And The Award For The World's Crappiest 12AX7/ECC83s Goes To:

[JMP/HBE]

JJ : J-ust J-unk

 

[Demanic]

One man's junk..

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

 

[devastone]

The JJECC83s are darker tubes, but hardly the bottom of the barrel. The JJ ECC803s is a nice tube and more open sounding. THe JJ 5751 is a really nice tube, lower gain (70 vs 100) than a 12AX7, but in today's high gain circuits that is often a good thing, definitely can open up a compressed high gain amp/preamp.

 

[dave74]

Many like the tung-sol RI in V1 and/or V2. Isn't it made by Sovtec, or made with the same equipment?

 

[Top-L]

Sovtek 12AX7WAs.

In the early 2k's, I bought 3 each of the current manufactured 12AX7/ECC83s for tone testing in my Plexi.

I still have them all (Sovtek LPS too, JJ, EI Gold etc).

I was thinking about my little tube stash and was remembering how awful those Sovtek 12AX7WAs sounded - bright and screechy yet somehow a total lack of detail.

I used to roll tubes. I don't think Sovtek tubes are bad, just THOSE tubes sucked.

The secret to good tubes is not brand per se, but if the tubes are graded. I buy Groove Tubes now because I reasonably know what I'm getting. I want a tube with highest output and presence. Their ECC83 Gold/Platinum/Whatever has never disappointed me. Buy those, and swap with any stock tube and you will get a little "extra".