Chandler tube driver 12au7 vs 12ax7

I placed an nos amperex 12at7 in the 911 toneworks pedal and it def. So the bottom line is that you can use either of these tubes in your marshall amp. Diy guitar enthusiast and amped guest blogger kurt prange, who works at amplified parts in arizona, compares 22 different brands of 12ax7 tubes to see how they differ rca and sylvania first introduced the 12ax7 to the world in the late 1940s. Driverinput tubes i need somebody to either explain or steer me to an explanation of the 12ax712at7 tubes purpose in my jolida jd502p power amp. Tube driver 12au7 with bias tube driver 12ax7 with bias diamond memory lane 2 catatlinbread. Discussion in the workbench started by paramedic006, mar 28, 2010. The svts preamp uses the 12dw7 half 12ax7, half 12au7 with the 12ax7 side as a gain stage and the 12au7 side as a cathode follower. I have a wavelength napoleon power amps that use this similar tube and have found that this is a great way to change the presentation of the sound.

Theres no way to tell you why the designer is using a 12ax7 and a 12au7 other than the two tubes probably serve different fiunctions in the amplifier. I was away to stick in an order for some new 12ax7 s to replace the crappy ones that are in my amp right now, would it be worthwhile to replace the 12au7 s aswell, or do they not affect the sound as much. Hey all, i am not new to guitar but i am new to owning a tube amp and this is my first time experiencing issues with the tubes. In many cases, these tubes are interchangeable and can easily be swapped.

Useful for reverb or maybe a cathode follower in a guitar amp. I was away to stick in an order for some new 12ax7s to replace the crappy ones that are in my amp right now, would it be worthwhile to replace the 12au7s aswell, or do they not affect the sound as much. By using modern components and innovative solidstate driver circuitry we are now able to make a valve amplifier that is considerably superior to the valve amps of the past. You can safely put a lower gain tube anywhere a higher gain tubed was supposed to live. Because of the high gain, 12ax7 in v1 has a lot of effect on sonics. You can probably request a 12ax7 tube of certain off spec tolerance from a tube supplier. What is the difference between the 12ax7, 12at7, and 12au7 preamp tubes. The brimar cv4004 is an excellent uk made 12ax7 with a quasi boxed anode. Best tube for my chandler tube driver discussion in effects, pedals, strings. All new tubes had at least 20 hours of burn in time on them.

You arent actually getting 60 mu out of a 12at7 in a 12ax7 slot, and you arent getting anything close to 45 mu from a 12au7. Also, as tube manufacturing became refined, the 12ax7a became much quieter. What types of tubes can be considered as compatible with. However, from what i understand from various techs, the tube doesnt really contribute all that much to the circuit.

It features controls for out level, eq sometimes split into high and low eq, and tube drive level. Each side of the tube does a different job in the amp, like two separate tubes. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our. These tubes are dual triodes actually two tubes in one. Chandler industries tube driver overdrive pedal of the day. Lets take a look at the less glamorous, but equally important type of amplifier tube the preamp tube. The 12ax7 is by far the best known preamp tube among guitar players. As well, this tubes low gain make it a great choice for tube preamps in hifi stereo systems. The 12bh7 compares more to ecc8112au7, not to ecc8312ax7. The real deal tube driver from the original designer. What other items do customers buy after viewing this item. Its because running a 12au7 or 12at7 in a circuit designed for a 12ax7 biases them cold, damn near sterile. Steve, could you tell us your ranking of the 12au7s.

See all about 12ax7 tube page for answers on common. It was released for public sale under the 12ax7 identifier on september 15, 1947. Theres been much debate on what tube sounds the best, especially between the 12ax7 and the 12au7, but basically it comes down to personal preference, like most things in our gear. Really just depends on the tube and more importantly the tube compared to what you have currently. But if the designer says it will work in this application, you should assume its ok to make the substitution. Heart of the tube driver is a real handselected 12ax7 tube by bk butler himself. Unfollow 12au7 tube to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. When i had a chandler tube od i always preferred a 12au7. This is not a reissue of the original 1980s bkb chandler tube driver versions. So if youre rolling tubes, this is the place to start.

Today, it is by far the most common preamp tube used for electric guitar amplification and there is an almost overwhelming supply of current production options to choose from. Since the tele 12ax7 is the best of its kind, bar none, i was truly disappointed in the 12au7. The tube king has a similarly big, amplike tone as butlers tube driver, with perhaps slightly more gain available. If i recall correctly it basically is higher dissipation. Due to the fact that my tube drivers are oneoff limited production items, i do not offer a return policy. Each pedal takes me several hours of my personal time. The original 12ax7 in these can be a tad harsh, but swapping it out for a lower gain 12au7 or 12at7 makes a considerable improvement in the tube kings overall tone and noise floor. The circuit layout and pathways were very similar to the 1980s circuits, but there were several component value changes across the circuit that affect the way it sounds. I have since retubed it with a 12au7 in the preamp stage and a 12at7 for the inverter. One might serve as the phase splitter and the other the pre amp or driver tube. Just the different types, 12ax7 for distortion, 12au7 for least. We have a limited supply of low noise selected tubes, as well as brimar cv4004 with balanced sections.

Arguably the best sounding american 12au7s ever made are the rca clear tops and tungsols. It all depends what the reverb driver was designed to use. If you are looking to upgrade the tubes in your amp, 12ax7 in v1 where you want to start. The ecc82 valve also known as a 12au7 is a low gain preamp valve used in guitar amps and hifi ampliers. Posted by pedal of the day on friday, december 19, 2014 in chandler industries, overdrive distortion 1 comment. Any 12axx tube is made as a 12ax7, then it is tested and rated as to how much gain it creates. Discussion in audio hardware started by nevillekapadia, nov 6. The distortion on my first td was a bit too rough at low drive settings for my taste, so i. After using this tube in all of my guitar amps 12 both vintage 1954 and brand spanking new i can say with great confidence that this is a solid, great sounding and durable tube. This can only be used in parallel filament circuits. The 5814a is a militaryindustrial grade 12au7 with low noise and highreliability spec. Preamp tubes are cathodebiased well, after the 50s anyway but a big jump in plate resistance will put the tube out of bias range. What is the difference between the 12ax7, 12at7, and 12au7. The only claimed changes are lowered hum, lowered noise and microphonics in some sheets.

Chandler tube driver vs tube works 911 telecaster guitar forum. A 12au7 can take a much higher amount of plate current than a 12ax7 so by substituting the 12au7 side, you increase the gain and lower the headroom, and an svt already has tons of gain. Ive also read where people say they test out nos 5751 that test close to a 12ax7. It is unmarked, other than bk written on it with a sharpie. The baja tube driver is basically a replica reverse engineered bk butler tube. In most tubes, like the 12ax7, the two sides are identical. Also have a couple of low noise 12ax7s to look at and a 12au7 to test with, on either preamp channel or as pi maybe. A hand made reissue of butlers original 911 tube driver tube works design from the 1990s. We heard one model with 12au7 but the majority were 12ax7 based. Jul 02, 2016 bkb chandler tube driver demoing the different pickup position tones on a strat. The first, original, one was the bk butler chandler tube driver. The chandler tube driver in davidas rig from 19932006 has a.

Mar 10, 2017 tube driver bias with yugoslavia 12ax7 and tube driver chandler sylvania jan 12au7. Nov 28, 2009 many valve amps made today are replications of pre 1950 technology when valve amp designs and performance was restricted by limited knowledge and component technology. So much in fact that a lot of 12ax7as were labeled 7025s a very quiet version of the 12ax7. The 12au7, being a slightly lower gain tube than the 12ax7, was slightly smoother and cleaner sounding at low drive settings in my old bkb chandler tds, but there was a less noticable difference in my 911 tube drivers. Its like changing the types of tubes anywhere from a weak 12au7 to a blistering 12at7. The use of this valve will give more headroom and clarity and lower the gain on a over distorted valve amp. Psvane signal tubes i had a roll with its 12au7 brother too seem to have one thing in common tonal. All 12at7 ecc81 6201 cv4024 12au7 ecc82 cv4003 5814 12ax7 ecc83 cv4004 5751 6922 6dj8 7308 pcc88 6sl7. These are dual triodes and there are two complete tube sections in each capsule, therefore, one tube can serve. We will take a look at why you might, or might not want to swap out the different types of tubes. Compatible with all electric guitars and amplifiers. What is the tube it is supposed to use according to the schematic.

We carry a vast number of 12ax7 tubes to help you get the right sonic from your gear. By jazman, january 30, 2003 in 2channel home audio. Discussion in audio hardware started by erocka2000. Apr 27, 2017 testing 12ax7 vs 12au7a preamp tube in marshall jcm 2000 dsl 50. Example my epi bc30 uses both halves of an ecc8312ax7 as the reverb driver, replacing it with a highercurrent lessgain genuine mullard ecc8112at7 was. The 12ax7 is the voltage amplifier in the amp the 12au7 is the driver tube the 12ax7, being upstream, will have the most sonic merit. Jun 22, 2006 i have a cayin ha1a and which uses 12ax7, 12au7 and two el84. From left, rca 5751, sovtek lps, tungsol reissue, psvane, ge triple mica black plate 5751. Can be combined with silicon rings to reduce vibration noises. Some folks have found happiness using a 12at7 as a preamp tube, but imo a 5751 is a better choice. Tube driver bias with yugoslavia 12ax7 and tube driver chandler sylvania jan 12au7.

Rca 12ax7 the rca is simply the hottest sounding of the us made tubes. I replaced the original 12ax7 tube with a jj electronics 12au7. Also, i wouldnt recommend using a 12ax7 in place of a 12at7 in a reverb driver. Tube amps use multiple tubes, and the first position is referred to as v1. Bkb chandler tube driver demoing the different pickup position tones on a strat.

It belongs to a large family of dual triode vacuum tubes which share the same pinout eia 9a, including in particular the very commonly used lowmu 12au7 and highmu 12ax7. If you have any amp that is producing too much gain with 12ax7 preamp tubes, then you could swap these for a lower gain tube such as a 5751 or 12at7 which would help reduce the gain in the amp. This is not a big deal as virtually all audio equipment is of. If you look closely at all the sheets, all conditions listed for the 12ax7 are identical to the 12ax7a and the 7025. If you get your hands on one it will make you smile. These are great as far as they go, but they dont provide dirt from the output section of a tube amp the ot and speakers. As has been said they can often be used in place of a 12au7, but they make good driver tubes. Then i engrave my signature on the bottom of the case. The 12bh7 compares more to ecc81 12au7, not to ecc83 12ax7. The 12ax7 in that application will likely have a very short life.

Jan 10, 2018 12at7, 12ay7, 12au7 instead of a 12ax7 might tone it down. The distortion on my first td was a bit too rough at low drive settings for my taste, so i swapped out several different 12au7 tubes. I read so much on here about nos vs cp and im gonna start small to see if i can tell the difference. One of the most commonly found driver tubes found in pushpull tube audio power amplifiers is the 12au7 tube.

When i turn on the mains switch i notice that one of the tubes does not glow nearly as brightly as all the others. This vacuum tube retainer for small 12ax7, 12at7 and 12au7 tubes is only necessary if tubes are mounted where vibration may cause them to work out of the socket, but if needed do provide a hold down for loose stabbed sockets. I pulled the yugo 12ax7 and installed a 1962 blackburn mullard 12au7,now. The core of the pedal is a handselected 12ax7 tube which gives you a. A sample of two tube driver an old chandler with mullard ecc81 vs a new b. Thats the cool thing about these, you can easily modify them. Test of a fender hot rod deluxe with different driver tubes v3. If you were looking for a tube electrically equivalent to a 12ax7 with lower gain, the 5751 is what youre looking for. Its just that an nos 12ax7a tube is considered to be premium over the 12ax7. Butler tube driver the core circuit design on the 2000s reissue 911 tube driver is similar to the original 198587 versions, but there were several component value changes across the circuit that affect the way it sounds, as well as different pots. Jan, 2017 any experience with an original bk butler tube driver.

Tone, reliability discussion in amps and cabs bg started by. Shown above left to right an original long plate ei yugoslavian 12ax7 tube rebranded tube driver that shipped with the original bkb chandler tube driver in 198687, and a short plate, unbranded goldern dragon 12ax7 that ships with the reissue tube drivers made since 2006. I get preamp tubes in a preamp, but ive found it difficult to find a clear explanation of what the driver and input tubes are actually doing, and their relative importance to the sound of the amp. Each unit is hand built to my specs and i personally check out each tube driver to perfection. It was developed around 1946 by rca engineers in camden, new jersey, under developmental number a4522. But i wouldnt worry too much about which particular brand of tubes, or new vs. Tube shootout 12ax7 vs 12au7 vs 5751 dsl50 youtube. I have a cayin ha1a and which uses 12ax7, 12au7 and two el84. Please either pay in full in advance or 50% up front and the balance before shipping. Utilization the general configuration of the tube driver is really easy to follow, and it is easy to get a good sound from this. Rca and sylvania first introduced the 12ax7 to the world in the late 1940s.

I wouldnt recommend using a 12ax7 in place of a 12at7 in a reverb driver. Tube driver original by bk butler with bias control. So switching from a 12ax7 to a 12au7 is a bit like switching from ge clipping diodes. This is a little different than the bk butler tube driver im told. I have a bevy of new and new old stock tubes here to listen to and the jj 12ax7s stands up there with the finest available. The chandler tube driver is an overdrive pedal most famously used by eric johnson, david gilmour, billy gibbons and joe satriani. Today, it is by far the most common preamp tube used for electric guitar amplification and there is an almost overwhelming supply of current. It is made in the usa has a 14 inch input and output and i believe is has a 12ax7 type tube. The 12au7, being a slightly lower gain tube than the 12ax7, was slightly smoother and cleaner sounding at low drive settings in my old bkbchandler tds, but. You can use any current production 12ax7 tube as 12ax7a, ecc83 or 7025.

Best tube for my chandler tube driver the gear page. It was 9v powered, like most pedals, making it more marketable to a larger crowd. The chandler tube driver is a real tube based overdrive guitar pedal. Are you looking for the very best tubes for your vacuum tube amplifier.

The 12ax7, 12at7, and 12au7 all belong to the same family of nine contact, twin triode tubes. There are lots of 12ax7 tubes on ebay, but few 12ax7wa. I happen to be using a 50s black plate 12au7 because it was the only 12au7 i had in the house. Long plate construction, superb for phono stages, hifi, and guitar amps.

Testing 12ax7 vs 12au7a preamp tube in marshall jcm 2000 dsl 50. Any experience with an original bk butler tube driver. Jan 30, 2003 12au7 vs 6sn7, or other tube based preamps. Slow, groggy, bloated, just lays there like my exgirlfriend. Tube depot carries a selection of 12au7 ecc82 cv4003 5814a pre amp vacuum tubes. Well i got my bk butler tube driver wbias mod today and ive fiddled with it for a few hours and im still well in first impression territory but i have all too much to say about this pedal, so sorry for the short storybook im about to write. Reverb driver question12ax7 vs 12at7 a guitar forum. Theres been much debate on what tube sounds the best, especially between the 12ax7 and the 12au7, but basically it. You can always replacing a highergain tube with a lowergain tube, using your ears to tell you whether this was good idea or not.