Tube Talk - New Sensor Corp. Russian made ECC83/12AX7 (Electro Harmonix,Tung-Sol,Sovtek etc.)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.พ. 2025
- Today I'm talking little about current production tubes that are made in Russia unde the New Sensor corporation from USA. Hope you enjoy the video, find it informative and if you do so like and subscribe :)
I just put a new production Mullard 12ax7 in v1 of my Marshall sv20h because my nos mullard I had in there for about 1 year went microphonic. It sounds good to me. A little more headroom but sounds better than the JJ or the worn nos Mullard. I have other nos Mullards but I'm gonna run the new one for a while. I'm surprised how good it sounds to me.
I've been swapping thru a few 12AX7 tubes for the V1position in my '72 Marshall Super Lead after just recently having it completely retubed and biased with Tung-Sol EL34B's. I have to say that I too am very pleasantly surprised with the reissue Mullard. It has a very nice, strong and dynamic midrange while having sufficient bass and a smooth, articulate high end. It's not particularly high gain, but just fine. Some other 12AX7 tubes I've tried so far in V1 are the Tung-Sol, the regular JJ, the regular EHX and an old Sovtek that I can't read what type. The Sovtek is noisy, the JJ is muffled sounding, the EHX is sort of blah and the Tung-Sol seems to have the highest gain of the bunch. It's also the brightest and sounds quite scooped compared to the Mullard with a slightly enhanced low end. The Tung-Sol would be my second favorite though after the Mullard simply because their character is almost completely opposite. I'm awaiting the arrival of a JJ E83CC Frame Grid to try next.
Yeah I have two cybertwin amps one with Phillips Miniwatt, one with new Mullards, they sound the same !
But maybe they are just specially selected Sovtec tubes ;)
hi. i tried the genalex b759 and it's good for a modern tube very balanced on my 1974x but nothing compares to vintage tubes.
Interesting video ilike it. Thank you 😊
Honestly, for the price of newly manufactured tubes, just find a set of "NOS" i.e. "pulled" tubes. They meet spec, better quality and will last longer. Plus, most just sound better than anything made today.
Tung Sol are my favorite modern 12ax7
They do sound good yes, good bang for the buck!
This is very cool! Not a whole lot of videos about these, just curious what amp are you using? Cheers!
Im using a Bogner amp, and glad you dig it :)
Все у нас в Саратове сделаны. 🎉
The Electro Harmonix 7025 is a decent tube if you can get them at the moment, not especially characterful (but more so than Sovteks, my least favourite tube) but clean, clear, articulate and very quiet
Ive found recently 2x Philips Miniwatt Ecc83 and 1x Philips Miniwatt Ecc81 for 30 bucks barely used.. Almost NOS.. Now either 30 bucks fro EHX 7025 or this 3x NOS Dutch tubes.. I think its no brainer :) with modern tubes prices right now you can even find vintage stuff for same price.. Just obviously not on eBay or Reverb..try see your local second hand market.. There can be tube lots people selling around and there can be some gold there.. This is how Ive found 98% of my all vintage tubes :)
@@ecc8344 Yes! I managed to pick up around 2 dozen ANOS tubes, Mullard, Brimar, Philips and Tungsram so I'm sorted for life as a bedroom hobbyist. Managed to get 3 Hammond branded NOS Mullards for £100 on ebay which will live in my AC30 when I get it back from service.
I really like the format of your videos! My 1972 Super Lead is long overdue for a complete retube. It still has original Svetlanas that have lasted nearly 20 years...believe it or not. My amp tech is recommending complete JJ's, EL34L's and 12AX7's in all positions, but I'm hesitant. I'm leaning towards complete Tung-Sol's, EL34B's and 12AX7's with maybe a 12AT7WA in the PI position. Some have suggested using a long-plate ECC803-type tube for the PI. I've also heard good things about TAD branded tubes. I like a full sound with clarity in the bass and definition without harshness in the highs. Reliability is important too. I'm curious what your thoughts would be. Thanks!
If you go with modern tubes I would recommend you EHX 12ax7 gold pin version for phase inverter. Very nice sounding tube there, give you just enough headroom and doesnt let the gain go bizzerke eirher :) if you choose JJ's a preamp tubes..choose everything BUT Ecc83S !! The 803s is very fat sounding tube, good low end and mids aswell, also E83CC is super good! Very mid range pushing tube with well enough balanced low end and hights :) but IMHO best solution for you would be instaling Soviet 6N2P tubes in your preamp, they are dirt cheap, good as any vintage European ECC83 and most are military spec so endurance and reliability is there for sure! Also that would bring more justice to your vintage Super Lead! Just figure if it has 6v tube heaters( which probably has), then you only need socket converters and off you go! Check this out in my latest video where I compare 6N2P with ECC83 :) hope this helps!!
@@ecc8344 Thank you for the info. Would you suggest the Tung-Sol 12ax7 over the EHX 12ax7 regular or gold pin version for V1 and V2? You've said that you like the gold pin version for the phase inverter, but I've also heard good things about the JJ's ECC803s gold pin version for the phase inverter. I've decided against a 12at7 for the PI. Thoughts? Thanks again!
Tungsol 12ax7 Made in Russia is a good solid tube, Just little bit on the bright side according to my ears :) im using a lot of 12AT7/ECC81 on PI, doesnt affect too much the gain, Just tames it enough so you can have a nice headroom :) ofcourse in case you want tons of gain, that might not be the option. Good thing is also that NOS ECC81 in not as expensive as NOS ECC83 and there are still many around :)
@@ecc8344 I'm after more power tube distortion (ala AC/DC) which is why I've steered away from a 12at7 for the PI. I think I'm on the right track with that. With me pretty much settling on Tung-Sol EL34's for the power tubes, maybe it would be best to go with Tung-Sol 2ax7's in V1 and V2 too but either the EHX 12ax7 gold pin or JJ ECC803s gold pin for the PI since both are usually highly recommended for that position. Not sure if gold pins make that much of a difference.
Sovtek LPS is good for the phase inverter. I wouldn’t use it for anything else, personally.
Sovtek LPS and long plate Mullard are the same. Mullard less noisy, but that's all. Gold Lion completely different tube. Different midrange, different low-end. I'm not sure whether you'll like it, but Genalex GL is definitely not the same as LPS/Mullard
All of those names used in today's made tubes makes things confusing. Tung-Sol (USA), Mullard, Gold Lion, Gelalex (UK) are what they used to be.
Hey there. I spotted no difference between Russian Mullard, LPS and Gold Lion. The only difference visually is that Gold Lion has gold pins. What i believe is going on is they make this LPS tube type and already measure them in factory in put them in 3 categories.. the least good measuring gets labeled as LPS, better ones get a Mullard logo on and the best ones get their pins gold plated and Gold Lion logo on. Note that all this 3 tubes are made in same factory ( Reflektor, Saratov) so definitely they dont make them seperately on different machines but its all made on one. As for the price of Gold Lion is completely rediciolous and you can find a NOS RFT ECC83 for same price which is completely different bullpark of quality and performance
@@ecc8344 I don't know why we get so different results. For me GL has more mellow/warm midrange and significant boost of low-end. Some preamps went into breakup on the same level of clean. I agree that it is not worth it's money. But strange that we got opposite results. Well... Probably depends on circuit. I was testing on locally made marshall based circuits and those change their sound color with tube change pretty significant. And I can confirm no change in sound between LPS and long plate Mullard. Only noise levels. But GL was different. At least in my experience. I also have Randall Satan based preamp and I can't hear any difference on any tube I dropped in. So guess it depends on particular circuit frequencies cut&boost
So this channel has covered a selection of Slovakian tubes and now Russian tubes. Is there going to be coverage of Shuguang and PSvane Chinese tubes?
Probably not in the detail, because I dont like Shuguangs at all.. Only had 2 and got rid of them quickly..
@@ecc8344 are there any excellent modern made preamp tubes? How about those tubes from Canada, Northern Electric? Supposedly they make a telefunken smooth plate design for $50.
As far as Im concerned only JJ in Slovakia and Saratov(ehx)Russia are making 12ax7 types right now, if i had to choose i would take JJ E83CC anyday, -you can check it out in my JJ video..but since the prices became so high for modern made tubes, you add 20€/$ and have an amazing vintage Tungsram or RFT for example :)
Got that pro-ject preamp with project logos there frum jj ..i will try gold lion tou heat them while im sleeping ..psvane also ..on the long run they will outcast jj
Would be nice talking about rca in out ..audioquest 72 volt batterys wires green
My favorite current production preamp tubes are the JJ ECC83S, the Tung-Sol 12AX7 and the Sovtek 12AX7LPS. The Tung-Sol may sound the best to my ears. In output I believe the JJ ECC83S has the highest. While the Tung-Sol may come in 2nd followed by the Sovtek 12AX7LPS in 3rd. I will no longer buy the Russian made tubes because of the war. I haven't tried the Electro-Harmonix 12AX7 or the Chinese made 12AX7.
How much are the new EHX 12AX7?
Good question, Ive seen them selling for around 15€ prior "tube shortage" because of Russian embargo.. Now I see them somewhere selling up to 50€ which is kinda rediciolous.. 15-20€ would be a fair price on a new tube of this kind.
@@ecc8344 I managed to get a couple of brand new Tung-Sol and EHX for around 15 USD each
Thank you for your videos man, really good help, I was wondering which would be a good match for an ENGL E530 preamp for V1 and V2?
Found the schematic in this link if it helps: dallashodgson.info/reviews/ENGL530/E530-schematics.pdf
Thanks from Mexico!
Hi Daniel! Thank you, im glad you dig it :) im not a electronic, or amp tech to look at schematic and tell you whats going on there. But if you tell me what kind of sound flavour your after, maybe I can suggest you. Are you looking for more gain,more mids,more bass, more/less treble? More headroom? Let me know :)
@@ecc8344 hahaha sorry, forgot about the details, I was looking for an 80's rock/metal sound capable of good sustain but with balanced eq you know, like, nothing going out of the range
Im familiar with that genre..:) if your going after vintage NOS id say Philips,Holland Ecc83, or Mullard Uk ecc83, or Tungsram Ecc83...if your going with modern made i'd say JJ E83CC, JJ ECC83MG, Tungsol 12ax7 Russian made or perhaps JJ ECC803s, all of this tubes mentioned have great pushing mid range :) and overall balanced singing sound
@@ecc8344 I was impressed with the opinion that you have with the phillips so any chance that I have to get those I will not hesitate and honestly Im more interested in a vintage sound over modern. Thank you so much my friend and please keep doing this kind of videos for dumies like myself haha, Cheers!!!