1. Home
  2. amps-preamps
  3. 1282804225

I need a lower gain 12au7 for Mastersound

I recently purchased a Mastersound Due Venti. It has 2 JJ ecc82 gold pins in the preamp. I find them to be a little high gain for my tastes. They do sound quite nice though don't get me wrong.

Could anyone recommend a 12au7 or variant that naturally has less gain than the JJ but still retains quite a lot of detail and low noise? New or NOS, doesn't matter to me.

Any responses or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Or if anyone has a Due Venti maybe they could let me know what preamp tubes they prefer?

I'm running it with a pair of La Scala's, they're just a little too efficient maybe...

Thanks for your time!!
ddderek

Showing 6 responses by viridian

viridian's avatar
viridian
4,184 posts
 
A simple solution to the gain issue is to use an attenuator between your CD player and the input of the Mastersound:

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?accstwek&1285430556&/Rothwell-10-dB-attenuators--rc

like the one listed above. Good luck.
viridian's avatar
viridian
4,184 posts
 
Then you have asked the wrong question. You just need quieter driver tubes, not lower gain tubes. Tubes vary quite a bit in the amount of their ambient noise. You just need tubes that are selected for low noise. They are available from most dealers. Many of us, myself included, use tube amps with Klipsch speakers and have minimal issues with noise.
viridian's avatar
viridian
4,184 posts
 
My suggestion is to talk with Jim McShane, you can google him. He is a good tube seller. Kevin Deal at Upscale audio should be able to give you guidance on low noise tubes as well.
viridian's avatar
viridian
4,184 posts
 
I suggested that you speak with Jim because he is very candid and has a great deal of experience. There is another option that you should speak with a good tube monger about and that is the ruggedized, industrial grade, 12AU7s that are less microphonic than the standard breed. My favorite is 5963 but 7189 and particularly 6680 are other industrial direct substitues. They will still need to be graded for noise however. I am somewhat less than sanguine about my RAM Labs tubes, but that's what makes horse racing.
viridian's avatar
viridian
4,184 posts
 
Sorry, I meant 6189, not 7189.
viridian's avatar
viridian
4,184 posts
 
Derek, thanks for the heads up, I often get my hookers and Viagra from Moldova, but never thought of getting tubes there.

In all seriousness, it's so great to correspond with someone that has had some issues with their first tube experience and works through it in the spirit of a greater connection with the music. Tube gear has a reputation, in some quarters, of being unreliable, and that is because, as you have learned, there needs to be a small amount of knowledge and involvement from the owner. But once sorted out, my experience is that tube gear is at least as reliable, and oft times more reliable, than solid-state. I am glad to see that you are finally enjoying the fruits of your labor.
More to discover