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I’ve wanted to try one of these in my stereo preamp for a while. I have used Telefunken ribbed plates, Mid 60s Amperex, Siemens e83cc triple mica, new Sophia Electric and new Genelex Gold Lion in the same spot. Dramatic sound difference to the other tubes. The top end is there and has air, if a bit recessed compared to Telefunken. The extreme bottom (kick drums) is not as tight as Telefunken/Siemens’s/Amperex. The mid range is not as prominent and forward as Amperex or Siemens. The big difference is in the lower mids and upper bass. The Mullard is much fuller. That tends to bind the music together - overall a more musical and listenable sound I think, and less analytical than the others. BUT, whether that is a good or bad thing is system dependant. With my last turntable/cartridge/phono, the Mullard sounded too thick in the lower mids; the Siemens added more clarity without being as analytical as the Teles. Vocals lost realism and sounded boomy and fake with the Mullard. Bass guitar lines are much more prominent with the Mullard, but not as tight as with the Tele/Siemens or even Amperex. With my new table (Rega), cart (MC) and phono (tube), the Mullard is just right. It adds bass/midrange warmth, and it’s not too much any more, but it also retains the sparkle of the Tele/Siemens and that all works a treat with my current combo. Bass is still not quite as tight as the Germans and Dutch, but that’s OK. I now switch between the Mullard and Amperex, depending on mood and music. So it can be a beautiful tube in the right setup, if lower mid/upper bass warmth will not make your overall system boomy, and if you value musicality/listenability over accuracy and you listen to music that needs a full smooth bass but doesn’t require a super tight low end. You can’t get the same sound with any other tube type in my experience. I’d definitely recommend trying the late 50s long plate halo getter Mullard if you can find a good one (or pair) at a close to sensible price. Read full review
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Without a doubt a very, very good preamp. I'm using this for my Universal Audio 610 Solo mic preamp. It has great detail, depth, warmth and helps creates a nice balanced tone in all frequencies. I'm highly impressed. I've used many NOS tubes (short of $300-500 tubes) but this one seems to be king. I will be using these from here on out.
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The sound of this tube is great, Clean tone and strong.
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Best 12AX Tube I have ever had in my Jadis!
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Dampened out the noise
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