Happy Boxing Day everyone!
Just wanted to let you know that I just installed a set of Sylvania NOS CHS 12AU7’s. Replaced the stock Psvanes.
The price on sale was only $12 cdn each.
The midrange is smooth yet detailed with zero high frequency etching. Bass is full and round with great articulation. I also enjoy them better than my 12AU7 NOS Tungsrams as well which I didn’t care for in the high frequencies as much as the Psvanes.
Cheers
Give them 100 hours and they get even better!
Is this the tube you are using,
Thanks
Very good, thank you
I don’t want to start messing around with a bunch of different tubes, because I know it could easily lead me down the rabbit hole. But I will try this reasonably priced tube in my BHK pre next time I replace the tubes.
Have you or anyone else tried this tube in the BHK amplifiers?
12au7 won’t work in BHK amps.
Can you please link a source for these? Thanks!
What the heck…even cheaper now!
…oops they are out of stock for now.
Another source that I’ve used with exceedingly good results. It’s a tough one posting a source, though eBay certainly isn’t hidden…I’ve have a pair marked for Baldwin and Conn organs, respectively. Both are fantastic but slightly different. These tubes aren’t new (obviously) nor unknown but I believe undervalued. I have no connection with the seller other than very pleased customer.
Search for mid-50s GE 6189 for another underrated gem.
My Gold Lion 12AU7’s arrived. I put them in the preamp and liked them immediately. They are very quiet I like the midrange tone. They are very dynamic with excellent well controlled bass. They have excellent soundstaging. This all just out of the box. i want to see how they settle in!
I had a similar experience with the GL 12au7s.
In my BHK Pre I run the Shuguang Treasure CV181-Z, very happy with the sound.
Are you sure you’re running these in a BHK preamp?
With an adaptor? These have 8 pins, not 9 and appear to draw more current than the BHK can supply or right about its max.
I asked the question in this thread about the 6sn7 family of tubes drawing twice the filament current and Mr King said there wouldn’t be a problem and that he ran 6sn7 tubes in his Pre Amp. Yes you have to use a 6sn7 to a 12au adapter. I cut a mesh screen, painted black, with 2 holes to accommodate the taller tubes. I’ve been running these tubes for over 3 months without any problems. 
Awesome!
How high above the plane of the top lacquered surface do they protrude? It’s hard to tell from the photo.
My cv181-z tubes are 3 1/2 inches tall. I use an adapter and a 8 pin socket saver to get the tube 90% out of the chassis. Because theses tubes have a greater diameter than the 12au7 tubes and this set up gets the glass of the tubes away from components inside the BHK
Seems like a lot of work to use those tubes. Why not just find a 12au7 you like?
Thanks. Too tall to fit in my setup. I took the steel grill off very early on as I found it only served to hold heat and I have no risk of inadvertently sticking little hands in the guts.
Seems they are bit special - https://www.tnt-audio.com/accessories/shuguang_treasures_cv181_e.html
This all started with me wanting to use a pair of 12bh7 tubes from my collection of tubes, one thing to another and I’m here with these 181-z tubes. I have another stereo setup with tube pre and power amps I have built over the years, so I have lots of tubes to experiment with for different sound and tones. It’s just a hobby of mine.
