Tubes Asylum Questions about tubes and gear that glows. FAQ

---

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] Thread: [ Display  All  Email ] [ Tubes Asylum ]

---

[ Alert Moderator ]

---

Many excellent NOS 12AU7 choices - some at reasonable cost

Posted by Bambi B (A) on June 23, 2009 at 09:50:51

In Reply to: JJ-Tesla 12au7 Long Plates in VAC PA80/80? posted by Jeff Jenkins on June 22, 2009 at 13:31:17:

jtube,

I think there are many choices for 12AU7's that can better the JAN-Philips- which are probably mid- 80's, and without hearing them, I'm quite certain the JJ's and Shuguang's could be equaled or bettered as well by NOS and possibly at a similar cost or even less with patience.

My favourite ("ultimate") 12AU7s:
Z.> Philips / Amperex / Valvo 7316 / ECC186 which is refined, transparent, naturally timbred, spatial, and detailed,
X.> the Siemens triple mica 5814A/ E82CC that is punchy and energetic, detailed, smooth, and very quiet,
Y.> the CBS 5814A, which is much like the 7316, but a bit more liquid. Of these, the CBS is reasonably priced while the Siemens and the 7316 generally have gotten somewhat expensive.

If you're on a budget: I would suggest you try a pair of about 1970 Sylvania grey plate 5814A's. I bought 8 of these at $1.50 each NOS about three-four years ago- actually in order to get 4- CBS 5814As in the same lot (at about $8 each) and the RCA's are surprisingly good- quite deep and full sounding. I should think the RCA black plate "Command" 5814A, a well-made tube that I bought a couple of years ago for $4 each in the boxes would improve on any of the tubes you've used so far in your VAC. Actually, the ordinary early to late 60's Philips-made ECC82 is just fine- and there are millions around.

By the way, in my view the RCA "cleartop" -of which I have some very good Tektronix ones- is a very good tube for waking up sleepy vintage, but may be bright in modern gear. - That is speculation as all my use of 12AU7s is in vintage- McIntosh, Fisher, and Scott.

Keep in mind these tubes may last more than 10 years in your VAC- the drivers in my Audio Research D115 are the original 1985 ones- so spending $25 instead of $10 on each of 2 tubes means about $1.50 per year extra over their lifetime,..

The NOS 12AU7 seemed to have a rapid price rise a few years ago- 4?- and perhaps the guitar amp crowd discovered them, but there are still good values. Watch German Ebay for the Siemens and 7316 for example.

Happy hunting and let us know what you try.

Cheers,

Bambi B

PS: 12AU7's at Home:


12AU7 [6] 1, 2, 2, 1 TOTAL: 67 > [Notice that I use 6 but have 67,..]

4- Philips SQ/ by Siemens 5814A -3 mica- DE- NOS
5- Brimar ECC82 "cleartop"- GB- NOS
2- Sylvania JHS 12AU7WA- 6189- NOS 66
1- HP/ Amperex-- NOS
1- HP/ RCA- "cleartop"- NOS
4- RCA- 5814A- black plate 2 mica- NOS
4- RCA/ Textronix 2-matched prs "cleartop" NOS
3- Valvo/ Philips ECC82- dimp disc-Holland -NOS
1- Valvo/ Siemens E82CC- NOS
2- CBS 5814A- JHS blk plate- stirrup gtr- NOS 57
7- RCA cleartop- USED
1- Amperex Bugle Boy 7316- Holland- NOS 64
4- RCA “Command” 5814A- NOS
4- CBS 5814A- blk pl- square gtr- NOS
8- Sylvania 5814A- USA- c.1970
2- National by RCA- 5814WA- black pl- US- NOS
3- Siemens- E82CC/6189- 2mica, halo- DE- NOS
4- Siemens 5814A -3 mica- USED/TNOS
1- Valvo 6189- RTC- France- dbl gtr sup- NOS
8- Valvo ECC186/7316- Holland- 1965- NOS
-1- Siemens/H E82CC/6189- 3 mica- DE-NOS

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

Kimber Kable

---

[ Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]

---

[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]

---