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12ax7 12AU7 EL34 / KT 88/ 6550 upgrades for PL2

I acquired a used primaluna prologue two a month or so ago. This is my first experience with tube amp. Coming from rotel amplification I am just wowed with the tubes. The PL2 had upgraded tung sol 6550s. Nice sound. But I changed to new issue Electro Harmonix H EL34EH. Ran-in the tubes two days straight with music. Was simply blown away with soundstage and tone! Guitar riffs and blues sound gorgeous! Bass isn't too shabby either. Quite enjoyable.

Then found a little more improvement by switching 12ax7s from stock to Electro Harmonix ($10 bucks each).

The tried changing out 12AU7 with some old used tunsol 5963/12au7 (made in the USA) and was not happy. Changed back to stock.

Does anybody have any good experiences with upgrading the 12ax7/12au7 and power tubes on the PL2. I would appreciate the advise. Tube rolling is so much fun!

My speakers are quad 22L2, cd player oppo bdp 83se and analog source is MMF5 w/ MMshure ML140E.

Rohitdev (System | Threads | Answers | This Thread)

11-20-10

Responses (1-32 of 32)

Click title to read one, or click date to read all below it.

11-20-10 I do not have experience with your gear, but have found elec ... Hifiman5

11-20-10 I have owned the pl2 & pl5 for 5 years. after experimenti ... Rar1

11-20-10 Thank you hifiman & rich. pardon my ignorance but by eh for ... Rohitdev

11-20-10 Correct ... new production eh tubes made in russia. rich Rar1

11-20-10 Rich, thank you for confirming hifiman, thanks for the herb ... Rohitdev

11-21-10 I use mullards for the 12ax and rca cleartops for the 12au t ... Grinnell

11-21-10 I've a prima luna prologue 2 using shuguang black treasure k ... Horchai

11-21-10 Oh yes, herbie labs ultra sonic rx tube rings for the preamp ... Horchai

11-21-10 Horchai - thank you. the shuguang treasure kt88-zs look gorg ... Rohitdev

11-21-10 http://www.ehx.com/ Rwwear

11-21-10 Ok rwwear. stop with the links already. my thread is for hif ... Rohitdev

11-22-10 I would get nos gec kt88, thats what i did and stop rolling ... Maxmad

11-22-10 I have a prologue 6. the 12ax7's are too good to swap. nos ... Orpheus10

11-22-10 Were the 12ax7's that you swapped out, shuguang. i found th ... Orpheus10

11-22-10 Orpheus10 - the 12ax7 i swapped were stock primaluna for the ... Rohitdev

11-22-10 Yes, they are the best bargain in nos tubes. i get mine fro ... Orpheus10

11-28-10 Thanks orpheus10. i did call upscale and was told the pre tu ... Rohitdev

11-29-10 I am currently using sed "winged" 6550cs, along wi ... Jwglista

12-01-10 Jwglista - i agree with you on the 6550s sounding a bit flat ... Rohitdev

12-02-10 I've only tried the stock kt88s so far. i'd like to go for ... Jwglista

12-02-10 I don't have the same amp, but the gold lion kt88s sounded t ... Evilfij

12-03-10: Rohitdev
yes jwglista, i am getting skeptical of the value we can find sonically in upgrading the 12au7 tubes. I have always been thinking of the reissue gold lion KT88s in favor of the shuguang kt88 z since the price is nearly half!

evilfij - I have the tungsol 6550 reissues and like them. The Electro-harmonix EL34s though are more exciting in the mids than the tungsol 6550 reissues in the primaluna prologue 2.

Currently running in the new mullard 12ax7s. They sang for an hour or so last night and already sound promising...
Rohitdev (System | Threads | Answers | This Thread)

12-06-10 I am loving the new mullard 12ax7s. kevin's advice was right ... Rohitdev

12-15-10 I just got my shuguang kt88z treasures grade a. thanks horch ... Rohitdev

12-18-10 Any views on the shuangung psvanne tubes the 12aux7 , import ... David12

12-18-10 Love the telefunken 12au7 ribbed plate in my vac sig mkiia. ... Knghifi

12-19-10 Go with the genalex gold lions. it's a new standard for tube ... Analogtubes

12-30-10 I just purchased 2 matched sets of the psvane 12au7s from gr ... Thehub

12-31-10 I just ordered some pavane 12au7's from grant fidelity. the ... Ladavid

01-07-11 Any updates on those 12au7s guys? Rohitdev

01-19-11 I have had the amp (cary120s mk2) back from cary for about t ... Thehub

01-23-11 I am reclining in my listening room thoroughly enjoying the ... Hifiman5