From greddin@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu Wed Jul 24 13:54:04 2002
Subject:12AX7 vs 12AU7

Hello,

In various user reviews on tube preamps you can find claims such as:

"...I recently changed the 12AX7 and put in a Chinese 12AU7. As a result, my preamp sounds a bit rounder and not as edgy or brittle..."

My question is, if true, why wouldn't the manufacturer install the most appropriately voiced tube--especially if their product was developed for "warmth" rather than "distortion" (such as a Tube Works Blue Tube or similar products)?

Are the tube swapping customers merely people with too much time on their hands or, are there other factors I'm missing here?

-G-

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