Considering ordering some Mullard reissue CV4004 tubes

[BABMusic]

Was wondering if it was worth it buying the CV4004 tubes as I've read those are less likely to be microphonic. The plan is to to use these for V1 and V2 in my Friedman. The CV4004 are only slightly more expensive than the 12ax7, but I was wondering if there really is much difference in tone and microphonics. Any of you guys have experiences with them? Just looking for something different than just JJ tubes. Don't like EH very much for preamp and don't like Tungsol.

 

[bennyslo]

Personally I would just get some Ruby graded JJ's or Shuguangs. Usually more reliable and sound good.

 

[harddriver]

Was wondering if it was worth it buying the CV4004 tubes as I've read those are less likely to be microphonic. The plan is to to use these for V1 and V2 in my Friedman. The CV4004 are only slightly more expensive than the 12ax7, but I was wondering if there really is much difference in tone and microphonics. Any of you guys have experiences with them? Just looking for something different than just JJ tubes. Don't like EH very much for preamp and don't like Tungsol.

I have a 1963 Holy Grail Mullard Blackburn 12ax7 and I found the one I had in V1 of my Marshall to be a very round, warm sounding tube in V1 more in line with AC/DC tones which didn't care for. New Tungsol's won't hold up in the V2 cathode follower position due to high voltage at least the older ones I just assume the newer ones haven't changed.

I have also tried the modern EH Mullard CV4004 in my Marshall and didn't really care for them but George at Metropolous used the standard Mullard reissue 12ax7's in his Metroplexes and I can't say they sounded bad, so YMMV.

I can't say what a real CV4004 Mullard sounds like but I seem to remember these were the heavy duty military version so they might sound different. IMHO unless you really want to try one out I would look at an NOS Chinese Square getter tube 6N4J 12ax7, they have some nice bite and clarity without being nasty and usually are low microphonics for V1. Even the 9th generation Chinese 12ax7's are good tubes for Marshalls, I usually get the Ruby AC5's from Dougs tubes but other places have them.

In my RT modded cascaded 72 I'm running either a oldstock Chinese 6N4J or a Ruby Chinese 9th generation AC5 in V1, RFT 12ax7 in V2 ( cathode follower) and a NOS Sylvania 12ax7 in V3 and I rolled alot of tubes in V1 and settled on the Chinese. I've also hear good things about the EH7025's which I bought some but haven't tried them out yet. All my old EI 12ax7's were highly microphonic.

Other than the Chinese I'd say go for a Tungsram or Brimar 12ax7 for you V1 if you want old NOS stuff.

 

[Nigel]

New Sensor Russian tubes are not Mullards.

It’s like calling a JJ E34L a Mullard EL34.

Utter nonsense. They may sound similar but are completely different, even if the same tooling was used, and in the case of the NS tubes, they are NOT whereas the JJ factory actually bought the tooling from Mullard.

Real short plate Mullards are hit or miss, some too trebley/bitey.

JJ’s will be closer sonically to Mullards than anything NS offers.

There is no substitute for the goods, however. But if you must, JJ’s. The ECC803s is closer to the real Mullard tone than any other modern tube, and the ECC83s sounds better than my NOS Mullard short plate.

My advice: Get a real Mullard long plate 12AX7, F91/F92 halo getter for V1 for starters and from there let your intuition guide you from having heard the source of all the hype.

 

[Floyd Eye]

New Sensor Russian tubes are not Mullards.

It’s like calling a JJ E34L a Mullard EL34.

Utter nonsense. They may sound similar but are completely different, even if the same tooling was used, and in the case of the NS tubes, they are NOT whereas the JJ factory actually bought the tooling from Mullard.

Real short plate Mullards are hit or miss, some too trebley/bitey.

JJ’s will be closer sonically to Mullards than anything NS offers.

There is no substitute for the goods, however. But if you must, JJ’s. The ECC803s is closer to the real Mullard tone than any other modern tube, and the ECC83s sounds better than my NOS Mullard short plate.

My advice: Get a real Mullard long plate 12AX7, F91/F92 halo getter for V1 for starters and from there let your intuition guide you from having heard the source of all the hype.

Yes. Get the real deal.

 

[BABMusic]

Thanks all, I wasn't aware of many of these points, especially about Mullards not being real Mullards anymore.

Are Svetlana 12ax7 tubes still good?

 

[CDawg]

EH 7025 is a quiet tube made currently but you've said you didn't like EH or Tung Sol so it's doubtful you'd like that or Svetlana (there's NOS Svetlana/Winged C 12AX7 as well which is different) since they're all from the same company: New Sensor.

Go buy NOS tubes from as many different companies as possible so you can learn what you like.

Anything specific you are trying to accomplish in tube rolling?

 

[Frehley12]

I bought a few CV4004s. Not as bright as Tung-sols. I really liked the CV4004s. Nice crunch with more mids and a rounder low end than TSs. However, I LOVE the JJECC83MG. Less gain than the 2 above but the mids are more present and lively. If you don't like the standard JJECC83s because it's "dark, try the MG.

 

[Nigel]

Thanks all, I wasn't aware of many of these points, especially about Mullards not being real Mullards anymore.

Are Svetlana 12ax7 tubes still good?

Are they also made by New Sensor now? They all carry a similar signature. If you don’t like one, you’ll probably not like the others.

Cheapest way into a genuine Mullard tone experience is a Mitchum production 80’s CV4024 12AT7. They are great for Reverb/FX/PI too.

Oddly enough, I must admit I ran all EHX 12AX7’s once, and under a mic, it was great. If I sit and listen alone, the things I don’t like dominate the experience, however.