TAD 12AX7-C (cryo version)

[SonicProvocateur]

So...I was thinking I might have a dying cap somewhere in my Mark III so I replaced my preamp tubes (a slew of Mesa vintage 7025's and other high gain russian tubes) with some of these chinese cryo treated TAD tubes...man...I am totally dissapointed. Either I -do- have a leaking capacitor, or these are totally lacking in the gain department.

They are very very clear sounding, and very dynamic, but totally lacking for my lead tones. If anyone has any suggestions please tell me. They are currently occupying V1, V2, and V3, with a Mesa 7025 in V4.

 

[SonicProvocateur]

Retract statement about them lacking gain. Insert statement about me being a doofus for not checking equipment properly. My DD3's battery was dead and decided to not bypass. Still, after swapping the TAD in V3 for a 7025, and the 7025 in V4 for a TAD my lead sound improved. It's a very low noise transparent tube. Still not enough gain for my tastes. I'll stick to my normal choice of russian tubes.

Cryo treatment gets a thumbs up for ultra-low microphonics. Clean sounds are kinda dull, imo. Not very sparkly.

 

[Gtr_Pkr]

I love the cryogenic treatment of tubes!! When I retubed my TR, I put all cryo-treated tubes in the pre-amp section. The sound is just superb! Clean, clear, and the amp has plenty of gain. BTW, I should say that the tubes were EH 12AX7 gold pins. Try one of these tubes and I am confident that you will like them.

 

[SonicProvocateur]

Yeah, the cryo treatment wasn't the problem, it definitely made the tubes cleaner and less microphonic, but the fact that the TAD tubes were just medium gain Sino tubes is what it was. Not enough gain and not the right voicing for progressive metal. I've already gone back to russian tubes and am much happier...however the TAD Sino's sound great in my Orange amp!

I haven't tried out the EH gold pins, but I love the regular EH's so i'll have to give them a whirl.