Warmest Sounding New Production 12AX7?

[SWL]

I still haven't taken the time to really learn the numbers that identify these JJ's. They're all so similar.

I have three different types. The first ones I tried as far as I know are nothing special and the number ends with an "S". They sound nice just not as refined as the other two. They have red lettering on the tube.

The second pair I tried had red lettering as well and were the frame grid type. They sound very nice. More refined than the other red lettered JJ's with enough warmth to keep me happy.

Then I tried the gold pin version. These have gold colored lettering on them and I think these ended with an "S" as well? These really put a smile on my mug. Warm, smooth, detailed etc. They've got it all. Just what I was looking for as an alternative to my big buck NOS Mullards.

To be honest, they very well might even sound better in my amp. Don't know how long they'll last but they sound really nice.

I would think a lot of Klipsch owners would like these.

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[KT88]

18 minutes ago, SWL said:

I still haven't taken the time to really learn the numbers that identify these JJ's. They're all so similar.

I have three different types. The first ones I tried as far as I know are nothing special and the number ends with an "S". They sound nice just not as refined as the other two. They have red lettering on the tube.

The second pair I tried had red lettering as well and were the frame grid type. They sound very nice. More refined than the other red lettered JJ's with enough warmth to keep me happy.

Then I tried the gold pin version. These have gold colored lettering on them and I think these ended with an "S" as well? These really put a smile on my mug. Warm, smooth, detailed etc. They've got it all. Just what I was looking for as an alternative to my big buck NOS Mullards.

To be honest, they very well might even sound better in my amp. Don't know how long they'll last but they sound really nice.

I would think a lot of Klipsch owners would like these.

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SWL, all JJ tubes have red letters with the exception of the golden ones. Could you please read which is the exact type of your favored gold pin JJ? I think that the lifespan of JJ tubes should really be reasonable. I like it that JJ is one honest and genuine brand with different types of tubes and a real origin in Slovakia which has bought most of the older original Tesla tools from Czech Republic other than this bundle of fake brands from New Sensor.

 

[jimjimbo]

On 7/1/2021 at 10:25 AM, seti said:

What is the problem with TubeDepot?

This is the problem with TubeDepot.  $99.95 for a single GE 12AX7A?  No.

 

https://tubedepot.com/products/ge-12ax7a?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&adpos=&scid=scplpNOS-12AX7-GE&sc_intid=NOS-12AX7-GE&gclid=Cj0KCQjw24qHBhCnARIsAPbdtlLjkpukiXm6vPAo-0ewGjhuCLCmDeJCPHC1U0Gx3MpeslNCws5OLyEaAlvBEALw_wcB

[SWL]

Thanks. When I get home later I'll post the three different types of JJ's I have.

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[seti]

5 hours ago, jimjimbo said:

This is the problem with TubeDepot.  $99.95 for a single GE 12AX7A?  No.

 

https://tubedepot.com/products/ge-12ax7a?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&adpos=&scid=scplpNOS-12AX7-GE&sc_intid=NOS-12AX7-GE&gclid=Cj0KCQjw24qHBhCnARIsAPbdtlLjkpukiXm6vPAo-0ewGjhuCLCmDeJCPHC1U0Gx3MpeslNCws5OLyEaAlvBEALw_wcB

 

 

Just not liking the prices is completely different than poor customer service. I do agree a little on the high side. However, They are one of the few sellers that if they say NOS they are NOS unlike ebay sellers that will sell you a used strong testing tube as NOS. I mainly purchase from Brent Jesse and second pick is still TubeDepot. Fortunately I have a for me lifetime supply of 12a*7 tubes. I was worried something really bad had happened with tube depot don't scare me like that lol.... 8-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SWL]

SWL, all JJ tubes have red letters with the exception of the golden ones. Could you please read which is the exact type of your favored gold pin JJ? I think that the lifespan of JJ tubes should really be reasonable. I like it that JJ is one honest and genuine brand with different types of tubes and a real origin in Slovakia which has bought most of the older original Tesla tools from Czech Republic other than this bundle of fake brands from New Sensor.
 

These gold pins are my favorite of the three.

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[SWL]

These are the frame grid. My second favorite.

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[SWL]

These are the first ones I tried. I liked them a lot but the others are better. The frame grids are more detailed. The gold pins have it all. Detail, warmth and smooth.

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[KT88]

SWL, thank you very much for your pictures!

In principle, you like the standard ECC83S / 12AX7 best but with gold pins. And the long plate version ECC803S described by me as having a full bodied sound you also know and it was the first one you ever had from JJ.

One more question, have you been able to compare the gold version of the standard ECC83S that you like best with the same JJ tube type without gold pins? 

Conversely, I know the normal JJ ECC83S but I've never had a gold version of it. It seems worth a try for me and it is very enriching to exchange with each other in such a friendly way.

[SWL]

SWL, thank you very much for your pictures!
In principle, you like the standard ECC83S / 12AX7 best but with gold pins. And the long plate version ECC803S described by me as having a full bodied sound you also know and it was the first one you ever had from JJ.
One more question, have you been able to compare the gold version of the standard ECC83S that you like best with the same JJ tube type without gold pins? 
Conversely, I know the normal JJ ECC83S but I've never had a gold version of it. It seems worth a try for me and it is very enriching to exchange with each other in such a friendly way.

KT88.....I would say to definitely try the gold pin version the first chance you get. I'd be interested to hear your impressions.

Probably next weekend I'll try the non-gold pins again......but the gold pins are hard to take out of my amp because they sound so good [emoji106]

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[PaulKehayas]

Hi!  Following this with great interest.  I so do like the JJ 6L6GC (and Dave Gillespie does too) and have tried the E83CC frame grid tubes but have been disappointed not with the sound but with their measurements on my calibrated Stark 966 tube tester.  Every other tube tests like it should and this also includes the other tubes in the JJ line that I bought (the power tubes and also a pair of ECC83S tubes that I bought along with the frame grids) and I haven't been able to explain it to myself why this is although others have tried to.  I have understood that these are matched using the vendors (Canadian tube vendor of note, that should be a big clue and they are the good guys!) technology but I can't get my head around why they are testing low in emmisions and also in dynamic mutual conductance compared to the Saratov tubes and the other JJ's?  All old tubes in this family test fine on it.

Anybody check them out and found the same?
 

[KT88]

I have once again found an article from 2010. I had a hunch that there is a special feature around the very normal JJ ECC83S. It is namely also a frame grid tube, which is not gladly told, because this tube is so cheap. And that might explain why SWL likes it so much. It's not that it's a frame grid tube that makes the big difference sonically, but perhaps that it's really made on the original tools that Tesla bought from Telefunken in 1971, and which were later bought by JJ from Tesla.

 

Here is the link to the very well written article in German language. It is about the section: "Alternatives to the Telefunken ECC803S".

If you want a good translation, you can enter the text into this best translation engine instead of Google Translator:

 

http://www.deepl.com

 

http://www.elektronikinfo.de/strom/telefunken_ecc803s.htm#Alternativen_ECC803S

 

The JJ ECC83S, normal and gold pin are my next candidates.

 

In some forums in Germany is discussed that it is some "clever" dealers who have "invented" the JJ E83CC subsequently. And to take their words JJ produces the normal tube with a different imprint.
These posts talk about the ECC83S being a frame grid tube anyway. But that you can make double the money with a tube if you give it a different name, and re claimed a feature that is there anyway.

I don't know what is true and what is false. But one fact is for sure:
There is no E83CC in the product listing at JJ itself. See below.

 

 

https://www.jj-electronic.com/en/download

[SWL]

I have once again found an article from 2010. I had a hunch that there is a special feature around the very normal JJ ECC83S. It is namely also a frame grid tube, which is not gladly told, because this tube is so cheap. And that might explain why SWL likes it so much. It's not that it's a frame grid tube that makes the big difference sonically, but perhaps that it's really made on the original tools that Tesla bought from Telefunken in 1971, and which were later bought by JJ from Tesla.
 
Here is the link to the very well written article in German language. It is about the section: "Alternatives to the Telefunken ECC803S".
If you want a good translation, you can enter the text into this best translation engine instead of Google Translator:
 
http://www.deepl.com
 
http://www.elektronikinfo.de/strom/telefunken_ecc803s.htm#Alternativen_ECC803S
 
The JJ ECC83S, normal and gold pin are my next candidates.
 
In some forums in Germany is discussed that it is some "clever" dealers who have "invented" the JJ E83CC subsequently. And to take their words JJ produces the normal tube with a different imprint.
These posts talk about the ECC83S being a frame grid tube anyway. But that you can make double the money with a tube if you give it a different name, and re claimed a feature that is there anyway.
I don't know what is true and what is false. But one fact is for sure:
There is no E83CC in the product listing at JJ itself. See below.
 
 
https://www.jj-electronic.com/en/download

Thanks for the info KT88.

Now are there more JJ 12AX7's besides the three I have?

At this point, I'm tempted to say my search is over but I know better. My next step is to go back and do a shoot out between my beloved 1957 NOS Mullard long plates with square getters vs my new eye opener....the JJ gold pins. I'm tempted to pop my Tele smooth plates back in as well. It's been a while.

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[KT88]

1957 NOS Mullard long plates with square getters as well as Tele smooth plates are very superior tubes. Considering their price, I think the JJ ECC83S GP do a great job as a new production. It is an honor to be a serious competitor against the good old tubes.

[SWL]

I agree.

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[PaulKehayas]

20 hours ago, KT88 said:

I have once again found an article from 2010. I had a hunch that there is a special feature around the very normal JJ ECC83S. It is namely also a frame grid tube, which is not gladly told, because this tube is so cheap. And that might explain why SWL likes it so much. It's not that it's a frame grid tube that makes the big difference sonically, but perhaps that it's really made on the original tools that Tesla bought from Telefunken in 1971, and which were later bought by JJ from Tesla.

 

Here is the link to the very well written article in German language. It is about the section: "Alternatives to the Telefunken ECC803S".

If you want a good translation, you can enter the text into this best translation engine instead of Google Translator:

 

http://www.deepl.com

 

http://www.elektronikinfo.de/strom/telefunken_ecc803s.htm#Alternativen_ECC803S

 

The JJ ECC83S, normal and gold pin are my next candidates.

 

In some forums in Germany is discussed that it is some "clever" dealers who have "invented" the JJ E83CC subsequently. And to take their words JJ produces the normal tube with a different imprint.
These posts talk about the ECC83S being a frame grid tube anyway. But that you can make double the money with a tube if you give it a different name, and re claimed a feature that is there anyway.

I don't know what is true and what is false. But one fact is for sure:
There is no E83CC in the product listing at JJ itself. See below.

 

 

https://www.jj-electronic.com/en/download

That is pretty mindblowing evidence if it's true that the ECC83S and the E83CC are possibly the same tube but with renaming going on.

Wow.

I do like the JJ short plate tubes but I am wondering if they may be better in my phono stage and other places having the long plate 803...I am running a McIntosh MX110Z and an MC240. 

[KT88]

Soundwise I like the JJ 803 in my C22CE Macintosh pre (even though I have been using NOS Sylvania for a year). But I still have not used the JJ 803 in the phono section. The ECC83S short plate could be a bit more immune against microphonics in the phono section. Maybe it's worth a try and if you don't like the 803 you can always use it for other functions, line or power amp.

[SWL]

I stocked up on the gold pins. I'm also using them in another tube pre with great results.

Yesterday I ordered some 5751 JJ's to check out. Curious how the lower gain works out with these.

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[DirtyErnie]

I was surprised how good the JJ EL84s sounded in my 222c after I lowered the screen voltage to ~310v. Telefunken and RCA are still almost magic, but these are REAL nice.

Check www.eurotubes.com, I think Bob is a primary importer, and has worked with JJ to get KT77s and other tubes produced.

[Curious_George]

On 7/18/2021 at 7:37 AM, SWL said:

"Yesterday I ordered some 5751 JJ's to check out. Curious how the lower gain works out with these."

I ordered a few of these a couple years ago for a 2A3 parallel single-ended amp. Originally, it used a 6N2, but I rewired the socket for 12A#7 versions. I replaced all the caps and resistors, but surprisingly, the output transformers are of decent quality and bandwidth. The JJ 5751's have lower noise (and gain), but they sound good too. Have been very happy with them.