12ax7 tube rollers opinions needed

[Tone Junkie]

I am looking for good quality, low noise and reliability with newer made 12ax7 preamp tube

Aware old NOS 12ax7 tubes amazing back when the world was analog. Just looking to see if anyone currently making them comes close without breaking g the bank if buying a dozen or more.

What tubes have you used with good results.

 

[crankyrayhanky]

I just replaced the tubes in my Cal 50. I used AI to help and it seemed to have worked out as the amp sounds amazing. AI gave a bunch of reasons why for all of this but here is the result. Only 3 preamp tubes in this head, bought from Tube Depot :

Tube Position	Recommended Brand	Chosen Options
V1 (Input)	Tung-Sol 12AX7	High Gain + Low Noise & Microphonics
V2 (Gain 2)	JJ ECC83S	Standard (No additions)
V3 (Phase Inverter)	Sovtek 12AX7LPS	Balanced Triode

 

[LP Freak]

I am looking for good quality, low noise and reliability with newer made 12ax7 preamp tube

Aware old NOS 12ax7 tubes amazing back when the world was analog. Just looking to see if anyone currently making them comes close without breaking g the bank if buying a dozen or more.

What tubes have you used with good results.

What amp?

 

[Tone Junkie]

What amp?

Modded Marshall but I want to have spare tubes. So Mesa as well.

 

[napalmdeath]

Modded Marshall but I want to have spare tubes. So Mesa as well.

Can't go wrong with JJ's in your V2 & V3's. I prefer a Tungsol in V1, and Sovtek LPS in the PI spot. If I want fatter, I might try a Mullard or Gold Lion CV4004 in V1.

 

[70 Mach 1]

I may be a nut or worse but i never heard any difference in tubes

I been using JJs sovteks and jan Phillips or any other name brand in all my amps

 

[Mike Oxhuge]

I try to avoid JJ and Mesa rebranded JJ preamp tubes because I have had so many fail vs other brands. All 7 failed in my Mark VII within less than a year, 2 were bad out of the gate. None of the mixture of Ruby, Sovtek, EH failed me when I replaced the Mesa tubes. One of the bad 12ax7's had an obvious visual defect in the glass that should have never made a basic 2 second inspection.

 

[FourT6and2]

JJ ECC83S
JJ E83CC
Ruby 12AX7AC5 HG or HG+

 

[Nigel]

JJ ECC803s is as close to vintage as you're going to get in the modern market.

I saw where the new Uber Ultras get them in every slot.

You may prefer short plates for more gain or chug, but in terms of sheer tone and quiet, the 803s can't be beat.

 

[Kelly]

Tung Sol in V1, rest Shuagang (if you can find good ones).

 

[Tone Junkie]

Wow quite a variety of choices. Surprised about the Mesa MKIII tearing through tubes. Something about putting Chinese tubes in a USA amp

The Marshall is modded so it has plenty of gain just like low noise tubes.

I see lots of posts about power tubes changing tone. Most of the tone comes from the preamp section. Power tubes magnify that tone. Of course shitty power tubes don’t help.

Interesting about the Bogner Uber

 

[S̷͖͑m̵͎͂á̵̺s̸͚̈́h̴̬̑]

Silver dragons are the quietest high gain preamp tubes that I know of. Bogner, monomyth, and many others were all using them, so I started also.

 

[FLUXX]

12AX7/ECC83S:
JJ's or Rubys for Hi-Gain
Tung Sol for Medium Gain
TAD for certain German amps: Diezel, Driftwood, H&K

and combinations:
For example, my RedSeven Hybrid 100 uses:
V1: JJ ECC83MG
V2 Tung Sol 12AX7
V3: JJ ECC83S HG
V4: JJ ECC83S HG
V5: JJ ECC83S HG
V6: JJ ECC83S Balanced

The Tung Sol in V2 gives my CH1 a nice Glassy quality.
The JJ's in V3-V5 give my CH2 & CH3 their Hi-Gain chunk

 

[Zado]

V1: JJ ECC83MG

Always been curious about these

 

[BrutalRob]

Tung sol in v1 with JJ ecc83s in the gain stages and a sovtek lps in PI has already been mentioned, solid combo but not my favorite as the attack is a bit too soft for my taste.
The EHX 12ax7 is better in v1 in that regard, more gnarly low mids and great edge to the attack.

One of my favorite combos though, which works in most amps for me, is the JJ E83CC (not the regular ecc83s!) in v1 and chinese shuguang in v2 and v3. again, Sovtek lps for PI. If that is too much high mids/bright, then change the chinese shuguang in v2 and v3 for the regular jj 3cc83s.

 

[EyesOfTheSouth!]

I only use Morris amps, but I have yet to find a better mix than:

EH7025 in V1 and PI
JJ83s Gold Pins in middle positions (yes, there is a tonal difference from run of the mill 83s)

The JJ83MG would be my 2nd choice for the middle positions
Old square getter Chinese my 3rd choice

I find RFT's too dark and congested
JJ803s is too bright (OK in PI though)
JJ83cc has a high mid character that doesn't work well with my ears
Not a fan of more recent Shuagangs, Tung Sol, or Sovtek anything

Honorable mentions: Mullard CV4004, Svetlana 12ax7, yellow label EH12ax7, and Genelex Gold Lion

 

[Tone Junkie]

I only use Morris amps, but I have yet to find a better mix than:

EH7025 in V1 and PI
JJ83s Gold Pins in middle positions (yes, there is a tonal difference from run of the mill 83s)

The JJ83MG would be my 2nd choice for the middle positions
Old square getter Chinese my 3rd choice

I find RFT's too dark and congested
JJ803s is too bright (OK in PI though)
JJ83cc has a high mid character that doesn't work well with my ears
Not a fan of more recent Shuagangs, Tung Sol, or Sovtek anything

Honorable mentions: Mullard CV4004, Svetlana 12ax7, yellow label EH12ax7, and Genelex Gold Lion

What model Morris what tone you chasing. Plexi VH 80’s ?

 

[EyesOfTheSouth!]

What model Morris what tone you chasing. Plexi VH 80’s ?

I have a 67’, 78’, and SIRROM. Mostly playing 70’s/80’s era hard rock and metal.

 

[PDC]

I have had great luck with EH Gold 12AX7 when I am looking for a bit more drive / sizzle / bite. And equally good results with Gold Lion 'Gold' 12AX7 to warm up an overly bright amp or tame an amp that makes God's plenty gain. Both are very quiet - even in V1. 'Maybe' the Gold Lion is a bit quieter being the darker of the 2??

As others have said, I do think the 'Gold' designation tubes sound a bit better / quieter. May have nothing to do with the Gold Pins and everything to do with which tubes the manufacturer selects through in house testing for the preferred 'Gold' designation.

EH - Brighter and more gain

Gold Lion - Darker, Warmer, (slightly) Quieter

 

[tjnx]

I haven' tried a ton but can echo the EH7025. They beat out Tungsols, JJs and a standard EH12ax7 in v1. Sovtek 12AX7LPS in pi. Idk I'd try a bunch, they can vary quite a bit tube to tube even though they are the same model.

They all kind of have their own thing so it comes down to preference. In my rig the 7025s gave a more marshally mid range and the EH12ax7 sounded good for the down-tuned 7 string stuff