New Production 12AX7s - Which Are the Best ??

[marcus262]

Not many people know this but you can buy chinese 12ax7 from the 80's 90's cheap on ebay for 12$ a piece including shipping.
These were used in Marshall and Mesa amps during that time, they are chinese military tubes,
designation 6N4 or 6N4J originally then Marshall and Mesa put their own stamp.
You can recognize them by the dual supported square getter.
Cheaper, better quality and sound than the standard chinese 12ax7b.

 

[blackba]

Not many people know this but you can buy chinese 12ax7 from the 80's 90's cheap on ebay for 12$ a piece including shipping.
These were used in Marshall and Mesa amps during that time, they are chinese military tubes,
designation 6N4 or 6N4J originally then Marshall and Mesa put their own stamp.
You can recognize them by the dual supported square getter.
Cheaper, better quality and sound than the standard chinese 12ax7b.

I have 3 of these tubes and really like them. I think they were made in the Beijing plant, is that correct?

 

[mnemonic]

Not many people know this but you can buy chinese 12ax7 from the 80's 90's cheap on ebay for 12$ a piece including shipping.
These were used in Marshall and Mesa amps during that time, they are chinese military tubes,
designation 6N4 or 6N4J originally then Marshall and Mesa put their own stamp.
You can recognize them by the dual supported square getter.
Cheaper, better quality and sound than the standard chinese 12ax7b.

Cheers for the recommendation, I just ordered some off eBay.

I need some new tubes anyway might as well give them a try. So far I’ve liked the current production Chinese 12ax7’s.

 

[phil b]

Not many people know this but you can buy chinese 12ax7 from the 80's 90's cheap on ebay for 12$ a piece including shipping.
These were used in Marshall and Mesa amps during that time, they are chinese military tubes,
designation 6N4 or 6N4J originally then Marshall and Mesa put their own stamp.
You can recognize them by the dual supported square getter.
Cheaper, better quality and sound than the standard chinese 12ax7b.

I remember having quite a few conversations with some of the big amplifier makers and everyone was pretty down on the sound of the Chinese tube back then {late 80s early 90's). Main reason most went with Chinese was the cost for bulk was stupid cheap and the reliability of the other manufactures was pretty sketchy. It wasnt until much later that the Chinese tubes started getting respect in sound quality. I had a Quad preamp that I retubed back then with some rebranded Chinese tubes and they lasted all of a half hr. The 8th and 9th Gen sound the best they have ever sounded in my amps. Different amps= different tubes so ymmv. The link I posted earlier has them brand new for $5 each which is really cheap for them.

 

[steve_k]

TAD

 

[MetalHeadMike]

Im digging the TAD 12ax7 premium selected. Also, the TAD 7025.

I was wondering if the TAD 12AX7 Premium were Chinese 9th, so more or less the same as the Ruby C5 HG+, the difference being in how TAD grades them vs. how Ruby grades them. Do you know if they are the same tubes, or something different? In any case, I know TAD sells great tubes.

I was also wondering if the TAD 7025 Premiums were also Chinese 9ths, maybe the difference between the Ruby C5 HG and the C5 HG+. However, the TAD 7025 Premium Mullard Style seem to be something else. I need to take another look at these. Do you know if they're Shuguang made? They don't look like JJs, but could be New Sensors. I'll probably pick one up just to compare.

Thanks for your suggestions!!

The Ruby 12AX7C5HG & HG+ are the same tubes... just more stringent selection process for the HG+. More gain, less noise supposedly. No a fan of the current "Mullard" CV4004 either... nothing like the OG NOS real deal UK tubes. Not bright or articulate enough.

I'm curious about the TAD 7025WA too. It looks very similar (if not identical) to many other Chinese 12AX7s variants... triple mica spacers, single halo getter... etc. Supposedly lower noise... and warm tone... which makes me cautious as warm often equates to dark and muddy... blanket over the speakers tone ie JJ tubes.

As far as JJ preamp tubes... I hate them. All of them. Dark, muddy, distant, muffled. No good. Bad, bad, bad.

I do like Tung Sol and Ruby 12AX7C5HG preamp tubes.

I had a TAD 7025WA in v1 or v2 of my Savage and thought it was great. More articulate, bright, and cutting then the Pentalab, JJ, Sovtek, and various others I tried in there. Think the JJs could sound good in the right amp, but I agree, they seem a bit dull in many of the maps I've tried them in. The D60 I have came loaded with all JJs and they sound great in that amp

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

Im digging the TAD 12ax7 premium selected. Also, the TAD 7025.

I was wondering if the TAD 12AX7 Premium were Chinese 9th, so more or less the same as the Ruby C5 HG+, the difference being in how TAD grades them vs. how Ruby grades them. Do you know if they are the same tubes, or something different? In any case, I know TAD sells great tubes.

I was also wondering if the TAD 7025 Premiums were also Chinese 9ths, maybe the difference between the Ruby C5 HG and the C5 HG+. However, the TAD 7025 Premium Mullard Style seem to be something else. I need to take another look at these. Do you know if they're Shuguang made? They don't look like JJs, but could be New Sensors. I'll probably pick one up just to compare.

Thanks for your suggestions!!

The Ruby 12AX7C5HG & HG+ are the same tubes... just more stringent selection process for the HG+. More gain, less noise supposedly. No a fan of the current "Mullard" CV4004 either... nothing like the OG NOS real deal UK tubes. Not bright or articulate enough.

I'm curious about the TAD 7025WA too. It looks very similar (if not identical) to many other Chinese 12AX7s variants... triple mica spacers, single halo getter... etc. Supposedly lower noise... and warm tone... which makes me cautious as warm often equates to dark and muddy... blanket over the speakers tone ie JJ tubes.

As far as JJ preamp tubes... I hate them. All of them. Dark, muddy, distant, muffled. No good. Bad, bad, bad.

I do like Tung Sol and Ruby 12AX7C5HG preamp tubes.

I had a TAD 7025WA in v1 or v2 of my Savage and thought it was great. More articulate, bright, and cutting then the Pentalab, JJ, Sovtek, and various others I tried in there. Think the JJs could sound good in the right amp, but I agree, they seem a bit dull in many of the maps I've tried them in. The D60 I have came loaded with all JJs and they sound great in that amp

Cool. Thanks for the feedback. I know we like the same sort of tones, so I’ll buy some to try.

 

[hammered]

Not many people know this but you can buy chinese 12ax7 from the 80's 90's cheap on ebay for 12$ a piece including shipping.
These were used in Marshall and Mesa amps during that time, they are chinese military tubes,
designation 6N4 or 6N4J originally then Marshall and Mesa put their own stamp.
You can recognize them by the dual supported square getter.
Cheaper, better quality and sound than the standard chinese 12ax7b.

Do you by any chance have a link to these

 

[Metal1977]

Not many people know this but you can buy chinese 12ax7 from the 80's 90's cheap on ebay for 12$ a piece including shipping.
These were used in Marshall and Mesa amps during that time, they are chinese military tubes,
designation 6N4 or 6N4J originally then Marshall and Mesa put their own stamp.
You can recognize them by the dual supported square getter.
Cheaper, better quality and sound than the standard chinese 12ax7b.

The Beijing 6N4-J are very good. They are similar to some new Chinese production, but sound a bit bigger and less harsh. I really like them in the Uberschall.

Some folks around here have a couple of them for sale from time to time.

 

[marcus262]

I have 3 of these tubes and really like them. I think they were made in the Beijing plant, is that correct?

yes, they were made in Beijing.

Do you by any chance have a link to these

here you go:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/6N4-12AX7-Prea ... Sw8Dhay1um

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-PCS-Beijing- ... SwX6VTx9wc

https://www.tomtop.com/p-i2744.html#flow_qa

 

[critter cam]

My favorites are the JJ ECC83S and the Sovtek 12AX7LPS. I haven't tried the new Tung Sol 12AX7 yet. But I've heard they have a higher gain than their Sovtek 12AX7LPS.

 

[hammered]

I have 3 of these tubes and really like them. I think they were made in the Beijing plant, is that correct?

yes, they were made in Beijing.

Do you by any chance have a link to these

here you go:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/6N4-12AX7-Prea ... Sw8Dhay1um

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-PCS-Beijing- ... SwX6VTx9wc

https://www.tomtop.com/p-i2744.html#flow_qa

Thank you

 

[Metal1977]

Not many people know this but you can buy chinese 12ax7 from the 80's 90's cheap on ebay for 12$ a piece including shipping.
These were used in Marshall and Mesa amps during that time, they are chinese military tubes,
designation 6N4 or 6N4J originally then Marshall and Mesa put their own stamp.
You can recognize them by the dual supported square getter.
Cheaper, better quality and sound than the standard chinese 12ax7b.

I remember having quite a few conversations with some of the big amplifier makers and everyone was pretty down on the sound of the Chinese tube back then {late 80s early 90's). Main reason most went with Chinese was the cost for bulk was stupid cheap and the reliability of the other manufactures was pretty sketchy. It wasnt until much later that the Chinese tubes started getting respect in sound quality. I had a Quad preamp that I retubed back then with some rebranded Chinese tubes and they lasted all of a half hr. The 8th and 9th Gen sound the best they have ever sounded in my amps. Different amps= different tubes so ymmv. The link I posted earlier has them brand new for $5 each which is really cheap for them.

I remember putting cheap Chinese 12ax7's in some Peavey Ultra Series from the early 90's and i was shocked, to me nothing else sounded better in those amps at the time. Probably because most amp builders were starting slowly to design and tweek their amps with the tubes that were available to them at the time.

I'm thinking that these cheap Chinese 12ax7's that was so easily available at the time, are probably the rare ones that i'm searching for today.

 

[Deanmachine]

Love the square getter Beijing tubes always on the lookout for those .

 

[Rex Rocker]

Thought I'd bump this thread to share my recent experience with some new tubes I ordered.

The Ruby C7 (same as Genalex standard pin) is nice and mid-focused with a hint of top-end sparkle. It's more open, yet smoother and bigger than the JJ ECC83S. It's not as grindy or as big-sounding as the Ruby C5 (standard Shuguang 9G). It's not too squishy and has nice clarity to it. Nice tube. Really like it for V1.

I didn't like the Mullard CV4004. It's definitely in the same family as the Tung Sol and the EHX. Bright, clear, open, etc. I can see people liking these. I do like it a lot better than the EHX. It's tighter and the attack is not as smeared to my ears.

The Sovtek 12AX7WC was a surprise. I really like it! I'm not sure it'll be everyone's cup of tea, though. It's like a smoother, fatter, and slightly less compressed JJ ECC83S. I dig it, but it may come off as dark or bland to some.

 

[SpiderWars]

FWIW, I put a brand new JJ ECC803S (the long plate one) in the cathode follower slot in my Cornford MKII and it lasted about 2 minutes. I've heard the Russian produced 12AX7s in general don't like that spot but thought the JJs were fine there. Certainly could be just an isolated case but there ya go.

 

[Rex Rocker]

Actually, I take that back about the Mullard CV4004. I gave it some more time. It kills. It's got the grind of a Shuguang with the clarity of a Tung Sol. Killer tube. My new fave.

 

[Ventura]

Didn't read all the posts - but couple thoughts...

Gold pins are bling, they do shit.
The Gold Lion ECC83 which I am a HUGE fan of are selected Sovtek LPS relabeled - kill me if I'm wrong.

Fave new 12AX7?? Svetlana 12AX7 - so smooth - buttery - dead quiet - great gain - robust.
http://www.thetubestore.com/Tubes/12AX7 ... lana-12ax7

JJ 5751, better than the NOS 5751 for quieting down too much gain in a preamp circuit.

That's all I got.
Peace
Mo

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

I’ve tested a bunch of Ruby 12AX7C5HG, Ruby 12AX7C7, and Tung Sol 12AX7 tubes this week... and a bunch of these are a lot lower gain (low mu rating) than you would expect based on advertising and the HG moniker. Even though you may pay more for a dealer to send you “high gain selected tubes”... don’t believe it until you test them yourself. Yes... they are pretty quiet (the Ruby C5s were the best overall)... but still I found quite a few microphonic and/or had a very high noise floor. NOS anything is a lot better for gain, noise, and microphonics. I have a bunch of JJs to test... although I find these really reliable, they have a really dark/dull tone to them in most amps. Hmmmm...

 

[psychodave]

I’ve tested a bunch of Ruby 12AX7C5HG, Ruby 12AX7C7, and Tung Sol 12AX7 tubes this week... and a bunch of these are a lot lower gain (low mu rating) than you would expect based on advertising and the HG moniker. Even though you may pay more for a dealer to send you “high gain selected tubes”... don’t believe it until you test them yourself. Yes... they are pretty quiet (the Ruby C5s were the best overall)... but still I found quite a few microphonic and/or had a very high noise floor. NOS anything is a lot better for gain, noise, and microphonics. I have a bunch of JJs to test... although I find these really reliable, they have a really dark/dull tone to them in most amps. Hmmmm...

It’s amazing how much our knowledge base increases when we have access to tube testers.