original NOS military Telefunken from the 60s or 70s if you're looking for the extremely low noise, low microphonic, long life. I bought mine from The Tube Museum (NYC,USA)
what tubes for eastern electric minimax phono?
My EE phono, purchased here on Agon, came with Tung sol AX 7 tubes in all three sockets.The sound is commendably neutral but there is quite a bit of tube rush/noise. Any suggestions for a reasonably priced tube that is quiet but neither bright nor very warm. I dont mind a bit of warmth so long as the treble is still there, not chopped off.
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Whenever purchasing tubes for a phono stage, it’s very important to be certain the seller has tested them and certifies them as very low noise. http://vintagetubeservices.com/testing-selecting-procedures/ https://www.upscaleaudio.com/pages/grading-matching Brent Jesse has a vid on this page, that explains his procedure: http://www.audiotubes.com/12ax7.htm Stick with NOS. You won’t be sorry. These guys have a selection of tested, NOS, phono grade, European(Siemens/Teles/Amperex) 12AX7s: https://tctubes.com/12AX7-ECC33-5751-7025-tubes.aspx(nice people too!) |
It depends what sound you are after. Subjectively a lot can depend on you and your setup. NOS Telefunken EC83 is low noise and neutral. From current production, Gold Lions are really good too. Both are reasonably priced ($50 or so). These should be equivalent or better than your Tung Sol. Fantastic clarity and detail with tight bass. Ideal for classical. For sweetspot warmth, try NOS RCA long black plate slant D getter from 50’s. These have warmth in spades but retain resolution with sparkly highs. Ideal for rock, blues and pop. Warmer still would be NOS Mullard but you can expect to lose some resolution. Kind of dark. |
Check out Cryoset's website. Ron Sheldon's Cryoset offers several fine brands of 12AX7s. I consistently enjoy the cryo treated Gold Lion tubes. Very quiet neutral sounding tubes with nice dynamic swing that stay quiet for a long time. I'm sure Ron would be happy to discuss his tubes with you and recommend tubes that would most likely deliver the sound you are striving for. |
