12au7 in phono pre

joecoulson
joecoulson Posts: 4,943
in 2 Channel Audio
I am very fortunate to have some good relationships on this forum. It’s a pleasure to be a part of such a friendly and supportive community.

@Clipdat and @dromunds have both been kind enough to let go of some great tubes for me to roll in the Vincent (partnered with the Rega Ania)

I just got Drew ‘s shipment today. In that shipment was a pair of 1950’s Mullards. I put one in the phono and omg! The soundstage came so alive in comparison to the Genalec Gold Lion. Cymbals are so sweet sounding. What an amazing experience and I’m only one tube in!!
Thanks to both of you as I have quite a bit of experimentation to look forward to for not a lot of coin.
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Comments

  • gudnoyez
    gudnoyez Posts: 8,124
    Joe I put in a Electro Harmonix 12Au7 in my Vincent and was surprised, since we have the same Phono Pre would you suggest a Mullard over the Genelac Gold Lion you suggested to me a while back?
    Home Theater
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    2 Channel
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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    Holy crap yes. The Sonics I am hearing right now with :
    The Doors -LAWoman
    Beck - morning phase
    Dave Grohl -Play

    Are on a whole different playing field than the G lion. Everything has opened. Bass is tighter. Cymbals are so engaging, but the imaging is off the charts. Huge improvement
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  • gudnoyez
    gudnoyez Posts: 8,124
    Beck Morning Phase is a fantastic album. I guess my next tube will be a Mullard over the Genelac Gold Lion, thanks for posting.
    Home Theater
    Parasound Halo A 31 OnkyoTX-NR838 Sony XBR55X850B 55" 4K RtiA9 Fronts CsiA6 Center RtiA3 Rears FxiA6 Side Surrounds Dual Psw 111's Oppo 105D Signal Ultra Speaker Cables & IC's Signal Magic Power Cable Technics SL Q300 Panamax MR4300 Audioquest Chocolate HDMI Cables Audioquest Forest USB Cable

    2 Channel
    Adcom 555II Vincent SA-T1 Marantz SA 15S2 Denon DR-M11 Clearaudio Bluemotion SDA 2.3tl's (Z) edition MIT Terminator II Speaker Cables & IC's Adcom 545II Adcom Gtp-450 Marantz CD5004 Technics M245X SDA 2B's, SDA CRS+

    Stuff for the Head
    JD LABS C5 Headphone Amplifier, Sennheiser HD 598, Polk Audio Buckle, Polk Audio Hinge, Velodyne vPulse, Bose IE2, Sennheiser CX 200 Street II, Sennheiser MX 365

    Shower & Off the beaten path Rigs
    Polk Audio Boom Swimmer, Polk Audio Urchin B)
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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    Check your PM
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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    Here is a shot of the Mullard:

    y8156vzrhazy.jpeg
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  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    Very nice Joe! Those look minty! :smile:
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
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    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    Thanks to @Clipdat for these guys.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,801
    edited February 2019
    Interesting to see a 12AU7 used in a phono preamp. It's a fairly "low mu" (technically "medium mu") tube compared to the 6922 or 12AX7 ("high mu") amplifier tubes usually used... or is the tube "just" used as a buffer after a solid stare amp/EQ stage in your preamp?

    amplification factor(s) of the 12AU7 = 17.0 (triode 1) and 19.5 (triode 2).
    http://www.tubebooks.org/tubedata/HB-3/Receiving_Tubes_Part_2/12AU7-A.PDF

    amplification factor of the 12AX7 = 100 (both triode sections).
    http://www.tubebooks.org/tubedata/HB-3/Receiving_Tubes_Part_2/12AX7-A.PDF
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,934
    edited February 2019
    I believe the tube is used as a buffer for coloration.

    j9nquxzs72s3.jpeg
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,801
    that makes sense
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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    That’s right guys. I don’t know a fraction of what you guys know, I just know when the Mullard went in, the sound was a huge change.
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,441
    joecoulson wrote: »
    That’s right guys. I don’t know a fraction of what you guys know, I just know when the Mullard went in, the sound was a huge change.

    Naaa you were just mesmerized by the mullard orange glow. That electron cookoff will get you everytime.
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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    True^
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  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    joecoulson wrote: »
    Thanks to @Clipdat for these guys.

    I'm jealous! @Clipdat Drew where did you get those! :smile:
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,934
    I think it's cool that they made such a big difference.
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,934
    verb wrote: »
    I'm jealous! @Clipdat Drew where did you get those! :smile:

    Came with the Backert. I believe they are originally from here: http://arizonatubesupply.com/
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