THE MIGHTY MAX IN 2003...Long time ago, maybe 10 years back, Morita would visit me a lot, asking for information that I had gathered from the net about vacuum tubes. At that time, he and I both shared a great passion for tubes and records, and we have continued the bond in present times. I printed out some tube info for him, among which was this 2003 article on a shootout among tube brands by the Hong Kong tube afficionados. This was how 'crazy' they were about tube brands and tube rolling. They organized an event, a party even, for this shootout but what is more revealing now, as Morita has pointed out to me a few days ago, was the fact that the Eastern Electric Minimax Line stage of Alex was used for this 12AU7 tube shootout. Well, in 2003, I didn't even know what a Minimax was, I was an ARC and Jadis boy, but now, things are changing - just like global warming.
The full article can be clicked at the bottom of this page.
Best of the Best 12AU7From: ah_yung1d
Date: Sun Mar 16, 2003 12:31 am
Subject: 12AU7 Party - Result
We have a wonderful party, with champagne and perhaps the biggest crowd ever in Vintage Sound, to
celebrate the launch of the Eastern Electric MiniMax pre-amp designed by Alex, and also to attend the 12AU7 shoot out.
Just to give the background on the system used today :
Source : Jungson SACD player (as transport) + Micromega Duo BS DAC
Pre-amp : EE MiniMax with GEC CV4005 + Telefunken E80CC/N in 1st stage
Power amp : BBC AM8/6 KT88 PP monoblock
Speaker : Early 15 ohm Spendor BC-1
Due to the vast number of 12AU7 tested, we decided to use famous "Choi Kam 3-noter" track as seen and heard in the opening scene of recent blockbuster, "The Infernal Affair".
Because of the large audience and number of 12AU7, I had to be full-time "tube changer" and stood next to the speaker in front of the audience during the shoot-out. Therefore, I cannot provide any fair input to the comparison but just to summarize the comments I heard.
We have tested 17 12AU7 this afternoon and, apart from the Chinese 12AU7, all the 12AU7 test are what people will be regarded as Rolls Royce or BMW grade. Some 12AU7 some members brought in are so rare that their very existence have never been reported.
And they are (in the sequence of appearance this afternoon) :
Amperex long welded plate D-getter 12AU7 (pre-1955)
Chinese stock 12AU7
RCA 1940's black plate square getter 12AU7
Valvo long plate D-getter ECC82 (pre-1955)
Siemens chrome plater double getter support ECC82
Marconi toast plate square getter wrinkle glass B329 (Mullard made)
Telefunken ribbed plate wrinkle glass square getter ECC82 (the most early version)
Telefunken smooth plate copper rod ECC82
Telefunken ECC802S factory certified version
Telefunken ECC802S generic version
Brimar long black plate square getter 12AU7
Brimar half box plate square getter CV4003
Hivac shinny black long smooth side square getter CV491
Gold Monarch B749
Mullard 10M gold pins 12AU7
Cossor wrinkle glass long welded plate square getter double support
12AU7 (likely to be Mullard/Ediswan made)
Lorenz welded plate circle getter 12AU7 (tested below standard!)
As expected, there is no single 12AU7 rated by all above all others. But a few did stood out from the rest. And the Best of the Best are (in no particular order):
- Gold Monarch B749
- Lorenz welded plate circle getter 12AU7 (even with sub-standard readings!)
- Mullard 10M gold pins 12AU7
- Telefunken ECC802S factory certified version
- Cossor wrinkle glass long welded plate square getter double support
- Siemens chrome plater double getter support ECC82
- Marconi toast plate square getter wrinkle glass B329 (Mullard made)
For the full text:
http://hktubeaudio.homestead.com/files/ ... _12AU7.htm