12AX7 vs 7025 for V1?

[bhuether]

I just bought some Tung Sol 12AX7 new editions. Can I use one in V1 or does V1 really need to be 7025? On dougstubes I could not find 7025s. If I really do need 7025 in V1, can anyone recommend a specific tube and website to buy it?

thanks,

brian

 

[itsme]

You can use any 12AX7 or ECC83 in V1. It's the most important tube for tone, so I always use a really good one there. Mullard, RFT, or other NOS tubes are great. The new Tung sol is liked by many and should sound pretty good there. After V1, the Chinese are fine, or any other decent quiet tube. Make sure you have a balanced one in the last position (phase inverter).

 

[bhuether]

Should I put the Tung Sol New Editions in V2 and V3 as well?

thanks,

brian

 

[itsme]

That's up to you. A Tungsol in V1, with all the other's stock, should sound great. I have an RFT in V1 and V2 of my Herbert. The V1 tube I put in for the improved tone. The V2 RFT I put in because the Chinese tube got real noisy, and I had an extra. I do like the sound better with the V2 RFT, but all other's are stock. Since I love the sound now, I'll probably replace the others with Chinese when they go bad. Although I have a nice Phillips balanced 12AX7 that I'll probably put in the phase slot.

Anyway, I would just put one in V1, but you could try that and then put the others in V2 & v3, and see which you like better.

 

[kunfi]

I've tried a Tung Sol Gold on V1 and don't like it to much.
Sounds to "metalic" and "fuzzy" for my taste.
I prefer a 12AXEH on V1, but I will try a NOS one as soon as posible.
Do you have problems with the TAD ?

 

[bhuether]

I can't tell hoe the new preamp tubes are working because the amp has some underlying problems that I am trying to fix that are not tube related... See this post:

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=24018

later,

brian