Opinions, Best new 12at7 tubes

AudioSoul · « **on:** 22 Apr 2009, 05:32 pm »

I am receiving a VTL ST-85 amp that uses four 12at7's I want to buy a quad to have as back ups. I am not interested in Used or NOS. Thanks, David

JimJ · « **Reply #1 on:** 23 Apr 2009, 02:00 pm »

http://www.tubedepot.com/jj-ecc81g.html

50jess · « **Reply #2 on:** 17 Sep 2011, 04:58 am »

I like the sound of the Tungsram 12AT7s especially if you like deep bass response.

decal · « **Reply #3 on:** 17 Sep 2011, 11:48 am »

"Best" is in the eye/ear of the beholder. There is no definitive "best" anything, it's all subjective. When you ask a question like this, the answers will always be what folks think is "best" to them in their system.

kingdeezie · « **Reply #4 on:** 17 Sep 2011, 01:37 pm »

I have Manley Neo Classic 250's, which are similarly developed as the VTL, by the Manley family. They use 12AT7's for the input tubes.

I bought from Grant Fidelity Psvane Tubes.

They are a little pricey at 100 dollars a pair, but the are new production tubes. They are decimating the new production EH 12AT7s that came with the amplifiers in the input stage.

They need about 100 hours to really hit their stride, but so far they are slightly more transparent, but far smoother and more organic with excellent bass. Micro-detail is also appreciably better.

Definitely worth the asking price considering what some of the NOS tubes are going for.

Good luck.

50jess · « **Reply #5 on:** 17 Sep 2011, 01:45 pm »

I find the Psvane 12AT7s a bit pricey considering that there are NOS tubes which are half (or even more) its price like the Amperex Bugle Boys, RCA Black Plates, etc. Unless these Psvanes sound better than these NOS tubes.

kingdeezie · « **Reply #6 on:** 17 Sep 2011, 02:05 pm »

Quote from: 50jess on 17 Sep 2011, 01:45 pm

I find the Psvane 12AT7s a bit pricey considering that there are NOS tubes which are half (or even more) its price like the Amperex Bugle Boys, RCA Black Plates, etc. Unless these Psvanes sound better than these NOS tubes.

It is impossible to vouch that the Psvanes are unequivocally better then all of the tubes that you just listed. You would have to try everyone of them in your personal system against the Psvanes to know this.

The OP stated he didn't want NOS tubes, I offered him an option.

The difference is that the Psvane's are new right off the factory line, a NOS tube you purchase may or may not be as N(ew)OS as you were led to believe. There is a slight risk with NOS that the OP might want to avoid.

Either way I don't think the Psvane's are bad tubes in any way shape or form, and unless your system was overtly warm to begin with, I can't see being disappointed with the Psvane's in every aspect.

Either way you gotta try these things in your own personal system to really find a true winner. Suggestions are merely suggestions.

rollo · « **Reply #7 on:** 17 Sep 2011, 02:19 pm »

I have had success with Harmonix gold pinned and the Pavane. Contact VTL and ask them what they recco. Have fun.

charles
SMA

InfernoSTi · « **Reply #8 on:** 17 Sep 2011, 03:15 pm »

I have tried the EH, the JJ, and the Pavane 12AT7 tubes (along with Mullard CV4024 and Telefunken old stock). On the new production tubes, I found each was a step up (in the order listed). I will go back to the start of the line at some point and see how I like them a second time around.

Best of luck and enjoy....

John

tubenut · « **Reply #9 on:** 17 Sep 2011, 07:04 pm »

Seems to me the psvanes are just selected Shuguang. I guess if you want to buy selected tubes, that's an option, but you can get that from tubestore, tubedepot and several other places for less than half the dough. Not dissin the Shuguang AT though. I think it's the best sounding, most durable current production AT around.

The one thing to watch for on Shuguang is that there are 2 different versions - a short plate version that really looks like an AT and a long plate version that looks like a mislabeled Shuguang 12AX7. They both behave like ATs, but they do sound little different. You might have fun getting both versions abd comparing.

There is also the Gold Lion reissue that I haven't tried yet. Kinda steep for a dressed up Reflektor tube, but you never know...

Cheers,

Dave

AnalogTubes · « **Reply #10 on:** 24 Sep 2011, 01:36 pm »

I'd suggest the Genalex Gold Lion 12AT7s. We've sold many to clients and the feedback from them has been wonderful.

Genalex is what I use in my own gear as well.

mono-tubeleosis · « **Reply #11 on:** 24 Sep 2011, 02:07 pm »

Quote from: 50jess on 17 Sep 2011, 04:58 am

I like the sound of the Tungsram 12AT7s especially if you like deep bass response.

Made in Hungary I believe. I had those in a Jolida amp and they were my favorites over the Bugle Boys. Both good but the Tungsrams definitely had a better, tighter bass.

rollo · « **Reply #12 on:** 24 Sep 2011, 03:03 pm »

How could I for get Chelmer 12AT7 that came with our Lector CDP.

. Berry berry nice.

charles
SMA

50jess · « **Reply #13 on:** 5 Oct 2011, 01:08 am »

Have Mullards CV4024, Tungsram, Jan-Phillips, and RCA Black Plates. The RCA BPs are the best - airy, open, transparent, detailed and dynamic.

mark funk · « **Reply #14 on:** 5 Oct 2011, 02:57 pm »

Best New ECC81s -12AT7s in my stuff would be JJs and that is what they came with but I run Telefunken in all my stuff now.

atmasphere · « **Reply #15 on:** 2 Nov 2011, 03:41 pm »

Chinese 12AT7: easy to find quiet examples. Microphonics relatively low.
EH 12AT7 nice sounding if you can find one that is not microphonic (and that can be a challenge)! variable lifespan: 2 hours to 2 years due to contaminates in the tube. Gold pin versions are the same, with gold pins.

JJ 12AT7. but if hand picked easily the best of the lot. In general they have more noise than the Chinese, but no more than the EH. But its easier to find low noise units, and also easier to find low microphonic examples.

Both the EH and JJ have a richer tone than the Chinese and will be preferred if the application does not require low noise (given the caveats above). There is now a Mullard 12AT7 that is newly-tooled. So far the examples we have seen have been noisy but microphonics have been low. I've not seen a large enough group to see if they can be hand-picked for low noise. They do not seem to be particularly sweeter than the Chinese tube, although that is my initial impression, right now I am of the opinion that we will have to try more of them.

The Pavane tube is the only one that you can buy one-at-a-time and expect it to work. It has always been the case with tubes that you have to hand-pick them for critical applications... including most high end audio products IMO.

Pez · « **Reply #16 on:** 2 Nov 2011, 04:08 pm »

pavanes.

bladesmith · « **Reply #17 on:** 2 Nov 2011, 04:24 pm »

I have found, in general, that the Genalex Gold lions are very nice, very nice neutral sound with out having too much bass. But, a very nice tube flavor.

(Some old vintage RCA stuff sometimes can be very nice and very sweet sounding for little money. They can also bit a bit boomy, from one tube to the next. so you might have to try several of them to get the right sound from your system.)

V..

ltr317 · « **Reply #18 on:** 2 Nov 2011, 04:52 pm »

Quote from: 50jess on 5 Oct 2011, 01:08 am

Have Mullards CV4024, Tungsram, Jan-Phillips, and RCA Black Plates. The RCA BPs are the best - airy, open, transparent, detailed and dynamic.

I have tried dozens of 12AT7s and have also found RCA BP (square getter) to work best in my system, but the OP wants new production tubes. I would recommend the Psvanes in that case.

AnalogTubes · « **Reply #19 on:** 4 Nov 2011, 04:44 pm »

I've always recommended the Genalex Gold Lion 12AT7. Our clients really love the quality of the tube.