12ax7 usa and canada tube rankings survey

[Guest " "]

These results surprised me

[Gilbert]

Not me.

I believe I mentioned it on a different thread sometime back.

My favorite 12AX7's (of the domestic tubes) are the 50's vintage 7025 RCA (tall and black), and TungSol 12AX7. But still my all time favorite is the ECC83 Telefunken smooth plate, and Bugleboy 12AX7. I do like Mullards too, but I'm moody about them. Kind of like PMS, I guess.

[Guest " "]

Gilbert

So can we infer that most folks who responded prefer their music "warm / smooth / rich"  ?

[Gilbert]

Gilbert

So can we infer that most folks who responded prefer their music "warm / smooth / rich" ?

Don't forget Juicy.

[Cut-Throat]

I think the best 12AX7s are not 12AX7s at all. -- I take a 5751 black plate any day.

[meagain]

Cut-throat.... duly noted. I have to get some of these some day.

[Allan Songer]

I used smooth-plate Telefunkens for many years in my C22 preamp. About 8 years ago I bought 20 of the Mullard CV4004 box plates--early 1980's production and Aussie Navy Surplus. I picked these up along with 16 NOS clear bottle GEC KT-66 of the same early 1980's vintage from the same seller. Maybe my best tube deal ever. I sold one quad of the KT-66 a couple of years ago for more than the entire lot cost me back in 1998! I still have 8 of the KT-66 and about 4-5 of the CV4004.

THe CV4004 is actually very similar to the Telefunkens--a bit "warmer" and perhaps not quite as much detail, but the midrange--especially vocals--are really something else with the Mullards.

I really haven't rolled much else through the C22--I did try some vintage Tung-Sols which were OK and some Sovteks which were pretty nice too (a real shock to me).

I don't think the C22 is as sensitive as other preamps, perhaps.