Looking for a "brighter" 12AX7 variant

[nigelwright7557]

Try some cheap Chinese 12ax7s...They're on Ebay….Many guitar players use them to provide the sound they want

RS Components do some cheap Chinese tubes.
Most are ok but I find some are very microphonic.

 

[mashaffer]

It seems like replacing the pot is the proper fix but if that is out of the question for some reason then perhaps replacing the AX7 with an AY7 would help as they have lower inter electrode capacitance and lower mu. Should only require changing a handful of resistors.

 

[skyra]

Problem finally solved in 2 steps....

1: The input 12AX7 -Shuguang made piece of s°*t - replaced with Tungsram tubes

2: The seriously overcompansated feedback loop corrected with proper values


Now the sound is what I've expected from it.... Thanks for the ideas anyway

 

[mashaffer]

Problem finally solved in 2 steps....

1: The input 12AX7 -Shuguang made piece of s°*t - replaced with Tungsram tubes

2: The seriously overcompansated feedback loop corrected with proper values


Now the sound is what I've expected from it.... Thanks for the ideas anyway

Outstanding!

 

[JonSnell Electronic]

RS Components do some cheap Chinese tubes.
Most are ok but I find some are very microphonic.

I have not found a quiet one yet, so I use USSR manufactured 12AX7s.
I didn't think there was such a thing as a bright sounding valve, if used in a well designed circuit. We live and 'learn'.

 

[Lingwendil]

I just use 6N2P when I want a 12AX7. Almost everything I build has 6 volt heaters, so it makes it easy to have the heater wires twisted and run right next to each other the same way regardless of valve. Wiring for 12 volt is easy and can be changed easily with some creative switching.

 

[skyra]

I have not found a quiet one yet, so I use USSR manufactured 12AX7s.
I didn't think there was such a thing as a bright sounding valve, if used in a well designed circuit. We live and 'learn'.

All I can teIl is my experience with the Raysonic amp, in its circuit topology. Altogether I tried 5 different brand of 12AX7-s (actually 3 of them were ECC83-s)

Tungsram, Tesla, Siemens (E83CC-gold pins,) Tung-Sol, and the original Shuguang. The difference between the first four wasn't so big -sound quality descending somewhat in the order of listing- but the Shuguang was by far the worst: powerless, veiled, confused. Avoid that tube if you can.... The most balanced and musical result was achieved with the Tungsram-s, so I keep those - until I can get a pair of Telefunken's....
As far as I can remember from my "tube" years, those (and old Mullards) were the most magnificent sounding preamp tubes of this type.

 

[kodabmx]

I just use 6N2P when I want a 12AX7. Almost everything I build has 6 volt heaters, so it makes it easy to have the heater wires twisted and run right next to each other the same way regardless of valve. Wiring for 12 volt is easy and can be changed easily with some creative switching.

Indeed. I use a DPDT switch to connect in series or parallel from 12V

 

[skyra]

Well, the real difference came after replacing the 12AX-s with a pair of Voskhod 6N2P. (with the necessary heater supply mod).

That tube sent all the AX -s to a learning course. Maybe in a different topology it wouldn't be such a big difference, but here it was.... Darn russians....

And yeah, I bought 10 of those (in factory boxes and warranty sheet) for some 10 USD in a local radio amateur swap-meet