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Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7
Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 3:48 pm
by D|C|M|E
Anybody here every use these, specifically in your Orange? Worth the hype? Did you use gold pin or standard pin?
Re: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7
Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 3:56 pm
by Jondog
Overkill in my opinion. They are good though if you want to spend the money.
Re: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7
Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 4:23 pm
by D|C|M|E
Jondog wrote: ↑Tue Mar 13, 2018 3:56 pm
Overkill in my opinion. They are good though if you want to spend the money.
Overkill on what aspect? Too much gain? Too much something else? What amp did you use them in?
Thanks for the response.
Re: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7
Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 4:47 pm
by Jondog
Too expensive for what you can get cheaper. Not saying I wouldn’t buy them ever, but I get great sound and reliabilty out of less expensive tubes. If I had a hifi amp I’d use them.
Re: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7
Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 4:49 pm
by caldurham
pricey, but for me they are worth it. and i usually go cheap/inexpensive with everything. usually any negative reviews i see for them are when someone uses them in a hifi system and not a guitar amp. i've only used the gold pins so i can not say about the standard pin. i don't know of a 12ax7 tube with a higher gain than the gold lions and they will get to break up quickly. lows, mids and highs are all pronounced and very articulate. i like them in everything i've tried them in so far. if you can grab them cheap i would snatch them up quickly.
Re: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7
Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 4:57 pm
by D|C|M|E
Jondog wrote: ↑Tue Mar 13, 2018 4:47 pm
Too expensive for what you can get cheaper. Not saying I wouldn’t buy them ever, but I get great sound and reliabilty out of less expensive tubes. If I had a hifi amp I’d use them.
That's fair. So what 12ax7 do you like for the dirty stages? I'm looking to make my distorted highs crisper and tighter and less like waterfall hiss and looking for more high-mid articulation also.
caldurham wrote: ↑Tue Mar 13, 2018 4:49 pm
pricey, but for me they are worth it. and i usually go cheap/inexpensive with everything. usually any negative reviews i see for them are when someone uses them in a hifi system and not a guitar amp. i've only used the gold pins so i can not say about the standard pin. i don't know of a 12ax7 tube with a higher gain than the gold lions and they will get to break up quickly. lows, mids and highs are all pronounced and very articulate. i like them in everything i've tried them in so far. if you can grab them cheap i would snatch them up quickly.
Sounds like you're speaking my language. That's the kind of improvement I really want in my Rockerverb dirty stages.
Re: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7
Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2018 1:14 pm
by acidvoodoo
My OR15 is loaded with gold pins, very noticeable difference in tone from stock tubes. More vintage sounding and reduced gain. I'd have to disagree with the other post saying they are "high gain". I'd try some Tung-Sols first if thats what your after, they are much more affordable and truly a high gain tube.
Re: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7
Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2018 2:00 pm
by Jondog
Gold pins are good if you have gold terminals and contacts like in boutique hifi equipment.
Re: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7
Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2018 2:41 pm
by caldurham
there is also a difference between how the gold pin and standard pin gold lions are made. it's not just the pins. gold pins have longer plates whereas the standard pin has shorter plates. there is a few other differences but i can't think of them off the top of my head. the standard pins should also have a lower average µ compared to the gold pins. i've never tried the standard pin gold lions though.
Re: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7
Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2018 4:59 pm
by SIXTENCONNECTOR
Even though everyones opinion on sound is unique. After much swapping here's what worked best for me and my RV MK2.
V1 - Mullard (IEC)
V2 - Tung Sol
V3 - Electro Harmonix
PI - Sovtek LPS
Reverb Send/Return - Jan Phil;lips AT7
FX loop - Mullard cv4024
I play hard rock. Also im not really a tube snob but that Mullard (IEC) in V1 really made a huge difference. Try and find one that tests well and isn't stupidly priced. The EH had the most gain between the TS and EH. EH gave it a little extra grit that two TS in V2/V3 didn't bring. Do yourself a favor and keep track of every single swap you make and record quick samples. You will forget what sounded good and what the placement was. Not only that we get (well i get) ear fatigued when listening to the same boring riff over and over again. What sounds good early in your testing might not later in the day. Try and play the exact same riff, chords, playing style etc and record at each swap. Go back and listen next day. Keep good notes!! Good luck
Re: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7
Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2018 6:09 pm
by Jondog
caldurham wrote: ↑Wed Mar 14, 2018 2:41 pm
there is also a difference between how the gold pin and standard pin gold lions are made. it's not just the pins. gold pins have longer plates whereas the standard pin has shorter plates. there is a few other differences but i can't think of them off the top of my head. the standard pins should also have a lower average µ compared to the gold pins. i've never tried the standard pin gold lions though.
Plates will make a difference
Re: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7
Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2018 6:22 pm
by D|C|M|E
SIXTENCONNECTOR wrote: ↑Thu Mar 15, 2018 4:59 pm
Even though everyones opinion on sound is unique. After much swapping here's what worked best for me and my RV MK2.
V1 - Mullard (IEC)
V2 - Tung Sol
V3 - Electro Harmonix
PI - Sovtek LPS
Reverb Send/Return - Jan Phil;lips AT7
FX loop - Mullard cv4024
I play hard rock. Also im not really a tube snob but that Mullard (IEC) in V1 really made a huge difference. Try and find one that tests well and isn't stupidly priced. The EH had the most gain between the TS and EH. EH gave it a little extra grit that two TS in V2/V3 didn't bring. Do yourself a favor and keep track of every single swap you make and record quick samples. You will forget what sounded good and what the placement was. Not only that we get (well i get) ear fatigued when listening to the same boring riff over and over again. What sounds good early in your testing might not later in the day. Try and play the exact same riff, chords, playing style etc and record at each swap. Go back and listen next day. Keep good notes!! Good luck
Thanks, man. I've been strictly adhering to playing the same riffs and parts with the same settings in all my trials. Good advice.
Does anybody have any wisdom about accessing the preamp tubes over the wall of a quad of EL34s? I can't get my hand past them to remove the cap on the preamp tubes let alone wiggle them out of the socket.
If I pull out one or two power tubes from the sockets so I can access the preamp tubes, will there need to be any other re-biasing after placing the power tubes back in? Will that dollywaggle anything up?
I feel like the answer will me know but I can't find anything online about it.
Re: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7
Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2018 12:43 am
by langmurf
I bought a pair of GL 12AX7's from a going out of business site... paid $24 per tube. I love the GL 12AX7's. I haven't tried them in my Rocker 15 yet, but tried them in my TTHW when I had it and think they are stellar tubes. My second favorite 12AX7 after original Mullard pulls from a 1965 Vox Cambridge Reverb.
Re: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7
Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2018 4:10 pm
by Les Paul Lover
D|C|M|E wrote: ↑Thu Mar 15, 2018 6:22 pm
SIXTENCONNECTOR wrote: ↑Thu Mar 15, 2018 4:59 pm
Even though everyones opinion on sound is unique. After much swapping here's what worked best for me and my RV MK2.
V1 - Mullard (IEC)
V2 - Tung Sol
V3 - Electro Harmonix
PI - Sovtek LPS
Reverb Send/Return - Jan Phil;lips AT7
FX loop - Mullard cv4024
I play hard rock. Also im not really a tube snob but that Mullard (IEC) in V1 really made a huge difference. Try and find one that tests well and isn't stupidly priced. The EH had the most gain between the TS and EH. EH gave it a little extra grit that two TS in V2/V3 didn't bring. Do yourself a favor and keep track of every single swap you make and record quick samples. You will forget what sounded good and what the placement was. Not only that we get (well i get) ear fatigued when listening to the same boring riff over and over again. What sounds good early in your testing might not later in the day. Try and play the exact same riff, chords, playing style etc and record at each swap. Go back and listen next day. Keep good notes!! Good luck
Thanks, man. I've been strictly adhering to playing the same riffs and parts with the same settings in all my trials. Good advice.
Does anybody have any wisdom about accessing the preamp tubes over the wall of a quad of EL34s? I can't get my hand past them to remove the cap on the preamp tubes let alone wiggle them out of the socket.
If I pull out one or two power tubes from the sockets so I can access the preamp tubes, will there need to be any other re-biasing after placing the power tubes back in? Will that dollywaggle anything up?
I feel like the answer will me know but I can't find anything online about it.
If you remove the el34 and replace them in exactly the same position, there should be no need to rebias. Biasing is valve specific - you insert a balance pair, and bias that pair together. Remove them and replace in the same location, no need to rebias.
Frankly, it might simply be easier to remove the head from its sleeve. It's only 4 screws (through the rubber feet) and then it comes off.
It will make aligning the new 12AX7 pins a lot easier when fitting them back in.
JUST DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING ON THE PCB and you'll be fine. Those caps store a very nasty shock when touched.