[I.Greyhound Fan]

I am just getting back into vinyl and a friend of mine gave me a Bellari VP-129 phono preamp.  It uses a 12Ax7.  Any recommendations of tubes for it.  I have seen some recommendations but no one really describes the sound of the tube well.  I have a Thorens TD-145 TT with a Nagoaka MP-200 cartridge.  I like things dynamic and on the warmer side with a wide sound stage like the rest of my gear.  My other gear is a Pass Labs X250 amp, BAT VK-51se tube preamp and Magnepan 1.6's.  I listen to a lot of Jazz, Blue's, Vocal music and acoustic with some RR and Classical mixed in.

I plan on trying a Sovtek LPS 12AX7 and am consider Tung Sols and Telefunken's.  I would like to try an RCA but they are going for $100 or more and I don't want to put that much into the Bellari.  I would rather just get a better preamp.

Thanks,

Larry

[Captainhemo]

There are usually a pretty good # of  early American made 5751 tubes on the aucition site for realitively low $$.  You could probably find  some  strong tesing, lightly used ones and try out a few different "flavours'
 I would imagine they would work well in a phono preamp


-jay

[woodsyi]

Larry,

I am not sure how much rolling you can do given the phono stage.  Some tubes will cost more than the Bellari.  One thing to keep in mind is that you really want quiet and matched sections for phono use.

I can let you try a bunch of single tubes of various NS and OS.  They have been tested on my Amplitrex to have matched sections and strong with no gas and all that stuff. 

I have accumulated a lot of tubes over the years with my tube gears.  Not trying to sell them.  I just have odd singles sitting around you can try.  PM me if interested.  You pay shipping.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

Larry,

I am not sure how much rolling you can do given the phono stage.  Some tubes will cost more than the Bellari.  One thing to keep in mind is that you really want quiet and matched sections for phono use.

I can let you try a bunch of single tubes of various NS and OS.  They have been tested on my Amplitrex to have matched sections and strong with no gas and all that stuff. 

I have accumulated a lot of tubes over the years with my tube gears.  Not trying to sell them.  I just have odd singles sitting around you can try.  PM me if interested.  You pay shipping.

Thanks for the offer.  I may take you up on it.  What 12Ax7's do you have?  I am thinking about trying some RCA 12AX7's.   I would like to try the Long black Plate versions as well as the long and short Grey plates.   I have found a source for them that test very good for a reasonable price.  I will also try a Sovtek LPS since it can be had for $13.

[BobM]

12AX7's are not necessarily a great sounding tube. Probably best bang for the $ is the RCA cleartop.

Not all circuits built for the 12AX7 will take a 5751. I think it has a lower output than a 12AX7 so may not be appropriate for a phono stage. It is a better sounding tube though and generally is considered a better replacement for a 12AX7.

[woodsyi]

I have most varieties from EH and Sovtek as well as NS Tung Sol, Mullard and Music First.  For Old Stock, Mullard, Tele, Valvo, and other mostly Euro tubes.  Some 5751s too.

[Quiet Earth]

You can use a 5751 in place of a 12AX7 but it will have less gain. If you have a strong output from your phono stage right now then a 5751 might be just the ticket. With less gain there is usually less apparent noise and that is why many people prefer it over the 12AX7. Plus, a JAN GE or JAN Phillips 5751 from the 1980s won't cost you an arm and a leg. Guitar players like the 5751 in V1 if they are looking to getter a cleaner tone from their amp (less overdrive). I tried two in my phono stage and they sounded great, but I missed the gain that I was getting from the 12AX7s.

A good value for a current production 12AX7 is the Genelex Gold Lion. I have two in my phono stage right now and they are very quiet. They sound fine to me.

I don't want to put that much into the Bellari.  I would rather just get a better preamp.

Good call.

[mick wolfe]

+1 for the Gold Lion 12AX7's. More warmth and richness than the Sovtek and equally as quiet.  "Quiet" being your very first priority when seeking out tubes for your phono section. There are a lot of tubes out there that will be fine in a line section, but far too noisy for phono application. As far as the Bellari, no first hand experience, but there seems to be more praise for the Yaqin 22B ( now 23B ) at this similar price point.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

The Bellari was free.  I will use it for a while and eventually upgrade.  I will give the Bellari to my son.  It sounds surprisingly good and very dynamic with deep bass with a cheap Ortofon 2M Red Cartridge.  It should be much better when I install the Nagaoka MP-200 this weekend.

[SteveFord]

The new JJ Tesla ECC803 and 883s work well and aren't all that expensive. 

[Guy 13]

I am just getting back into vinyl and a friend of mine gave me a Bellari VP-129 phono preamp.  It uses a 12Ax7.  Any recommendations of tubes for it.  I have seen some recommendations but no one really describes the sound of the tube well.  I have a Thorens TD-145 TT with a Nagoaka MP-200 cartridge.  I like things dynamic and on the warmer side with a wide sound stage like the rest of my gear.  My other gear is a Pass Labs X250 amp, BAT VK-51se tube preamp and Magnepan 1.6's.  I listen to a lot of Jazz, Blue's, Vocal music and acoustic with some RR and Classical mixed in.

I plan on trying a Sovtek LPS 12AX7 and am consider Tung Sols and Telefunken's.  I would like to try an RCA but they are going for $100 or more and I don't want to put that much into the Bellari.  I would rather just get a better preamp.

Thanks,

Larry

Hi Larry.
I bought about 6 years ago a Bellari VP-129 that came with a Ruby 12AX7
driven by a Rega P3 and Rega Exact MM 5-7mv.
The sound was good overall, but nothing extraordinary.
I've replaced the Ruby 12AX7 by a NOS 1960 Sylvania  12AX7 long plates
and I did not see/hear any improvement in sound quality.
When I moved to my new house with exactly the same set-up the Bellari started to hum
and give interference, I've tried everything,
but I gave up and bought a Pro-Ject Phono box MM that I will get next month.
I would still recommend the Bellari VP-129 or VP-130.
Maybe this did not help much, but I had to share.

Guy 13
 

[denny9167]

I am just getting back into vinyl and a friend of mine gave me a Bellari VP-129 phono preamp.  It uses a 12Ax7.  Any recommendations of tubes for it.  I have seen some recommendations but no one really describes the sound of the tube well.  I have a Thorens TD-145 TT with a Nagoaka MP-200 cartridge.  I like things dynamic and on the warmer side with a wide sound stage like the rest of my gear.  My other gear is a Pass Labs X250 amp, BAT VK-51se tube preamp and Magnepan 1.6's.  I listen to a lot of Jazz, Blue's, Vocal music and acoustic with some RR and Classical mixed in.

I plan on trying a Sovtek LPS 12AX7 and am consider Tung Sols and Telefunken's.  I would like to try an RCA but they are going for $100 or more and I don't want to put that much into the Bellari.  I would rather just get a better preamp.

Thanks,

Larry

Go with the Tung-Sol re-issue, I put it up against Telefunkens, it won hands down. Very nice sound, and good Signal-to-noise specs.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

Some friends gave me several tubes to try.  The best so far is a 1950's Mullard long plate.  It is very warm with a very smooth and deep midrange and a hint of darkness while maintaining dynamics, musicality and a wide sound stage.  I also tried a NOS Mullard short plate which was warm but lacked dynamics and a Tung Sol that was light and airy but very detailed.

I also have an NOS Dumont which sounds fantastic.  It is less warm than the Mullard and has a better top end.  I have some NOS Sylvania's and a GE that I need to try.  I  have an1950's RCA Long Black Plate and a Raytheon Black Plate with the ribbed shiny plates on their way from Ebay.

[SteveFord]

After maybe  100 hour one of my JJ Tesla 12AX7 replacements (either 883 or 803) croaked so perhaps their reliability isn't all it could be.
The other one I tested is perfect, the other 2 I have installed in a phono pre are still going strong but they haven't been tested.
It looks like a 25% failure rate here at the Ford household.