INSTANT upgrade for your tube amp? Apos Ray 12AU7 Tubes

Buy Apos Ray Tubes: US - bit.ly/Ray12AU7, AUS - bit.ly/RayTubesAU
A review of the Apos Ray premium 12AU7 tubes including comparisons with JJ Electric 12AU7, Electroharmonix gold pin 12AU7 / ECC82 and NOS Philips JAN5814A 12AU7.
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00:00 Introduction
00:56 Glamour video
01:31 NOS vs new tubes
03:05 About the Apos Ray 12AU7
04:51 Sonic performance
05:56 Vs JJ Electric 12AU7
07:10 vs Electroharmonix 12AU7 Gold Pin
09:03 Test devices used
10:31 vs NOS Philips JAN5814A 12AU7
11:46 Preliminary conclusions
12:32 Synergy with other power tubes
13:57 Final conclusions
#audiophile #audioreview #tubeamp

[@PassionforSound]

It's been brought to my attention that 12AU7s are not always interchangeable with 12AT7 or 12AX7. I've happened to have a couple of amps that could accept both 12AU7 and 12AT7 so I was slightly misled by my experiences. Apologies for the error!

[@MichaelM-to4sg]

While pin out is identical between 12AU7, 12AT7 and 12AX7, you should NEVER roll tubes between these various types in most applications. The 12AU7 is a very low gain triode, the 12AX7 is 5X times higher gain, requiring very different biasing circuit. For some older guitar amps and preamps that may have a variable resistor for manual biasing, you can interchange as long as you have dmm and the knowledge/skill to properly setup the circuit for that tube. The 12AT7 is a medium gain triode, 3 x the gain of the 12AU7. I’ve never heard these new Apos , hopefully they are as good as you claim and are widely available. I’d still prefer the NOS Amperex D-getter from Holland, though they are VERY difficult to find and 70 years since production shut down. The Bugle Boy branded Amperex also are quite good. I personally avoid Telefunken in all 3 variants of ECC81(AT7), ECC82(AU7), ECC83(AX7), though their 6922 are quite decent. 70’s Mullard 12AU7 would be interesting comp to this nee Apos Ray as NOS stock is still reasonably plentiful and price for matched pair is very similar.

[@PassionforSound]

I've pinned a comment about the tube rolling. Thank you

[@pdcragin33]

Plus one for your, much more experienced, impressions. I’m a tube noobie. Heard my first tube amp at the Schittr this past Xmas and realized that all those tube-heads paying big bucks for more distortion than Solid State, were (surprise!) not living in placebo heaven. Started budgeting. Then Josh V came along effusively praising the Xduoo TA-22 balanced tube DAC/amp and I jumped on it. Enjoyed it more with dynamic drivers, including my personal flagship, the Focal Clear MG. But didn’t think I had matched my “Schitty“ experience. Planned to upgrade to a better tube amp in future. Then Apos announced the Ray. I have felt Apos to be a brand truly trying to be an audiophile resource, so knowing they were pricey I bought the Ray pair from them, trusting in their expertise which I lack. One of my better “Here goes nothin’” decisions. I no longer have upgrade plans, just plans to move the amp plus Rays into a main system preamp configuration so I can hear what they do with my speakers!

[@vaneast411]

thanks for the analysis! hopefully they will flesh out their line and maintain the quality across it as well

[@PassionforSound]

That's what I'm hoping too

[@spamcan9208]

I find it amazing that there are still warehouses full of tubes made decades ago.

[@PassionforSound]

It's bizarre, isn't it? It's getting harder and harder now though.

[@aceofspades6667]

Thanks for tube coverage.. I have multiple tube amps and agree that tube rolling is a very important part of the amp sound but also a fun part. I have a great collection of NOS tubes so will have to check these out when they come out with 12AX7.

[@PassionforSound]

My pleasure. I do hope they expand the range.

[@RaviNewfarm]

That is great news about the Apos beeing that good. Stocks for NOS are thinning out and prices increasing, so great that we are getting new production tubes at good qualities now.

[@PassionforSound]

That was my feeling too. Hopefully they'll expand their range with other models now.

[@tjp444]

I have a similar setup with the same speakers (Harbeth P3ESR-XD) but with a Muzishare X7 amp (KT88). I tried the Electroharminox 12AU7 Gold (balanced pair). I didn't care for them at all. Like you mentioned they are brighter sounding. But the deep, 3D soundstage I had previously enjoyed was almost completely gone with the Electroharmonix tubes. Tempted to try the Apos Ray tubes. I see they have a 45 day return policy which is nice.

[@PassionforSound]

I'm really not a fan of the Gold Lions due to their flat staging. You'll have no such issues with the Rays.

[@gaborozorai3714]

12au7 tubes are not fully interchangeable with 12ax7 and 12at7. The au has much lower gain and higher current output.

[@PassionforSound]

I've pinned a comment about this. Thank you

[@matthewhilty4209]

Hopefully these new production tubes are a success and Apos starts making 6V variants as well like the ECC88 since I have mostly tube amps that use those.

[@PassionforSound]

I'd love to see them expand the range too.

[@steveluck9541]

Thanks for a great review I’ve made the move back to tubes and bought a pair of 30 year old monoblocks. Four JJ ECC802S in each block and Four NOS 6C4C power tubes in each. The new amps have killed some harshness I was getting from Lowther based speakers so it’s particularly important for me not to change tubes and put that back in the system. Apps Ray sound like they’ll do what I need and put a little sparkle back. Prices aren’t terrible compared to a lot of other premium price tubes. JJ Black sable reviews suggest they can put some harshness into the top end. I’m in NZ but Amazon will ship them.

[@PassionforSound]

That's great that you've found a way to improve the sound of your system. I'm hoping that Apos will have a solution in our part of the world soon to that we can access their tubes, cables and headphones (i.e. the Apos branded stuff that's not available elsewhere)

[@frederf69]

no 6sn7's yet 😭 i'll keep an eye on them, thanks duderooney! ✌😎👍

[@PassionforSound]

That's what I want to see too!

[@edwardbit8225]

would be interesting to see how the apos distortion profile etc compares to others,more 2nd harmonics?, less 2nd harmonics? noise etc...

[@PassionforSound]

That would be interesting. I've never looked into distortion graphs for different tubes.

[@rodm1949]

I use a 6922 in my Woo OTL, recently changed to using a socket adapter that converts them to a 6SN7. The adapters are available for the 12AU7 also. There is no way I can change back because the 6SN7 gives so much more stage and room size to everything. It is ironic the timing of your reviews, I have literially just pluged in my new 6SN7c (Coke shape) and they are better than my Tungsol.

[@PassionforSound]

I love the 6SN7s!

[@PineapplePizza82]

Always appreciate your input Lachlan. Any personal experience with anything in the Feliks Audio line? What can we do to get Zach to send you a demo decware/ZMF OTL??

[@PassionforSound]

I've listened to a Feliks at a show, but that's all so far. It's always a tough ask for companies to send large, expensive tube amps from the northern hemisphere to Australia.

[@gerritfridericksohn4627]

If the AposRay is as good as the Amperex 7316 or Raytheon 7028, then shout hallelujah. Those valves were epiphanies. I had read the great HP mentioning sound stages that were "lit up all over", and these two were responsible for my hearing it. But I don't know if they are even available. I bought mine back in the eighties, and i had a hell of a time finding good ones then. Does anybody here listen to IEMs with tubes? Interesting you mention Ken rad 6sn7. The ten or so ive heard, mostly Vt231, sounded bassy. What would be a good 12au7 tube amp for IEM?

[@PassionforSound]

I can't say if the Rays are as good as those NOS tubes, but they're definitely excellent in general. Tubes and IEMs can be tricky due to noise, but I've used my Bottlehead Mainline with IEMs and some of the hybrid amps like the xDuoo TA20 Plus (just arrived for review) could be good and that one uses 12AU7s.

[@evascroll]

Great video again! Only quality content! I have use nos tube but for my 1978 yaesu radio communications and power amp! In the music/audio department I only have a duo 601 pair with a Sennheiser 58x! Always wondered how it will sound by changing the tube, but spending more than double of what my duo 601 cost in a tube have stopped me to do sow! Do I make the purchase or just get another tube amp! And do I need another amp for just my 58x, if I get another amp do I need to get a better headphone? That the question I always get in my way when in searching, and just stop and don't get nothing! Lol

[@PassionforSound]

I wouldn't spend that much for an xDuoo 601. You'll be better off upgrading the amp. I've just received the xDuoo TA-20 Plus and it's pretty cool. Review is a little way off, but it might be one to watch out for.

[@fatdoi003]

Lachlan, have you been to or bought from Tube Audio @ Latrobe st? i'm looking at their Gold Lion

[@PassionforSound]

I'm not sure - perhaps online. Are you looking at the 12AU7 Gold Lions? If so, I find them quite flat in the soundstage - not my favourite tubes.

[@fatdoi003]

@@PassionforSound yes, just looking at comparing to pair of Mullard friend got me

[@imosolar]

Great KZbin channel and please get Ray co to make KT170 tubes and 300b tubes.

[@PassionforSound]

Glad you like the channel. I'm afraid I have no influence over the tubes they make. I suspect it will be based on the demand and the other products sold by Apos.

[@aceofspades6667]

300B tubes would be fantastic but my guess is it’s way too much $ investment and the niche is so small as the 300b tube amp market is limited and very high end. Love the 300b and 845 tube sounds though.

[@jonathanhorne6503]

This family of tubes isn’t universally interchangeable. I wanted to lower the gain of a Traynor guitar amp I replaced a 12AX7 in one position with an AU7 and I instantly smoked a plate resistor. Easy fix with the replaced resistor. Just be cautious and be smart. Check the work.

[@PassionforSound]

Yes, someone else mentioned that the current requirements are also different between the tubes so it will depend on the specific design of the amp. I've pinned a comment about it as a correction. 🙂

[@shivanshumishra57]

Still waiting for Ananda Nano's review and comparison with similar headphones. When are you tentatively planning to post the video on that?

[@PassionforSound]

I recorded it on Monday. Dropping not this weekend, but the one after

[@sameh9310]

Having a xDuoo TA20+ on its way to me soon and RayTubes not available here in Germany, the ElectroHarmonix with their deeper and slightly tubier sound might pair well with the TA20+ being a hybrid :) Psvane Art series are also on my watch 👀

[@PassionforSound]

The Psvane should be quite close to the Ray tubes, I suspect.

[@sameh9310]

@@PassionforSound saw them compared to the raytubes in another Video today, and yes seems like it, thank you :) i can get a pair of factory matched ones for about 85€ (~90US$), can't go wrong with that i think.

[@Haasaaroni]

Cool new tube! Not sure they’ll outshine my Telefunken G73-R (about a $400-$500 single tube when you can find it NOS), but I’m pretty curious to hear these. You never know!

[@PassionforSound]

It's quite possible that some of those very expensive NOS tubes will still be better, but price and availability made these very appealing for me once I heard them.

[@markyexley9440]

Never touched my tubes with bare fingers - is that ok now with these?

[@PassionforSound]

Yes, you can touch tubes with bare fingers. Just make sure you let them cool first 😉

[@markyexley9440]

😅

[@barrybrennan2135]

Silicon or death.

[@PassionforSound]

Are you saying tube death or burnt finger death?

[@Rockapotamus91]

Psvane is pronounced puh-van

[@MichaelM-to4sg]

🤣🤣

[@PassionforSound]

I've always wondered that!

[@roderickfield1855]

You really shouldn't put stuff out if you don't understand the subject. 12au7 are not simply interchangeable with 12ax7 or 12at7. They may light up and make noise but you'll be tampering with linearity and moving the amp away from spec. People listen to you. You owe to your viewers to be informed.

[@PassionforSound]

I was basing that on information I had been told or read elsewhere (from reputable sources). I can only know as much as I know and can't know if there are gaps or nuances to that.

[@kmnaniak]

there is something odd with the sound quality of your voice, like the extra encoding made it worse

[@PassionforSound]

There's no extra encoding being done. I was a bit croaky for a recent recording - perhaps it's that