New Genalex 12AX7GENGP Gold Pins (re-make of the famous B759)

[vintage_tube]

I see someone is selling these on eBay for $33 each BIN. I don't know how he is making a profit as understand that's the price for a NS dealer who would order 100.

Mine should be here Saturday -- will be interested in trying them out in the C500T.

Bob

[vintage_tube]

The tubes arrived today -- very pretty and nice stenciling. Nothing too fancy with the tube, i.e., no triple micas, etc. The gold pins look sharpe. So, I've been warming up the gear for some time now -- and then I wanted to test in my Heathkit TT-1A prior to putting them into service. They test extremely strong -- infact, the needle is pegged on both sides.

I don't recall any 12AX7 I've owned that registers this strong -- could be wrong & will test the Telefunken I have in the slots after the swap.

Will swap out & put into service in a few -- since it's easier than slicing warm butter, I'll start with the MC phono instead of the Line (line is a PITA to a degree).

Bob

[vintage_tube]

I was correct on my recollection of the "microMHOS" of the Telefunken ECC83's I had in the MC slots -- they registered 2600/2650.

Bob

[vintage_tube]

So far Im like what I'm hearing with these tubes -- more tomorrow and w/no honey do's, I'll have plenty time available to do several more swaps between them and the Telefunkens I had in the MC slots.

Bob

P.S. Painters left today -- 13 days inside painting -- didn't realize it would interfere with my listening and other things I had planned to do.

[jdandy]

Bob.......When I typed Genalex 12AX7 Gold Pins into the Google search line, your first post in this thread is the first hit. How about that.

[vintage_tube]

Originally Posted by jdandy

Bob.......When I typed Genalex 12AX7 Gold Pins into the Google search line, your first post in this thread is the first hit. How about that.

Dam

(from the fish joke ......)

Bob

[vintage_tube]

Okay, I've played with A/B'ing these for a couple hours yesterday & begain again this morning in ernest -- 6 hours+ today alone. Back n' forth after and hour or so with each (GL Reissue 12AX7GENGP & a 04/'60 pair of Telefunken smoothe plates).

For auditioning I chose some of the best vinyl I have -- Musicmattersjazz (Hank Mobley for instance & Lee Morgan), Diana Krall 180g w/Doug Sax mastering, Nat King Cole releases mastered by Steve Hoffman (St. Louis Blues), some MFSL's and a few original RL Masterdisc masterings.

Bottom line -- I like both actually; with probably the GL Reissue having a slightly more presentation and a smidgen bit better microdynamics. The GL is a tiny bit louder (for most of the auditioning I listened around 42 on my C500P which equates to around 3-30watts on the MC2301's). No, I didn't break out my SPL meter.

The GL’s were brand new -- whereas the Telefunkens have 1,000's of hours on them. Will the GL's get better over time....maybe & maybe not. Don't have that answer but have left the GL's in for now.

In a nut shell, I could live with both and probably lean more towards the GL simply because it registers so high on mutual conductance my Heathkit TT-1A -- since I'm unable to ascertain it's exact microMHOS - it's at least 750 or higher than my Telefunkens.

Which one is quieter -- hard to say actually, as my system is pretty darn quiet the way it is with either tube. I'll say this, the GL is not any noisier that's for sure.

I'll try the GL in my line side next weekend and report back. I won't be swapping out as many times as I did the MC side for this A/B'ing (MC swaps take 20 seconds or so).

I'll also state, these may or may not be the tubes for your system as there is a synergy thing I firmly believe in. I recall taking some GEC A2900's over to a friend’s house after he auditioned them here. They did nothing like they did an hour or so previously in my system.

Enjoy the music & the travels there.


Bob

[Dj_AmTraX]

Thanks for the info Bob. Gives me another option when it's time to upgrade the small tubes in my Mc2000 & Mc275.

[Face]

I should be ordering a pair tomorrow for my phono pre.

[vintage_tube]

I liked them quite a bit and they now reside in those MC slots for more burn in/use.

I'd like to add a bit more concerning Genalex & when they came out with the reissue KT88's. For the most part, those tubes registered 8500 micoMHOS and some even higher, 8600, 8650 or so.

Fast forward several years and after producing thousands of them; somewhere New Sensor/Genalex has let the quality slip -- anyone would be hard pressed to find a new GL Reissue KT88 that tests above 7700 +/- 100.

So, if what I report above is 1/2 truth, wonder if these 12AX7's will also see a slip in production QC as time goes on? One reason I ordered a few more than needed.

Bob