Tung-Sol 12AX7

[drake]

I just put a set of three new production Tung-Sol 12AX7´s in my 1974X combo.
Great tube with my Schecter strat, the original Marshall (JJ´s) were good, but my strat sounded a little thin with them... The JJ´s would , I think, be better suited to Humbuckers?

The EH12AX7´s were a close second to the Tung´s, and actually look like the same tube, apart from the getter...

The Tungs have more volume and bite though, and remind me of the good old GE12AX7 a lot. However I won´t spend another cent on NOS
Been "burned" too many times

Anyone else here tried these Tungies?

drake

[spunky]

I use the TS tubes exclusively in all my amps.
I have lots of RCA, Sylvania and GE NOS and the TS sound better, have more sustain and harmonics.

[MadDitch]

Same experience here, I started with EH 12ax7's and thought they sounded pretty good.

Then switched to JJ 12ax7's and they just really thinned out the amp, kinda gave it a metallic sound. (These sound great in my Fender though).

Then I picked up a couple of Tung-sol 12ax7, man big and fat, best new production tube in my opinion.

[hans-jurgen]

Does anybody have experience and/or seen some comparisons with the original Tung-Sol 12ax7 on the web? I have one in my '69 JMP50 combo in V1 and looking for a bit more info on them. Here's a picture (the one on the left):

[neon333]

Same experience here, I started with EH 12ax7's and thought they sounded pretty good.

Then switched to JJ 12ax7's and they just really thinned out the amp, kinda gave it a metallic sound. (These sound great in my Fender though).

Then I picked up a couple of Tung-sol 12ax7, man big and fat, best new production tube in my opinion.

What he said

[twangbanger]

I really like them also, probably my fav new production tube

[Roudyrockr]

So this new Tungsol is from the New Sensor Epo-pul factory which makes Sovtek tubes. Does anyone know if it's just a relabeled Sovtek or from a completely new machine in the plant? I haven't been all that impressed with Sovteks in the past.

[Heater]

Chalk up another for the TS. I think that it's my fav new production tube.

[dubs]

how do they compare to the shuguang 9th gen tube?
these I;ve found to be more consistent and linear in tone than most other current production tubes.

[Roudyrockr]

Well my curiousity got the better of me. I just ordered 1 each of every Sovtek, EH and the Tungsol 12AX7. As far as I know, they're all made in the same factory so we'll see how similiar they are in construction and sound. After I do my inspection, I'll wipe all of the labels, mark each tube 1 through 7 and if a guinea pig(s) with good ears wants to participate in a V1 blind test I'll send the tubes out. Preferably to someone with a low wattage amp with a single 12AX7 tube. Anyone like that out there?

[AncientMariner]

If you were in the Uk I'd take you up on that.

[Roudyrockr]

If you were in the Uk I'd take you up on that.

It doesn't make any difference where you are as long as you have the ears and a single preamp tube tube amp. Tubes are light and ship fairly cheaply. I wouldn't be needing them back as I have hundreds of NOS 12AX7s in my stock which I prefer over current issue tubes. I have just been very curious about the quality of EH's rebranded tubes since they started buying up brand names of defunct tube manufacturers. Of course Svetlana wasn't a defunct brand, but I digress. It would also help if the testor could record identical riffs with each tube so the forum members could vote and analyze. I would then reveal which tube was which.

[rjgtr]

I tried the NS Tung Sol 12ax7. It seems to me to be a slightly improved 12ax7EH. It is a good sounding tube in the american tradition. I like it more in a fender-style amp than a Marshall style amp. I don't have an original TUng Sol, but I doubt it is "as good". The GT 12ax7-M Mullard reissue is a ver nice tube (made in China), but no Mullard.

Comparing the NS Tung Sol to the R9, Shuguang seems to be a little more linear.

In new production I prefer the Chinese 12ax7A and JJ ECC83S to everything else overall. If Ei and Groove Tubes could get their consistancy down, I'd say they had the best new production tube, since I like their tone the best.

[Turmoil]

I just bought a couple Tung Sol's, and I'm very happy with them. Rich in harmonic content, and complexity. Go-go new production tubes!!! Now I can put my vintage 12AX7's into the nice white boxes I just got in the mail, and not feel guilty about useing them.

Tim

[Roudyrockr]

I just received my order of one of each of the 7 EH/Sovtek/Tungsol tubes.
An inspection of the physical characteristics reveals the following:

The WA,WB,and WC appear identical in construction.

The LPS and The LP appear identical in construction.

The EH and the Tungsol appear almost identical in construction with one exception, the Tungsol has a much larger halo getter which is positioned approximately twice the distance from the top mica plate.

It appears that rjgtr may be correct in his statement that the NS Tungsol is an improved EH. More to follow.

[kyoungsteadt]

see below i goofed up

[kyoungsteadt]

Well my curiousity got the better of me. I just ordered 1 each of every Sovtek, EH and the Tungsol 12AX7. As far as I know, they're all made in the same factory so we'll see how similiar they are in construction and sound. After I do my inspection, I'll wipe all of the labels, mark each tube 1 through 7 and if a guinea pig(s) with good ears wants to participate in a V1 blind test I'll send the tubes out. Preferably to someone with a low wattage amp with a single 12AX7 tube. Anyone like that out there?

I'll do it with my VJ

[aphekgreg]

Interesting. I'll have to try some of the TS 12AX7s. Having tried the Chinese, JJ, EH and Sovtek current production versions, I generally prefer the Chinese version, with the EH second. When I get them, I'll record some comparisons and post them. I'm getting ready to do a 6V6 comparison, which I'll post too.

[drake]

Thanks for your replies!
With the availability of current manufacture tubes like these TS´s my need for NOS is now gone. I think they sound very similar to some 80´s production JAN GE12AX7´s I´ve still got, but have gone microphonic already only after 1 year in my old Fender Vibroclone!! With NOS you pay yer money an´ take yer chances I guess... and they were from a very reputable NOS supplier in UK! I haven´t bothered contacting him, ´cause the warranty was only 6 months anyway.

So if we support the current tube makers, they can only get better I´m sure, which is good for all of us.

Whether Mike Matthews chooses to use old brand names or not, doesn´t bother me, as long as they sound good and are reliable. Sovtek seem to have a good reputation for reliability anyway.
I´m using the TS´s in my 1974X together with the original Marshall (JJ) EL84´s, great combination for my tastes.

Take Care

drake

[skydogjammer]

Roudyrocker,

I would be interested in doing this test. I have an ADA Model A-10 Class A Recording Amp. This amp has 1 Sovtek 12AX7LP preamp tube and 1 EL34 (says Made in Russia) power tube. Its got a single 12" speaker (no name). The sound of this amp is very smooth. The class A even order harmonics are easy on the ears.

Anyway, I've got a home recording studio and a few good guitars (59 LP Standard, 60 Strat, etc.) and could record some samples.

Let me know if you want to do this.

skydog