Please identify these tubes 12AU7

acmf74
acmf74 Posts: 936
I have 3 of these but need one more for a preamp. They are all 12AU7 and need a fourth to complete the set. Does anyone recognize them? aleamgxlesef.jpg

Comments

  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,934
    No idea about the tubes but I think it might be Miller Time.
  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,582
    Clear top RCA's. There are much better tubes than those.
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited March 2023
    Yes, based on the limited photo's they appear to be RCA manufactured tubes known as "clear tops". They are called that because the getter material is flashed on one side of the tube and it uses a "side" mounted getter. Most all other 9 pin signal tubes have the getter material flashed at the top of the tube and the getter mounted to the top mica via a post or the top of a grid post.

    To me the sound is slanted upward and is very bright and they lack body. They are a very common tube made in the late 60's through the late 70's and perhaps even early 80's. Inexpensive.

    There are better balanced tubes out there, but many like these especially if your system is darker and or closed in.

    Personally, I couldn't get them out of my rig fast enough. I only tried them one time awhile ago. Don't need to try them again. IMO, of course.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,437
    Agree with all above
  • acmf74
    acmf74 Posts: 936
    Thanks everyone!