1; 2; Next. The The SSX does allow for tube rolling (12AU7), but he said while there will be a tube effect to rolling, that its not the SSX’s primary purpose with the tube. 75 watts max for the 12au7. I use 12AU7's in my preamp and I've done some tube rolling. Furthermore even the typical "warmth" will be reduced. 12AU7 Tube Rolling. If you choose THE RIGHT TUBE for the buffer tube you can use a 12AU7 tube as it uses exactely the same voltage as 12AX7 tubes and get good results, but I guess it's just a matter of taste. In place of the 12AU7 tube I have two Phillips Military D2540 CCA's, this is a premium 6922 tube. For the 12au7 position try a 5963 tube. 5. Tube Rolling Reviews Contact Dealer Locator. It's quite limited in tube rolling options as only 1960's USA branded 5BK7, 5BK7A and 5BK7B tubes are available. L. The 12BH7 tube is halfway between the 12AU7 and the 12AV7 from a gain My phono stage uses one 12AU7 type tube, and it has a very noticeable effect on the sound. This tube is about twice as tall as a 12AU7 tube. The particular tube variation I gave a link to on Ebay was only made for about (4) years. If you have a need for a 12AU7 or simply looking to have some fun tube rolling our collection of NOS Sylvania 12AU7 should be considered! Note: Try swapping in 12AU7's in place of 12AX7's in Fender tweed Current tube rolling Favorites: 12AU7 Slot: NOS RCA 5814A BLACK P 3 MICA S-RODS 12AX7 Slot: NOS Telefunken 12AX7 Other 12AX7 tubes that I tried, I was surprised the Mullard 10M tubes were not the best fit: GE 5-Star TRIPLE-MECA 5751 BLACKPLATES (second place to the Teles) In this article, I’m exploring the FX-Audio Tube 05 headphone amplifier and preamp. Ditched the factory tubes almost immediately and upgraded to a NOS-5931 JAN Sylvania 5931 / Ruggedized 5U4GB Rectifier (1957) & Matched Pair of Mullard 12AU7. However, you might go broke trying to find a decent warm/sweet Mullard pair, IMO, as their sound/quality for this particular tube type is all over the map (different Originally Posted by Ferbose I have a Cayin HA-1A and which uses 12AX7, 12AU7 and two EL84. jurgenestanislao. I have a Medusa and it responds nicely to tube rolling to achieve the best synergy in your system and the DragoN uses a similar 12AU7 front end stage. As all “what’s best” questions are obsolete in our beloved hobby – the answering community might have recently tested some 12AU7 in an USB Current tube rolling Favorites: 12AU7 Slot: NOS RCA 5814A BLACK P 3 MICA S-RODS 12AX7 Slot: NOS Telefunken 12AX7 Other 12AX7 tubes that I tried, I was surprised the Mullard 10M tubes were not the best fit: GE 5-Star TRIPLE-MECA 5751 BLACKPLATES (second place to the Teles) Although its a tube gain stage, the obsolete bypassing Ck does already reduce sonic tube properties. I can picture this tube making a grand ball entrance with the slickest fox in the place on one arm, top to tails in Armani and with a martini so comfortably seated in the left hand (you greet with your right) it Got a Zbox in a couple of weeks ago and have been rolling some tubes. Last edited: Oct 20, 2017. Gold Lion ECC82, This is a final overview video of the muzishare X7 vs the R8 and some tube rolling advice. This is more like tube, or if you like, FET matching than tube rolling. Instead the treble was clear and prominent and extended nicely. First I tried new Genelex Gold Lion 12AU7's and 12AX7's in all five slots. These notes apply to just the preamp. If you want a little more pop or dynamics Best 12AU7 for me has been the Amperex Bugle Boy Holland 60's vintage. For the new release 12AU7, 12AX7 & 5AR4. 3V to the heaters on tube pins 4 & 5. If this describes you, we encourage you to explore different tubes, and feel free to 'Tube rolling' as simple as changing a lightbulb. For less than $100, you get a superb little amplifier with a single 12AU7 tube that can be swapped in and out, and will give you a taste of why tube sound is so addictive. I’ve bought a bunch of 12AU7s from Brent Jesse (highly recommended by the way) and thought my notes on the various ones might be interesting or useful to some of you. Wow! What an improvement. If you’re familiar with the Phillip’s etched codes, the 7316’s tube type is Ct. Nicely transparent and very dynamic. The HD800S's are on my list (not the 8XX). that article has a list of tubes they use for both sockets. a signal is being amplified by them) ? Preamp - Brimar CV4003, Psvane 12AU7 TII, RCA 5963 (the latter being $10 each NOS) Power amp - Gold Lion 12AU7, Psvane, RCA 5963. It just sounds great. I must like the sound of a 6DJ8 better than a 12AU7 (I also have a large quantity of 12AU7's for tube rolling). Note that the 12AU7 won’t work in the amp as it is wired to only supply 6. Mar 19, 2024 #21 Everybody knows there is only one way to skin a cat, especially in a subjective hobby like audio. This can be very helpful in optimizing the tone of the amplifier. comNote at the end I mention the E80CC, which is an entir Primaluna tube rolling 12AU7 Notes. I have these I just had an interesting experience tube rolling. A little bit better, but not night and day. better) in the bass. Well, the rolling bug bit last week and I decided it was time to "go exploring. Sep 17, 2021 #2 BHk moved in late, yesterday afternoon. I've never had a problem subbing it for a 12AU7. I'm just a guy that loves good sounding music. Violins and woodwinds, triangle, guitar and electric piano are particularly well rendered. Tube Rolling 12au7, 12ax7 (Read 106166 times) P K. " As can be seen in the If you use your head you're unlikely to kill anything with preamp tube rolling, but it's not impossible Whatever you do don't go down the vintage tube rabbit hole. It’s usually isolated to one channel so it is simple to figure out which one is the culprit. Headphone Amps (full-size) Thread starter LightDarkSonic; The heaters to the 12au7 are connected in series, I believe, and do not work for First off I'm going to copy this post and place it in the Ember tube rolling thread. As for the tubes, the center 12AU7 is the preamp tube. Cordially, Lee Hankins As I wrote at the beginning; I really hope this post can help provide those of us interested in tube rolling with a better semi-technical understanding of different tubes, as well as to solicit more subjective opinions on how different tubes sound. My question only makes sense when forced to keep tube-rolling costs down (or tube substitution when the stock ones fail) because the This pastime of "tube rolling" in the Leben CS-600 integrated amplifier was greatly enhanced by its ability to accept a variety of output tubes by switching between different cathode resistor and plate voltage settings, The 12AU7 tube used in the new Leben CS600X is the JJ ECC802-S / 12AU7. I had read some about tube rolling, but decided to live with the stock tubes for a while to become acquainted with it. The other two 12AU7s are the amp section drivers and the 12AX7s are the amp section phase splitters. I also bought them from Kevin Deal at Upscale audio. I've rolled Mazda 12au7's (labeled Pro-comm) and Telefunken 12au7's. May 26, 2014 #9 I did try a pair of old GB Mullard 12AX7s awhile back - and much preferred the factory-fitted Sovteks. 2 Likes. They changed my tube rolling equation because I can now get amazing sound out of new production power tubes as long as I have those Brimar's in the 12AU7 slots. Troubleshooting Tubes Noisy 12AX7 or 12AU7. of tubes. He was very helpful. These were manufactured in July 1986. Jan Phillips 5814A I liked a lot. Personally, there is always something special to me about the sound of a preamplifier built around the 12AX7 or 12AU7 tube, they just always seem to paint the sonic picture with a little bit more air and Re: Tube Rolling - Pope 6V6GT - Tungsram 12AU7 Reply #5 - 07/29/18 at 13:55:23 The Tungsram 12au7 just sound better, deeper and wider sound stage, not too warm, not too bright, but just great overall sound see the video at Upscale Audio for more info. He recommended old stock Chinese 12AU7 tubes from factory 772 if one wants sweetness, though there Whoa! That was a wonderful increase in resolution, detail, & musicality. A third 12AU7 is used as a "buffer tube" on a cathode follower configuration, and I don't know a voltage mismatch between tubes would work out with my very demanding at Author Topic: Tube Rolling: 12AU7, 12AX7, and KT88/6550 (Read 4625 times) 0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. Dramatic improvement in the sound as well as the A well designed amplifier's specs/performance won't be affected by normal tube variations (so every amp coming if the assembly line will be the same) and it won't change as the tube ages until the tube ages beyond it's useful life. And 12au7's are relatively cheap and you might have some fun changing them out. The different gain stages in the preamp or driver sections of a tube amplifier can be Ultra low noise thanks to the RARE pinched waist glass bottle, large box plates, and matched triode sections. After trying many 12au7 variants in my Tavish Design Adagio Replaced the stock PSvanes with the Gold Lion 12AU7 ECC82. 5mv cart on 1:20 = 10mv!!! Tube Rolling the Xduoo Ta-30 Dac/amp. This is when I realized my high’s were “rolled off”, I had no extension, and the system was very “solid state” sounding. Well I found some Jan 6189W GE tubes for next to nothing (A$20 per tube would be conisdered cheap, surely). 99 for a matched pair. Thread starter bigaltx24; Start date 12AU7 (4x) EL84 (4x) Z10e. Electro-Harmonix 12AU7 Has anyone done this and was it worth the money? I have the Genalex 12AU7 in my Ocean now. Musings of an aging audio addict Home; The 12au7 pre-amp tubes can be found inexpensively but when spending $750 on the amp, it seems a poor choice to hamstring its performance by not looking at the best tubes available (within 12Au7 Tubes - Shop with AmpTubes and get 5% off your first order. I’ve tried rolling the 12AU7s in the amps and there is some benefit, but perhaps not as Such an application area is far away from what a 12AU7 must achieve in a splitter stage on an power amplifier. Mid-range Bravo Ocean tube rolling suggestions Home. Immediately ordered a quad of Psvane 12AU7-11 to replace the "no-name" Chinese 12AU7's in the SA-T8. Granted I have never heard NOS 60's Mullards, but I'd rate the Brimars over RCA cleartops from the same era, as well as 60's Valvo E80CC made in Merleen Holland. They are super smooth but transparent and very dynamic. Tube Issues. GEC, Tung Sol did make a more noticeable impact on the sound). Have you used For example if a given tube type from manufacturer A has slightly more grid to plate capacitance than the same tube type from manufacturer B, then the way those two tubes interact with the rest of the circuit could change how the tube samples sounds--the first tube from manufacturer A perhaps rolling off the highs at a slightly lower frequency The 12AU7 is the driver tube The 12AX7, being upstream, will have the most sonic merit. Monad Super Member. Tube Rolling in the Crack. SMH One of the 12AU7's crapped out, so buying a new set. I'm running some EH 6ca7 tubes in mine tonite, they really sound great, you should give them a The Vali does run 6v heaters. So if you're rolling tubes, this is the place to start. Thanks I may just give it a shot. The amplification factor is radically different with the 12ax7 's being 100 and the 12au7 only 19. Similar to the Mullard re-issues in dynamics, smoothness and treble extension, but more neutral and textured (i. The link in his Description to the tube rolling is a nice start: Tube Rolling the 12au7 in Xduoo Amps | Audiofool Reviews I asked Xduoo if the TA-20 supported 12AT7/12AX7 tubes too and when they came back and said "Yes", I jumped from 12AU7's to experimenting with 12AT7/12AX7 - a couple of each - and after comparing the sound I settled on the I am looking for a 1950s Amperex (Holland made) 7316 long plate 12au7 tube. Tried pulling out the bad one, and its really, really tight in the socket. Not bad though. For me, the most noticeable improvement came when I swapped in a pair of 1957 Sylvania chrome dome 12SN7s. TarnishedEars, Oct 20, 2017 #7 I am so glad we went with as many 12AU7's as we have. A really beautiful sounding tube and very clean on the top end but rare and expensive. Random noises that sound like popcorn popping in the background is almost always a 12AX7 or 12AU7 small signal tube. You can also change from a 12v heater based tube to a 6v heater based tube via jumpers too when you’re rolling but the Kinda curious on other people’s takes on Driver Tubes, specifically 6SN7 and 12AU7/ECC82, plus any close enough equivalent, even things like using Dual tube Adapters like 6J5 + 6J5 to 6SN7. I also found a new production Tung Sol 12ax7 works best. The other tubes I currently have in storage are the following Some sample 12AU7's had almost zero H3 distortion. This makes them more costly than the usual new-production suspects (Mullard, JJ, Tung-Sol) but generally more affordable (and in some cases drastically so) than most quality NOS tubes from established sellers. It's great for tube rolling. If you like the stock power tubes or the tone the EL34 present then you might want to roll in some driver tubes for example like some Cifte 12AU7 in the front 2 slots. Right now I prefer some CBS shiny black plates in row 3, some RCA black plates in row 2 and Sylvania 12AU7' in row 1. Is there anything cheaper than $50 which is far better than the stock TungSol? My goal is getting a naturally warm and sweet midrange. If so, people are missing out a great little amp and so much fun to tube roll and experiment in different output modes. Talk to Dallas from Dallas Clark Audio in having the amp modded with some Tentlabs modules to up the NOTE: I am in the process of doing a tube rolling article for the Little Dot Mk3 as well. Shuguang 12AU7 is the best low cost tube I've heard. Just as different lightbulbs can portray romantic, serene, or studious moods within a room, so will different tubes affect the overall sound To make tube rolling work its magic for you, simply collect a few tubes, swap them out, and keep the ones that sound best. The stock chinese tubes had to go of course. This is a superb 12au7 tube. He also brought me a new DAC and a set of headphones. There is a Telefunken 12AU7 tube that sells for truly silly money. But even this tube will not work in all 12ax7 applications. But that's just at the moment, my preferences change as I roll in old favorites and rediscover the nuances that make tube rolling so appealing. I'll do my best to describe my tubes. Are you looking for more ,bass,mids or treble. I want to try more options at the 12AU7 position. Sylvania Black Plate Square Better Wire 12AU7 is his full god-given and I can tell you he is one suave and debonair clear customer. Does tube life get used up just being "on" or only when music is being played (i. 8: 902: September 28, 2024 I have also noted that tube rolling impacts sonic changes much less compared to the stock Crack (the 'premium' tubes e. The results can be dramatic! 12au7. I'm thrilled with the transition from tube rolling from 12AU7 driver tubes to 12BH7a, and When I was rolling 12au7, though I don't have anything in my main system that use them anymore so I don't know anything about the Tung-Sol, when I hit Mullard CV4003 I stopped rolling. For the last few days I've rolled in matched pairs of: 12AU7 (Sylvania Grey Plates), 5814A (Philips Brimar 13D5 long plate or CBS Hytron 5814. I don’t think the tubes can be swapped between the two amps without doing Tube Rolling the 12DW7 / 7247 / ECC832. Subscriber. Really not much difference between them in my application but tube rolling is fun. A 12AU7 input tube serving as a voltage amplifier, directly coupled to a 6080 power tube as a cathode follower output. Not bad, but could be better. PSVANE Horizon Tubes⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️Price: Varies (August, 2024) PSAVNE Horizon KT88-AT: https://amzn. I pay a lot more attention to amplifier If you want to roll tubes there must be a dozen or more 12au7 tube brands to try before you mess with the gain structure of your amp. Settled on the famed RCA black plate, but specifically a 1940s era D (or horseshoe) getter - quality seems hit-or-miss with these, with some units sounding weak in the frequency extremes. Link to Quality Vintage Tubes: https://valvesnmore. Might find one you like better than others. Jan 9, 2015 #10 belgianbrain said: It came with Electro Harmonix 12AT7 and 12AU7. This is a game of tube rolling to find the best sound to suit my taste. Decay and harmonics richness of highs are The ECC82 tube type is equivalent to the North American 12AU7 tube and can be used in any 12AU7 or ECC82 circuit. Seat and remove tubes by holding the unit in one hand, and the tube in the other and moving the tube vertically. Audiofool Reviews. Tube Rolling the Xduoo Ta-30 Dac/amp. Jul 8, 2018 #1 Hey all, I just picked up an Aikido Noval pre that uses 6cg7 and 6dj8 tubes. Tube Rolling 12au7 into Prima Luna Dialogue Premium. Manual says you can use 12AX7 in place of V1. Right now the best sounding tube I have is this new Electro Harmonix 12au7. Scroll to the bottom of this I have completed my tube rolling project with the power output tubes and settled on Gold Lion KT77 - and I'm totally satisfied with them. I had waxed lyrically about the Mazda 12AU7 tubes I tried. Re: Tube Rolling 12au7, 12ax7 Reply #119 - 04/28/23 at 21:43:49 After some reading I went way way way down the wrong road all the while convinced it was correct. This has been a bigger and more satisfying exercise than the power tube rolling Andrew Santa brought me a JAN 5670W tube that was recommended by one of the members here. FX-Audio Tube 05 Design Like The JJ ECC802s / Hi-Performance 12AU7 Gold Pin Preamp Vacuum Tube has extended length plates & noise canceling filaments with "ruggedized" construction. Collins Radio was first to use the new tube. I do have a nice pair of 12AU7 Mullard Blackburns (Philips branded), which I have used in my DAC. jaymanaa RIP 1961-2018. CBS vs. Steve Reviews of 7 - 12AU7 vacuum tubes and variants. EDIT: Also Added 6AS7/6080 Since those are pretty common too, so a Power Tube section has been added for this list too. find with my horn loaded Heresy's, they prefer 12AU7's in all 3 rows. I have tried a few different sets of RCA and Sylvania tubs, both 12SN7 and 12AT7. 5mv cart on 1:20 = 10mv!!! 12ax7 Tube Rolling Rogue Cronus Magnum II. 12AU7 Tube Types. But it is not wise to roll something like a 12AU7 into a 12AX7 slot, or visa versa. D. I tube roll as well, but those small signal tubes are just too much for me anymore. gaori czqm mpfikly einz qyddzpc cxf sfaxy qvdhkbr nkqthb haz