I have a pair of Raytheon 5751 black Plate with Windmill Getter. I upgraded from a Telefunken 12AX7 smooth plate and this one blew me away for its extremely low noise floor and ultra detailing, yet retaining a very liquid smooth sound. I have never looked back since then. I know someone who might have a pair, let me know if you want them.
Which Telefunken 12ax7
I'd like to hear from members who are familiar with NOS Telefunken 12ax7s from the 1950&60s. I've spoken with three different tube vendors who are frequently recommended on this forum and received three different assessments of the ribbed vs smooth plate versions. One vendor said there was no sonic difference, while the other two were opposed as to which was warmer and which was more detailed. I sure would appreciate it if you guys could help straighten this out.