Tung-Sol 12AX7 (ECC83) Preamp Vacuum Tube
From our review of this tube: "There are only so many ways to describe vacuum tube tone and most have become cliches. The Tung Sol 12AX7 preamp tube has the gain and drive of a Chinese 12AX7 and the pure tone of a Mullard or Brimar."
According to the manufacturer, this Tungsol 12AX7 is the Ultimate 12AX7. Big, warm, and musical. High Gain, ultra-low microphonics, and superb linearity with a dynamic 3-D sound.
One other note about the construction of these audio tubes is they have filaments that are almost completely encased in the plate structure. They don't "light up" brightly when working properly.
Note to audiophiles: These tubes are great for linestage preamps, but generally not phono stages where a very low noise floor is required.
Other Tung-Sol tubes 
12AX7 TypesAdditional Information and Downloads
Reviews:
12AX7 Tube Review
Tube Matching Information:
Matched Sections Service
Downloads:
Tung-Sol 12AX7 Datasheet (PDF)
Download Adobe Acrobat PDF reader
Warranty Information and Return Policy
Warranty Period: 3 monthsAll our tubes are guaranteed for 3 months from the date of purchase. (Any exceptions will be noted on that tube's Warranty tab)
If you receive a tube that does not perform to the manufacturer's specifications, please do the following:
- contact us to get a return authorization
- return it via regular mail within 90 days from when we shipped it, and we will provide an exchange or refund of the full purchase price of the tube.
Returns not related to warranty or defect will be considered at our discretion, and are subject to a 15% restocking fee.
We can not accept returns that don't have an authorization, are past 3 month, or are returned improperly.
These guidelines may be updated without notice.
Ratings & Reviews
42 reviews
Nice upgrade!
by Tom
I installed a set of these in my Orange Dark Terror based on a good friend’s recommendation. I could not be happier! The Dark Terror came with Grove Tubes I believe and they sounded okay but were a bit harsh. I got a set of these Tungsol 12AX7 tubes and the gain was smoother for sure. This is a Hi Gain amp and I coupled them with a matched set of Mullard EL34s and it really made a difference. These Tungsols are a solid choice. I just ordered a full matched set for my Egnater Tourmaster 4100!
Excellent cleans
by Andrew
I recently dropped this in my Engl E530 and wow what a difference! My cleans sound so much more rich and full, not too bright, not too muddled. Great investment for a great sound!
great tone
by Daniel
Replaced my old JJ ECC83-S in the V1 with the Tungsol 12AX7. I could tell the gain wasn't as compressed as the JJ but didn't have as strong of a bottom end as the JJ. Good gain, sweeter top end. A good choice!
It's a winner!
by Bill
These are a very good value. Well made, solid sound. These are a good upgrade if you Amp shipped with China tubes. Most everything I've tried these in from amps to pedals responded well.
Tungsol 12AX7 - Smooth not harsh
by Lex
These are great tubes. I use them in both my amps now. Great smooth tone, nice shimmer and responsive. Way better than anything else I have tried, especially when you push the amp hard. I have a Tonemaster 214 and a Fender '65 Princeton Reverb, they sound way nicer than the stock tubes. I prefer these to JJs too, not as harsh, a lot smoother. I would recommend them to anyone looking for something better than stock tubes.