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The Dynaco Tube Audio Forum

Dedicated to the restoration and preservation of all original Dynaco tube audio equipment - Customer support for Tubes4hifi VTA tube amp and preamp kits and all Dynakitparts.com products


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    A few 12AU7s Do I have anything "special" here?

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    jhoak


    Posts : 46
    Join date : 2009-10-16
    Age : 66
    Location : Central Florida

    A few 12AU7s Do I have anything "special" here? Empty A few 12AU7s Do I have anything "special" here?

    Post by jhoak Wed Sep 07, 2011 7:46 am

    Please enlighten me.

    Yesterday I picked up a Cary 303/300 CD player. The seller handed me a small bag of "surplus" tubes for it. The stock tubes are Electro Harmonix. In the bag was:

    A pair of RCA 12AU7
    A Pair of Philips ECC82
    a Pair of Groove Tubes 12AU7

    Are any of these what one would call standout? My amp uses 3 12AU7s in the driver stage so I might have an opportunity to do a bit of rolling

    Here's the photos of them. Only one of each is shown and the EH are currently installed in the player.

    A few 12AU7s Do I have anything "special" here? 12AU7-1

    A few 12AU7s Do I have anything "special" here? 12AU7-2
    Bob Latino
    Bob Latino
    Admin


    Posts : 3260
    Join date : 2008-11-26
    Location : Massachusetts

    A few 12AU7s Do I have anything "special" here? Empty Re: A few 12AU7s Do I have anything "special" here?

    Post by Bob Latino Wed Sep 07, 2011 12:44 pm

    Hi Jeff,

    The best thing to do is to let your own ears be your guide. There is no one "best" tube for an application. Personally, I like the Mullard CV4003 for most 12AU7 applications. That is not to say that the Mullard may be the best in ALL 12AU7 applications. For the phase splitter section of the LOWER gain version of the VTA driver board and the phase splitter of the M-125's, I like 12BH7 tubes. For your Cary you should also try 12BH7 tubes in place of 12AU7 tubes. They are not exactly the same as a 12AU7 (they have slightly lower gain) but the *should* work OK in almost any 12AU7 application.

    Bob
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    Tom


    Posts : 217
    Join date : 2011-04-04

    A few 12AU7s Do I have anything "special" here? Empty Re: A few 12AU7s Do I have anything "special" here?

    Post by Tom Fri Sep 30, 2011 1:35 pm

    I have those RCA cleartops in my SP-8 preamp for the line stage.
    They're pretty well thought of and IMHO sound amazing.

    Smile Tom

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