12BH7 in ST70

I just replaced V1 and V3 on my ST70 with 12BH7's...is it my imagination or does it all sound 'punchier', 'bassier' and louder??
Overall it seems to be a much fuller sound.

they do generally sound better than 12AU7s, I have a few sets of them if anyone else wants some

they seem to be a really nice combination with the Gold Lion KT66's.
Be interesting to listen to it once I have my SP9 connected to it.

I suppose a lot would depend on your musical preferences too ... I found a couple different sets to be a bit dark for my tastes and went back with the 12AU7 varieties. Of the 12BH7's I tried, my favorite would be 1960's Sylvania yellow labels.

Currently running a triode matched 1940's RCA foil getter in the center position with a well matched pair of RCA clear tops in the sides on my ST120. Those have actually been in there for a while now ... p'raps my rolling fever has abated somewhat.

Don't forget the 5814 family ... lotsa folk like those.

I find music, like movies, are all about personal taste. What sounds good to one pair of ears may not sound the same to another.
It is interesting how even a set of tubes, same model from same maker, can sound different. Thats what I'm finding fascinating with tubes, just don't really get that with solid state.

Try Brimar 13D5s for a taste of the High Life Yep, tube production was and is a complex process with an enormous amount of variance.

The beauty of tubes you can customize for the sound that is best to you!
I'm using 12BH7s in my VTA ST-120 (300 hours) and Russian PIO up grade, KT88 with a Schiit Gungnir DAC (500 hours) through Kilpsch Heresy 1 speakers (known to be a little bass shy) and let me tell you with the 12BH7s bass is full and listening to HD music it sounds amazing!  
Amateur review of the Schiit Gungnir coming soon.

I should also mention that my input tube is a T-12AU7A-TAD.
Well I got hold of two kinda bare ST70 chassis, they'll need to be re chromed, so I might build an ST120 in one of them

Montana,
  FIY: Here's the hybrid, headphone amp that I ended up purchasing: HD + DAC. I did a lot of research, but ended up with a new item.

That PAT is a collectible. I wouldn't build it; it would probably lose value.

pmarcin wrote:Montana,
  FIY: Here's the hybrid, headphone amp that I ended up purchasing: HDphone + DAC. I did a lot of research, but ended up with a new item.

That PAT is a collectible. I wouldn't build it; it would probably lose value.

your link is not working.
I ended up ordering a HDphone amp from Mr Nixie in Germany, look here, http://www.nixiekits.eu and click on Headphone Amp, I have one of his magic eye 'VU' meter, works and looks great.
I really do not need a real high end HDphone amp, I've read a lot of good reports about the Mr Nixie unit and for my use it will work just fine.

Fixed link. That Nixie looks interesting.

pmarcin wrote:Fixed link. That Nixie looks interesting.

yes, I think Mr Nixie has some really good ideas and products. I like how he has been able to squeeze the circuits into a relatively small area using mainly surface mount components.
His preamps too look pretty interesting.

In my ST120 I went from NOS RCA cleartop 12AU7s to RAM tested 12BH7s and the difference was not subtle.    The RAM tubes are more transparent and dynamic and even at low volume levels deliver tons of detail.  That was in the V1/V3 section.  

In V2 I compared a new issue Genalex 12AU7 with matched triodes to a RAM 12BH7 (with triodes matched in gain) and again the RAM was superior.  I'm not affiliated with RAM Labs.  Just a very satisfied customer.

Mr. Nixie's amp is a winner, too. That HDphone amp is tiny with mini-tubes. I like the fact that he uses off the norm Russian tubes, but where do you get them here?

pmarcin wrote:Mr. Nixie's amp is a winner, too. That HDphone amp is tiny with mini-tubes. I like the fact that he uses off the norm Russian tubes, but where do you get them here?

not sure if you can, probably have to order them from Europe, maybe eBay or similar.
Yes, I really like his stuff, an interesting combination of modern surface mount tech with old fashioned tubes, he really seems to know and understand his electronics!