12ax7 vs 5751

Ohnwy, yes I have tried (own) 7025's. They can be very good. I particularly liked the Raytheons. Having said that, and with all due respect to some of the comments above, there is no way that one can make a general comment about the superiority or inferiority of a particular 12ax7 variant without making it in the context of a particular circuit. My phono pre uses 12ax7's. I have tried (own) just about every NOS brand and variant of 12ax7, and as was the case after similar experimentation with various tube types in other pre's and amplifiers my conclusion was:

There are specific brand 5751's that can be magic in a particular circuit compared to all other 12ax7's or 7025's; and vise versa. In the case of my current phono pre, while some variants can sound very good (Raytheon 7025, Sylvania Gold 5751, and even the very rare CBS industrial 7729), when all is said and done, the best FOR ME and IN MY PRE are the Telefunken smooth plate 12ax7's; hands down.

In all my years of playing around with tubes I have heard nothing that definitively tells me that (for example) ALL 5751's sound better than all 12ax7's, or 7025's, etc, in a particular piece. IMO.

Mechans, you answered for me very nicely; actually.

***I certainly think for the most part that a warm tube sounds warm where ever they are with a few exceptions. there is no doubt though, that certain tubes just don't work in all circuits***

I completely agree, although I know some will disagree. I currently own one piece that uses 12ax7's, but own and use three that use 6dj8's. In all three pieces the Telefunken 6dj8 produces a full bodied, dimensional sound with a timbre closest to "neutral" as I define it; reminiscent of the classic Audio Research tonality. In one of the pieces, a modded Melos 222c occasionally used for it's line stage, the Teles' fullness and lack of zip or edge is too much of a good thing for this preamp which is inherently on the dark side. With this pre, West German Siemens 7308, which yields a brighter, less corpulent sound, with excellent high frequency extension is
much better. I hear similar tonality/timbre from my Tele 12ax7's in my
phono pre.

I should have said: "I hear similar tonality/timbre from my Tele 12ax7's in my phono pre as I do from the Tele 6dj8's in my linestage"

Second the Phillips Miniwatt 12ax7 recommendation. Very good tube in my phono pre. A little brighter and more aggressive than my Teles, but not thin like some others, and with good body.

****i did some extended listening yesterday evening at a much more decent sound level. i found the ge 5751`s a little too warm for my set up. all the detail is there just too warm. my amp is already on the warm side so i guess the ge`s were too much for it.**** - Grayf

I would try these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RAYTHEON-12AX7A-MATCHED-PAIR-BLACK-PLATE-HALO-GETR-FOR-BALDWIN-TEST-NOS-ECC83-2-/230745104890?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item35b97ae1fa#ht_1166wt_689

(no affiliation to seller)

Mikirob, the comment about the GE's was the OP's, not mine (although I agree). I was quoting Grayf in order to explain my recommendation of the Raytheons which I think would be more to his liking. I do have a pair of GE's, but they are not for sale; sorry.