E80CC my all time fav, any brand, all sound nearly identical (pinched waist, getter stuff = snakeoil) Tungsten, Siemes, Philips = same tube. some have rhodium pins, ebay seller claims *sought after = superior to brass pins*,,,but these rhodium pins, do not have the copper posts, which i perfer. I will have to roll the E80’s , so far I perfer vavlo by a *hair*, but can not say for sure, as all sound nearly identical, at least to my poor hearing( I failed a hearing test at Valero Refinery some yrs back , but only in testing the highest FQ’s). Next fav tube is Tele 12AX7, Siemens are very close,,at least as far as i can tell, have not made a further compare on that as yet. Next and last is the power drivers. For that I’ll have to go with the KT150’s, which i’ve not heard, but am sure will love that tube. When I rolled the 90’s to 88’s, i might have perfered the 88’s ,,,both sound very close,,,,sorry i should have made more shootouts on those 2 , before i sold off the 90’s. Considering nearly all amps come with stock 88’s, that pretty much confirms the 88’s is the all around best tube for most amps, | BUt if you have power to spare in your trans, as my Defy does (2 side trans run cold, mid trans runs slightly warm,,and thats running super low super high demanding 87 db speakers!!! Testimony to jadis' trans, built like german tanks, yet sing like ,,,,, Heavenly Angels) the 150’s is the best option as a long term investment.
So thats my 3 1) E80(far superior to the wimpy 12AU7’s, if the e80 did not exist, the 12AU7 is a excellent tube <<<tongue in cheek>>>) 2)Tele12AX7 3),KT150’s. and yours? and go ahead and dunk all snakeoil you’ve heard over the years about certain aspects of a tube, such as *Holy Grails*
Favorites are system and listener taste dependent.
Tungsten, Siemes, Philips = same tube.
No they’re not. Phillips owned Siemens but Tungsol, Tungsram, Siemens and Phillips are different tubes, I can assure you.
My favorite in my current preamp is a 12AU7 variant, the made in Heerlen, Holland Amperex 7316. Amperex was also owned by Phillips. It is not wimpy either.
If anyone is going to switch one type of tube (say a 12AX7) for another (say a 12AT7) check with the maker of your gear. Different types of tubes have different electrical characteristics and you can’t just substitute them one for another.
I have 6 AT's in my jadis clone LiteLS9, I found the Russian EH's stock tubes equal tom Siemens, Philips AT's NOS. All AT's sound exactly same. I plan to roll some AU's to see if there is any sonic dif. Perhaps Tele's are Kings In my Defy 7, the E80 blows away every AU, each system **may be different* but doubt it. I've done research and from various testimonies, all back up my findings. = the E80 is the best sonic 12AU7 on the market. Yes correct, if a socket says 12AT7, = will not accept any other tube.
Snakeoil busting time <<<<Matched pairs>>> snakeoil From my experience, there are 3 tube scores, weak/dead Strong NOS. I have no issues marryinga Strong with a NOS, no one can tell the dif between Strong and NOS. = There is no such thing as <<match pairs>> thats all pure 100% snakeoil. I had a buyer on a pair of Siemens EL34's ask <<are they matched pairs?/>> I told him yes, at least the numbers were very close from the scores on the tubes. I have no issues employing a strong with NOS. To me they are both equal in sonics. In 10 years the E80 will be discovered. I see a bump in ebay prices already. I just missed a qaud of NOS Philips from a swiss seller , who i bought often, endedv 5 am, awoke 1 minute late, bid to $130. Oh well i have a good stash and can not hold cash in tubes that are years away from doubling in prices. https://www.audioasylum.com/messages/tubes/25401/12au7-vs-e80cc
With power tubes what may sound good in one amp is no guarantee it will sound good in a different amp circuit . i have been through this for over 40 years . Never Assume. regarding kt150 tubes a very good tube but,if the transformers are not optimized for them you are removing the design overhead and under duress msy create distortions, check with the mfg first. Small tubes for balance pre 1955 Amperex slanted D getter long plates are excellent, Mullard 10 series for a warmer midrange and Siemen, or a Tele I am referring to a pair in the $300 range there are rare models that are $$ but almost impossible to find .many American tubes were also very good back in the 50s,and before late 60s
In terms of re-issue quality, I think most everything Gold Lion puts out is good to great, with a few superb in there too.
The Tung Sol 7581A is a special tube.
For NOS, I like RCA, Cifte, Telefunken, Mullard and National (too many variants/types to list).
There used to be great value in the military spec tubes. They usually sounded pretty good to great at a reasonable price. Plus, they last forever. But prices on those have risen so much that I will buy reissue over them.
I havea quad of chinese preamp tubes, china can not make a pre tube that comes even close to EU/USA NOS, I woill have to give away that quad on ebay for pennies on the $.
E80CCs knock out Tele Holy Grails 12AU7 in 1st few notes. 12AU7's sound like frogs croking next to the ~~heavenly choir~~~ E80CC;'s
Of the 6922's, My fav is the E288, which CONTRARY to info posted on various (Brent Jesse and others) who cliam a 288 is *basically a 188 in a slightly taller bottle*, Not true The 288 is in a slightly taller bottle, yes, but the grids are taller. Which makes the 288 my fav of all/every/any 6922 variation, including the Tele E88cc's (which i've not heard and have no intentions hearing) The 288 offers everything all 6922's can muster and a sonic nuance more. Not trying to pump my 288 Ebay listings at all, Just saying. Bigger tube results in more gain/dynamics when needed/as muisc dictates = less breakup/less distortion.
have you guys seen lately the prices on Tele AX/AU's? UNREAL, Prices are ROCKETING,,each DAY higher bids. IMHO, Tele's stand alone,,all others are 2nd place. = a used tele is superior to Siemens NOS.
Assuming that we are talking about ideal implementations to get to the stereotypical sound :
Western Electric 300B 90s/00s reissues - amazing tube that in the right implementation, is insanely good. Wondering what the new WEs will sound like when they come out. The new reissues are getting closer and in fairness, I have never heard the original WEs. No one I know has $20K for a NOS pair.
KR 845s - the 1.0a filament current vs. the standard RCA 3.5a filament current radically limits the amps you can put this tube in without modification but the soundstage it delivers is huge. Incredible detail and godlike imaging.
NOS Cifte 12AU7s - Very rare but they deliver a very three dimensional soundstage with a bit of top end sparkle that in the right amp, makes pianos sound perfect.
I have the 12 AU7 CIFTE in my amps and they are wonderful tubes. I compared them to many incl some of the best and they are as good as any.Also the RT 12AU7 WA are very close to the CIFTE 12AU7 WA and WAH.
Maybe you can find some RT WA or WAH. I have both and they are so closed that you can prefer one or the other. Often it depends also of the other tubes around. Tubes in an amp or in amp and pre, if they are both with tubes, are an assembly like yours whole system. The way you marry the tubes to manage the final sound you like is very important. This is the same thing you do when you marry your speakers to the rest of your system and your system to the room.
I mean RT (La Radiotechnique)that Became later RTC (Radio Technique Compelec). Tubes are engraved FRS, made in the cities of « Suresnes« and « Joué les Tours » (France)They made RT and RTC tubes for French military, labs, industry, national rail (transport by train) and so on. Since 1947 they were part of the Philips that sent parts of their machinery group and made tubes under the Miniwatt Dario name but also their own tubes. They also exported tubes under Impex and sometimes Impex Dario in Great Britain.How is it possible RTC and Philips sounded different ? I don’t know.
RCA 6L6 black plate, Pre 70s, can't beat this valve, low mids and mids one of the smoothest, most liquid valves you will hear, they load up and BELCH like no other, in a push pull amp, single ended not so good.
RCA Small tubes, black plate, pre 70s. Best, rare, expensive, ( more of these are bad than good as far as sound, a lot these tubes are sold as good and balanced, but 10-20% is considered balanced) 5% 500.00-1000.00 pair, pure heaven
GE Tung Sol 6550 pre 65 (one of the best in MC60s) or Push Pull Expensive valve, getting rare, I call these the KT88 killers, just a wonderful valve. Not the overall power of 88s just a classic TUBE sound but well controlled. The have a BELCH like a 6L6 RCA, They wind up and out comes the sound...Reverb Era!!!
GE 12at7 pre 70s, gray long plate, Quiet, good supplies ava. Can be a bit brash, take your time break them in, great top to bottom valve, good in a full range situation 20hz-20khz good prices..
GE 12az7 (Green) new issue excellent valve, clear mids and highs, reasonable price, good 12ax7, 12bz7, substitute, high gain.
Amperex one of the best small tubes around good supplies good matching,
Volvo, Mullard, EL34 KINGS if you can afford a set of early NOS. 700-2000.00 quads Also a lot of great EL34 valves NOW, use to be a big problem, KT77s took the lead for 10-12 years, now a lot of good EL34s valves at good prices.
Tellies can be THE BEST, great top to bottom valve 20hz-20khz, but, again a lot of valves that are just wore out, not balanced, not matched properly, are sold as good. Really don't do Tellies justice. Very tonal balanced valve.
El in a KT90 valves (beautiful valve), solvex kt88 both good valves, solvex can suffer from QC issues.
Agree E80CC is an outstanding tube. However, discovered to my dismay they are not a drop in replacement for 12AU7 tubes 100% of the time. At least if you have a transformer that can't deal with it's slightly higher output.
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