Name your NEW Re-Issue 12au7, 12at7, 12ax7 tubes (your favorites, and why?)

@decooney , Thank you for this thread. I have next to zero experience with new production small tubes. I have a pre and a pair of monos that run 12AU7’s they came with new JJ ECC82’s and 801’s , I just don’t care for their sound. They look great and are very quiet but I went nos , hence I’m looking forward to the upcoming posts. I just had my first experience with 12AX7’s in my mono blocs and replaced the provided new production Tung Sol 5751 gold pins with a matched set of nos Telefunken 12AX7’s from Brent Jesse at a cost of $318. To my amazement it was a huge step backwards which came as a total shock to this Tekefunken fanboy. The Tung Sol’s are dynamic , airy and produce a large soundstage. But in this application the Tekefunken’s are sharp, edgy and overall unpleasant. FWIT my Rogue Hera pre has 5 gain stages that are set independently of the volume control allowing me to set the gain down on the 12AX7’s to be more comparable to the lower mu 5751’s. So for me these Tung Sol’s are a winner. Since I’m now needing a phone stage due to the Hera I’ll keep the Telefunkens since I’m considering a tube pre. Thanks again, I’m eager to learn about new production Vs buying 6-8 pairs. Mike B. 

To @buellrider97 - how long have you run-in the vintage Tele's from Brent, how many hours?  Are they used or truly new-old-stock, if you know?

Apparently the gain is the same on the older Tele's compared to your new issue JJ 12ax7s, yet reading up some times each of these tubes can behave in different ways in different circuits.  My amps originally came with new JJ 12au7, 12at7 tubes. Any vintage Mullard, Brimar, GE, Tungsram, RCA, all sound different from the new JJs. And, new PSVANE or new re-issue Mullard also sound different from the new JJs in my amps.  I wonder if your stock JJ tubes are well burned in, as another reason you might hear a different result. 

Yes, 100 hours of burn-in is recommended, I would talk to Brent if the sound remained the same after it. He closes his business on March 5th, by the way.

They are his top tier standard Tekefunkens and are trace curve matched. I gave them about 70-80 hours to burn in. Yes they improved but I liked the new Tung Sol’s more , hence my comment. Knowing I’ll now need a phono stage I just put them in my stash of tubes. I have about a dozen pairs of nice nos 12AU7’s for my line stage pre.