2. amps-preamps
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Tubes for Cary V12 amps.

I have a few Cary V12 amps. When I bought them they came from the factory with Ruby EL 34's.  I have tried Winged C's, Electro Harmonix and JJ EL-34's and I have lot liked them as much as the Ruby's. I did ask Cary about the Ruby tubes. They said they designed the amp using those tubes and that is probably why the amp sounded best with those tubes.  So I have stuck with the Ruby's since (Ruby EL-34 BHT). But when I went to reorder the 36 tubes I need for the three amps I was told that the factory that produces the Ruby tubes in China had a fire and isn't currently making tubes and there are very few out there to be found. Also no word on when production will resume.

Anyone out there have any luck with tubes other than those I mentioned (Winged C's, Electro Harmonix and JJ) ?
whataboutbob1
Post removed 
jond's avatar
jond
5,706 posts
 
Gold Lion KT77 reissues are by far the best modern EL34 variant I've heard I use them religiously.
decooney
1,912 posts
 
Agree, and KT77s would be nice in a Cary V12 / V12R, particularly when the old stock Audio1 coupling caps are swapped out for better ones. The amp really responds well to this, Mundorf EVO Supreme Silver-Gold even better.


russ69's avatar
russ69
3,360 posts
 
"...I recently tried Mullard re-issues in my Music Reference RM9 MKII and was very disappointed..."
Oh, that's not good.

"...Gold Lion KT77 reissues are by far the best modern EL34 variant I've heard I use them religiously..."
Well there goes $600! 
jond's avatar
jond
5,706 posts
 
@russ69 Sometimes you get what you pay for and personally I avoid power amps with lots of output tubes for just that reason. Also why I got away from 300B amps the retubing costs.
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