Favorite tube

[jimfet]

Does anyone have a favorite tube, That they try to keep several of? Or always looking for this tube.

I like the RCA 12au7 clear tops. I am interested in getting a RCA NOS Blackpate 12au7. I have several clear tops and want more for the future. Should I venture out with the Blackplates instead. I have not heard one.. It is for a pre type unit.

[Mr. Lin]

Funny you mention those clear tops. I have a Wright 200C tube phono preamp that uses a 6X4. 6EM7, two 12AX7s, and two 12AU7s. After I got the preamp I went nuts buying mostly expensive NOS 12AX7 and 12AU7 tubes for rolling. FOr the most part I hear little difference between the 12AU7s in this circuit, with the exception of the RCA clear tops, which incidentally were about the cheapest NOS 12AU7 tubes I bought. There's a noticeable improvement in resolution with these.

My favorite tube ever is the Pope 12AX7, which cost a small fortune but was very worth it. These are apparently either identical or very similar to the Holland-made Bugle Boys that are so sought after, and they're absolutely perfect. In fact, lately I haven't wanted to use them because I'll probably never be able to replace them!

[markus]

Does anyone have a favorite tube, That they try to keep several of? Or always looking for this tube.

I like the RCA 12au7 clear tops. I am interested in getting a RCA NOS Blackpate 12au7. I have several clear tops and want more for the future. Should I venture out with the Blackplates instead. I have not heard one.. It is for a pre type unit.

If you want a lifetime supply of RCA Cleartops, find an old Conn organ from the late 50's / early 60's - the tone section has probably 50 of these guys ! If the organ was not used TOO much, the 12AU7's should be good . . .

AQs for my favorite tube, here it is . . . always looking for more, always hoarding what few I have . ..

RCA / Cunningham globe 45 . . . so pretty . . .

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=86655&stc=1&d=1207771030

[djv8ga]

I don't have any tube stereo gear, but I do have tube CB and ham gear. I like my early 60's NOS RCA black plate 12ax7s and my NOS RCA 7189 grey plates. :D

[jimfet]

One of my cleartops is stamped Conn. Does anyone have a favorite between the RCA Blackplates or cleartops.

[Urizen]

Fee Waybill.

GE Blackplates

[Wigwam Jones]

Fee Waybill.

GE Blackplates

WPOD!

[jon_s]

It depends much on the application...

My Bogen DB230 loves the old blackplates in its preamp stage. They are head and shoulders above everything else I've tried (almost as if I had swapped in 6CG7s or something). The cleartops didn't sound "right" at all!

When I was playing with a Bottlehead Foreplay, the cleartops were the best by far. The blackplates sounded muddy and smeary.

With a Consonance Basie in stock form, the cleartops were bright and unlistenable, the blackplates boring, and I opted to use Sylvania 6189s which were "perfect".

So, your mileage will vary :) I find I need to keep a few sets of both on hand for different applications. BTW, the above comparisons are with the same pairs -- so it's definitely a circuit dependent issue.

[wa2ise]

http://pw2.netcom.com/~wa2ise/radios/cdtubed.jpg

I always liked these little guys... :thmbsp: :music:

[wizargoz]

Markus: You are so right! I found an old Conn organ that had those RCA clear tops and now I have a bunch. Nice ones, too!

[pilotputz]

Sylvania 12ax7 black plate.
Raytheon 12ax7 black plate runs a close second IMO.

[PakProtector]

hey-Hey!!!,
There are soo many good ones picking a favourite is not possible. Favourite rectifier, small-signal pentode, power final, MOSFET....how to categorize the list? Some are alledgedly TV tubes, like the 6BQ7A, 6CB5A, 6LW6 or 6AV5. Sometimes the more specialized the tube the better its performance can be extracted with good circuit design.
cheers,
Douglas

[jaymanaa]

Hey, I like the avatar Pak.:thmbsp: I was playing around with tubes and amps on the scope this last weekend, and ran a few of your "TV Favorites" through just to compare harmonic distortion and wow!, it's amazing what 2 bucks can buy.:yes:

[bricktop]

I'm making some triode/mosfet cascode drain curves for anyone interested...will post later maybe somewhere else...

[jt1stcav]

I have a pair of mint NOS '50s RCA black plate 6SN7GTB octals that are stellar performers, and am always looking out for more.

[jon_s]

I have a pair of mint NOS '50s RCA black plate 6SN7GTB octals that are stellar performers, and am always looking out for more.

One of my favorites too! I'm probably in the minority, but I prefer the Sylvania and RCA GTBs over the GTs. An exception for me might be the old Raytheon design (a nice first stage tube for a Williamson).

It could be an issue of price though -- the less I pay, the better I feel about a tube when it manages to sound half-decent :) My expectations are through the roof if I paid a bit more than usual, so I'm then a harsher critic. This of course contradicts the "cable theory" that spending more makes something sound better. :scratch2:

[markus]

One of my favorites too! I'm probably in the minority, but I prefer the Sylvania and RCA GTBs over the GTs. An exception for me might be the old Raytheon design (a nice first stage tube for a Williamson).

It could be an issue of price though -- the less I pay, the better I feel about a tube when it manages to sound half-decent :) My expectations are through the roof if I paid a bit more than usual, so I'm then a harsher critic. This of course contradicts the "cable theory" that spending more makes something sound better. :scratch2:

I hear that :yes:

Nothing better than spending little $$ for something great . . . .

A few years ago I bought a whole mess of tubes for about $60; in the stash were three NOS WW2 Navy tubes - still in their wax encased cardboard cocoon :D

One RCA 5U4, and two Sylvania 6SN7W's :thmbsp: I DO NOT have golden ears, so I can't gush about these tubes' sonic superiority, but they are well regarded, and it's hard to beat WW2 Military standards for tube quality :yes:

[Nailer]

The boob tube.

[westend]

I don't have a favorite , so to speak but am looking for two or four 7591's. I came acrosss an old organ in a dumpster, tonight and pulled 30 or so Baldwin 12au7's, a few 12ax7's 2 Raytheon 6lgc, and a Raytheon 5U4gb. Don't know if these have any value but the Raytheons were made in England and the smaller tubes made in USA. I'm a real tube newb so any advice or comment would be appreciated.

[FalconEddy]

I'd say my affordable favorite is the Mullard Fat-Base GZ34, produced between 1958-1961. It's quite the workhorse and has a long lifespan.

My favorite over-priced tube is the Mullard Metal-Base GZ34, produced between 1954 to 1957.

Either of these beat the pants off any GZ34/5AR4 being produced today.

. . Falcon

[RetroHacker]

My favorite tube is probably the later RCA versions of the 21FJP22. <grin>

As for an audio output tube, I really like the venerable 6V6. 6BQ5 is right up there too.

-Ian

[Bruce221]

the tubes from organs are very good 12au7 grey are good-12ax7s greys fine -it does depend on the equiptment-black plates are rated better but often not needed-bugglle boys are the best however in my opinion--Cost is big $$$-other ones to consider --tung sol-ge-phillips.

[fox_rivers]

I like the 5U4. Not sure why thought.

[bricktop]

Pretty partial to pentodes....6CL6, 6973, TS/RCA 5881.

[dividebytube]

cv4085 - the GEC version of the EF86. Simply stellar, it puts every other EF86 to shame. Prices on these are rising like mad. Weird version of this is the 'flying lead' CV4086.