Topic Index
Top Picks for HiFi Audio
Sovtek 12AX7LPS
12AX7LPS has a long ribbed plate design.
It has excellent tonal balance, plenty of details smoothness.
If you are looking to upgrade OEM 12AX7 tubes in your line stage or power amps,
this tube is the first candidate.
12AX7LPS can be microphonic. Be sure to ask for Low Noise Screening option for
phono and other high gain uses.
TungSol 12AX7
Recently introduced, Russian made TungSol 12AX7 is balanced,
detailed and smooth like
Sovtek 12AX7LPS,
but some of our customers
like it better for its richer mids. TungSol 12AX7
has small plate design with star micas that are well supported in the glass. This makes
it low in microphony and TungSol 12AX7 is suitable for use in phono stages.
JJ ECC803S
Based on Tesla ECC803 design, this long plate 12AX7 has plenty of lower-mid body.
JJ ECC803S particularly excels at classical
music source.
Like Sovtek 12AX7LPS, long plate does make
it more prone to microphonics.
5751 in Audio Amplifiers
(Photo is 12AX7EH Gold installed on McIntosh tube amplifier.)
Some preamps and headphone amps use 5751. 5751 has lower (~70%) gain than a 12AX7.
Sovtek 5751
Based on the same construction as popular Sovtek 12AX7LPS.
Sovtek 5751 has lower gain but with similar character to 12AX7LPS
Gold Pin version also available.
5751 JAN NOS
5751 JAN NOS offers good tonal balance in audio application.
Guitar Amp - Distortion, Distortion, Distortion
Tip: Save a few bucks! You do not need matched 12AX7 pairs for guitar amps.
TungSol 12AX7
Low microphonics and terrific amount of gain. This tube has good balance and clarity.
You can get long, powerful sustains and good full bodied crunches.
Easily compares to expensive NOS 12AX7s.
Electro-Harmonix 12AX7EH
Great all rounder. Good gain, good bite and great Rock tone.
Many gear manufacturer uses this tube, so if you are looking to
upgrade gear already, TungSol 12AX7
is a better choice. If you are upgrading from Chinese OEM or Sovtek 12AX7WA tubes,
this is a good upgrade.
Groove Tubes 12AX7M Mullard Re-Issue
This tube is simply superb. It has smooth drive, excellent details when overdriven,
and has great tight bass to compliment it all.
While it does not sound identical to NOS Mullard ECC83,
Groove Tubes 12AX7M
excels on its own.
Please note that this tube is in limited supply. (2008)
Shuguang 12AX7B Silver Dragon
Very good gain. For those who want the shredding gain on the budget.
JJ ECC83S
This tube is a little less rich sounding and a bit brighter.
But when pushed, it does that Marshall thang very well.
Guitar Amp - Tone, Tone, Tone
We suggest you try a few 12AX7s if you are looking to experiment.
Tone is subjective so experimenting is often the only way to get what you want.
Also, for that soulful bluesy guitar tone or solid crunch with clarity and definition,
we suggest you try reducing gain.
This is especially true with today's hot pickups.
Changing out the 12AX7 to one of the tube types below
can help you get more out of your amp.
You can reduce the gain by changing the first stage 12AX7 to (from higher gain to lower) 5751,
12AT7,
12AY7
and
12AU7. Here are some
suggestions:
5751 JAN NOS
Less gain of this tube might be all it takes to dig out that Bluesy sound from your amp.
12AT7EH
12AT7 is close in gain to 5751, but has different characteristic that makes it give different balance.
Great for full bodied fat crunches.
12AY7EH
12AY7 has less than half the gain of 12AX7, and you will get clean tone even with
the amp turned up all the way up.
12AU7EH
All you want is that warm clean tone but still getting the distortion and feedback with your beautiful semi-acoustic?
12AU7 has one-fifth of the gain of 12AX7 and will greatly bring down the gain.
Notes:
- Whenever you change V1 to lower gain, you will
have to turn up the master volume up further. Do experiement with your amp settings.
When you experiment swapping tubese, things will
be different than what you are used to.
- The description here is for your information only, and we do not warranty against
any problems that may result of it. We have never had,
nor heard of such problems, but you are doing this at your own risk.
Recording Gear Application
Do you have a home studio? For re-tubing a recording gear, Sovtek 12AX7LPS
or TungSol 12AX7
is excellent and will give you comparable or better results than NOS in many cases.
Limited or No Longer Available
The tubes below are no longer available. We may receive NOS stock of these at any time.
The notes are here for your reference.
SED 12AX7WC
A jewel of a tube. These tubes can pick up filament hum in some circuit.
Sadly, SED no longer produces this tube. (2006)
12AX7Ei (SB or EG)
Had varying quality issues, and could be terribly microphonic.
It ceratinly could sound excellent in audio applications.
Ei has stopped production including their Telefunken clone 12AX7/ECC83.
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