Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I have two Vox Cambridge amps. Being hybrid amps it has a 12x7's in its distortion channels. What tube would you recommend for them and where would you get them?

I put an EH in my Cambridge 15. Perhaps a tad warmer, but no real difference to my ears. You can get EHs just about anywhere, I think.

Howdy,

If you can FIND a Telefunken, use it. They're the best and longest-lasting by far.

Eggman

and expensive!

but watch out for fakes, very cleverly done.

or try GE JAN 5751's

The most authentic VOX sound will be gotten with Ei 12AX7s, especially the old smooth gray plate ones. They simply sound great in VOX amps.

I'm with Charlie on Ei's. Of currently produced tubes (Ei sort of doesn't count, since I don't think any have been made in a long time) I would put the new Tung Sol reissue tubes next and the Chinese ones after that. I haven't been very happy with the other New Sensor ones (EH/Sovtek/Svetlana [New Sensor owns the Svetlana name in the US]) or the regular 12AX7s made by JJ (I really do want to try their ECC803, which is supposedly more open and less dark.) I've heard better things about the Sovtek 12AX7LPS, but can't verify it. I have heard great things about the SED 12AX7, but have also heard they can be problemmatic in guitar amps (noise.) While I do like a lot of Groove Tubes' stuff, their Mullard 12AX7 reissue was quite disappointing to me.

Another +1 for EI 12AX7's, although I'd suggest to buy them from a dealer that checks them for microphonics. It may cost a little more but its worth it. From what I've heard, EI hasn't made tubes since last summer, but there is still a lot out there new. You definitly want the grey plate ones rather than the shiny plate ones. I would guess that VTV sells these....as does Angela instruments, although Angela is almost out. (I got 3 recently)

The new Tung-Sols are very nice. The EH 12AX7 and most of the Sovteks are reliable, but only sound ok. Same with the JJ ECC83. The JJ ECC803 is pretty good, and the Sovtek 12AX&LPS is pretty good too. I haven't tried the SED 12AX7 yet although I've heard good and bad about them. I don't like the Groove Tubes one very much either.

I just replaced my 12AX7 EI gray plates in my Jolida tube amp for a pair of the new Tung-Sols and prefer them over the EI's for HiFi.

Thats good to know the new Tung-Sols are good for hi-fi too. The EI's have pretty much taken over that market the last couple years, but with the EI's getting hard to find in a non-microphonic tube, something else is needed. I haven't tried the Tung-Sol in any hi-fi stuff yet...just guitar amps, but I like it everywhere I've tried it so far.