Mullard cv4003 & 12au7 Blackburn


As a beginner I'm trying to understand the differences here. The Blackburn made ones I think were made in the 60's and the cv4003 during the 80's? What sonic differences, if any, are there?
msommers

Showing 1 response by lewm

msommers, Perhaps I shouldn't write this, since you've already spent your money, but IMO the best sounding 12AU7/ECC82/CV4003 is actually a 6CG7 (in 9-pin miniature format) or a 6SN7 (octal base).  Neither of these tubes is in the 12AU7 family but both of them exhibit the electrical characteristics of a 12AU7 and can be substituted, if you know what you're doing with the tube socket.  You just have to fiddle with the filament connections vis a vis the 6CG7/6FQ7. 6SN7 would take a lot of work and probably is not an option.

Amperex 7316 is not exactly a 12AU7 but can be installed into the same socket with no mods and is close enough electrically that there are no problems.  Nice tube, too.  I admit I have a bias; I have never liked the 12AU7 in a gain stage. OK for driver or phase splitter.  If one must, I liked the Amperex Bugleboy Ecc82/12AU7 best amongst a bunch of others I tried in a gain stage, back about a decade or more ago.  Real Bugleboys are scarce now, sadly.