Matsushita 12AX7

domct203 · Dec 19, 2008

Merry Christmas to me

I just scored this pair of Matsushita 12AX7's. I'm definatly going to try one in the PI of my Roadster.

Any suggestions on where to try the other?
I'm currently running:
V1 = RFT 12AX7
V2 = Mullard ECC83
V3 = GE Longplate 12AX7
V4 = Mullard CV2024
V5 = RCA 12AX7A
V6 = Sovtek 12AX7LPS

I play alot of Rock and Metal, with some drop tuned stuff (AC/DC, Ozzy, Social D, AIC, Godsmack, Soundgarden etc)

Dom

Strat N My Stuff · Dec 19, 2008

That's a current production Chinese made tube right? Myself, I haven't heard much about the breakup characteristics, but I'm always interested if anyone is getting good sounds from something other than the same tubes everyone is lookin' for. ie. Mullards/ Tele's/RCA Blackplates

I would expect that you are getting a pretty early breakup with a balanced sound from the RFT in V1? J

212Mavguy · Dec 19, 2008

The Matsu-not-so-sheety with the 45 degree getter halo is about a Chinese as a Mullard is...they're commonly referred to as the "Japanese Mullard." They are no longer produced, were formerly made in Japan on Mullard tooling and when new have a brighter top end than any of the Philips family of short plate 12ax7's that they are a first cousin of. Talking Philips, Miniwatt, Amperex, Mullard, and Siemens here. They have some of the best build quality of the family, they tend to have good matching between sections, unusually resistant to microphonics, and last one fuggalong time.

In my experiences when brand new they need to be righteously pummeled for several hundred hours to take some of that top end off to sound their best. Well used ones sound very similar to their Mullard first cousins, with that awesome Mullard mid. You could stick the second one somewhere in the positions for the dirty channel(s) but be ready to have your face ripped off. Or stick it in the first position of the clean channel for some big bottom and bright top glassy cleans. Sometimes they show up with Raytheon labels on eBay. I have a bunch. Unusually good quality/price ratio.

cb101 · Dec 20, 2008

I picked up two from Brent Jesse about three months ago and they are really good sounding tubes. In my Fender Concert II they seem to be really balanced. I've been alternating in V1 between the M and a RCA blackplate and can't really tell the difference except the M has a little more boost in the midrange.

Timbre Wolf · Dec 20, 2008

domct203 said:
I'm currently running:
V1 = RFT 12AX7
V2 = Mullard ECC83
V3 = GE Longplate 12AX7
V4 = Mullard CV2024
V5 = RCA 12AX7A
V6 = Sovtek 12AX7LPS

Well... I don't think you really need those Matsushita, since your current lineup is quite impressive. But I'd recommend trading them for that Mullard in V2 first, just to check on the the character change. Also, it is so easy to swap tubes, I wouldn't bother trying to anticipate your taste, and will just say - try some swaps, and A-B yourself to your preferred set.

- Thom

domct203 · Dec 24, 2008

Timbre Wolf said:
domct203 said:

I'm currently running:
V1 = RFT 12AX7
V2 = Mullard ECC83
V3 = GE Longplate 12AX7
V4 = Mullard CV2024
V5 = RCA 12AX7A
V6 = Sovtek 12AX7LPS

Click to expand...

Well... I don't think you really need those Matsushita, since your current lineup is quite impressive. But I'd recommend trading them for that Mullard in V2 first, just to check on the the character change. Also, it is so easy to swap tubes, I wouldn't bother trying to anticipate your taste, and will just say - try some swaps, and A-B yourself to your preferred set.

- Thom

Thanks Thom,
That setup is the result of a lot of help from this Board (and patience).

Yea LOL, it's not really a "need" thing here, but for $30/pair I had to give them a roll. I can't wait to try the Mats in V2 in comparison to the Mullard, and in V6 for the PI.

Dom