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Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 - different grades?

Hello all - I’ve been searching for a new set of tubes for my Manley Snappers and have decided to go with the Gold Lion KT77s & 12AX7 . One seller I like has referenced they have different grades "Gold/Platinum" of the 12AX7 , lower noise shelf , microphonics etc....is this possible or sales hype.....as I look around other sellers the 12AX7s all look the same , no classification differences...thanks
tommypenngotti
facten
3,124 posts
 
Brent Jessee is another reliable NOS tube vendor
Here's a link to his 12ax7 tube page , aside from a listing of brands/models available, you can also read his assessment of how the brands/models soundhttp://www.audiotubes.com/12ax7.htm

disclosure I am only a customer
johnss
680 posts
 
Would agree with @milpai, go with the psvanes from vivatubes.

vivia tubes is also carrying the latest vanes, the new art series.. Have just ordered a quad set for myself but have not tried em yet.
jjss49's avatar
jjss49
6,920 posts
 
rodman99 is correct

i should restate what i posted earlier

genalex gold lion reissues are russian tubes, the brand is owned now by new sensor, and the tubes are made in the saratov russian plant... quality is quite good, probably the best currently made tube

it is the golden dragons, which are chinese tubes, made by shuguang... the chinese have improved their quality quite a bit since the bad old days of the 2000's and early 2010's... but russian tubes are still better in general
vegasears
1,173 posts
 
@jjss49 thanks for the update on the Shuguang QC improvement. I had tried there KT-88's years ago and really enjoyed them but there were to many failures within the first few months to justify continued use.
oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 
I have, the a few of the original GLs 1960s stuff, a quad of KT77 and KT88s, I have a set of KT77s russian made current matched (12). They sound a lot like the original GL. I don’t like the sound, it’s darker, lacks luster, so to speak. Some folks seem to like that sound, I don’t! I have GLs 12AX7s, 12AU7s, and EL84s, not a one of them are anything to write home about. NOS, New, or otherwise.

A valve that is really stepping up to the plate is PSVANE, I picked up 12AX7s and 12AU7s, VERY good valves, as close to the older Tellies or RCA black plate as I can find, Excellent valves... THAT is the sound I like.

It is VERY tubie, by todays standards.. YES TUBIE. A little bloat in the middle and silky smooth on the top, not brash, or all metal sounding, no bass because I don’t use valve units for bass on the power side.

In a preamp they are just the bomb, great bottom to top. Kind of a frown, if we were looking at an Graphic EQ.

Regards
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