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Vintage threads from the first ten years

Svetlana 12AX7 tube?

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8/26/2000 5:18 PM

Svetlana 12AX7 tube?

I think any of them no matter which brand, you have to just try them and see what they sound like in the circut of the amp your using them in. Now....i got my New Sensor catalog today..and they list the Svetlana 12AX7 tubes.. and a really good price. I am hopeing these are going to be what we all have been looking for. GOOD 12AX7 tubes.Has anyone tried these yet. I know a long while back Myself and others on here talked our heads off to Svetlana,and sent many e-mails begging them to make these tubes,because of the ones that we had to choose from at the time.So i hope they took their time and did these right.I guess good or bad I will be sending a thankyou to them,for doing this. At the time they thought since sovtek and others had all these 12AX7s.. they weren't going to make them. And would have to tool up to make them. And the cost payback wouldn't pay for it. But i think "us" telling them that the other 12AX7s had lots of problems..and if you could make a good one ,kinda corner the market on these. And almost every tube amp uses them..I think they are modeled after the Telfunken..
Richie{~}==:::

8/26/2000 6:16 PM

Richie,
The Svetlanas are available now? That's great news......I think/hope. The Sovtek LPS tubes are a vast improvement over most the dismal tubes we've been offered in recent years, but still fall a couple yards short of the mark IMO. If the Svetlana 12AX7s sound nearly as good as their EL34s. things will be looking up quite a bit. It's AMAZING what a huge difference a tube can make in the sound of an amp. I would rather voice my amps around good quality tubes than compensate for a crap tubes when voicing an amp.

Peter S

8/26/2000 6:23 PM
Richie{~}==:::	Your so right Peter, i go through so many to find the ones i like to use. It does make a huge difference.I have some of the Sovtek LPS tubes i tried .. yep better, but they are expensive.. The Svets are less expensive than these LPS tubes in their catalog.Hoping for the best.. going to order some monday and try them.. Crossing fingers. Richie{~}==:::

8/26/2000 11:41 PM
Daver	Please Report Back If you do get some of the Svets, please let us know what they're like. I've been really pleased with their other tubes and am very interested, especially if they sound like the Tele's. Thanks. Daver

8/28/2000 11:57 AM
Richie{~}==:::	I'll order them today and hopefully have them by the end of the week.. I will let you know my opinion after i try some..been waiting for these for a while. Richie{~}==::

8/28/2000 5:48 PM

Sorry Richey, I don't think those tubes are ready yet. They are in the new Catalog but won't be available for some time yet. The reports back on them are not as good as we hoped they would be. Maybe in time they can tweek out the problems but from what my sources tell me they aren't even in the ballpark with the Tele's much less the Mullards. As Doc told me, the 12AX'7 EH'S on the back of the New Sensor cat. he thought were Sovtek's
Well Doc your right ! they are.,
K

8/29/2000 10:06 PM

Re: 12AX7 shootout; Mullard or Tele?

I just went through this same exercise. I won't get into the debate about whether these high dollar NOS tubes are worth the money. That is way too subjective and depends to a large extent on whether you have the cash. I put a Tele in V1, and Mullards in V2 and V3 of my Top Hat Emplexador. All I can say is that I get a lot of very positive comments on the sounds. Absolutely no remorse. It made significant sonic difference in an already good amp.

Talk to Mike at KCA. He generally gives really good advice. BTW, he will match triodes for your PI if you want. I don't know if it makes a lot of difference, but he doesn't charge much for it.

The only other advice I'd give, is to discount the opinions of those that have not at least tried these tubes. These are usually the same folks that sneer at spending that much on tubes.

Doug.

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