Ray Tubes
Ray Tubes 12AU7 CORE Vacuum Tube
$45.00 - $99.00
Free CA Shipping
In Stock
Ray Tubes 12AU7 SELECT Vacuum Tube
$119.00 - $579.00
Canadian Shipping Details
We offer free shipping in Canada on most items when an order totals $99 or more before tax. Some exceptions apply; click here for our full shipping policy.
Estimated free shipping transit time:
- Greater Toronto Area: 1-2 business days
- Rest of Ontario: 1-3 business days
- Quebec: 2-3 business days
- Maritimes, Manitoba: 3-4 business days
- Alberta & Saskatchewan: 3-5 business days
- British Columbia: 4-6 business days
- Territories: 6-10 business days
Express options available at checkout. Orders dispatch next business day. Delivery times may be extended for remote areas.
Toronto Store Pickup
Select in-store pickup at checkout and collect your order from our store in Toronto.
Find our entrance on Bay Street, near Charles Street West. We also have a pickup area in the Manulife Centre parking garage. Click here for directions. Before coming to the store, please wait for a confirmation email indicating your order is ready for pickup.
Price Protection, Returns & Exchanges
Buy with confidence, backed by Price Protection: if our advertised price goes down within 30 days of your purchase, contact us and we'll refund the difference.
Most stock items may be returned within 14 days, or exchanged within 30 days. Some exceptions apply; click here for our full return policy.
Description
SELECT 12AU7
The SELECT 12AU7 is the best 12AU7 vacuum tube you’ll ever need. It goes above and beyond the baseline with more involved production and stricter selection, all in pursuit of superior sound. The SELECT Collection brings out the best in all your favourites.
Hand selected and tested, the Ray Tubes SELECT 12AU7 features gold pins for corrosion resistance and improved conduction. The SELECT Collection is a substantial upgrade from both New Old Stock and other new production tubes. Fewer than 5% of production meets our standards.
Introduced in 1946, the 12AU7 was the world’s first noval (nine-pin) vacuum tube. The 12AU7 is a double triode, consisting of two 6C4 tubes in a single envelope. Before the advent of solid-state electronics, it was valued for its versatility and portability. Nowadays, it’s a common sight in the pre-amp phase of tube amplifiers, where it functions as a phase inverter or driver.
Sound Characteristics
SELECT 12AU7 delivers a well-balanced tonal signature with excellent resolution and dynamic sensitivity, providing a clear, transparent, and layered sound presentation.
Bass Performance
Clean, tight, and well-controlled. Its focus on precision and clarity makes it well-suited for fast-paced music. Bass depth avoids excessive weight, ensuring a clean and well-defined low-frequency response.
Midrange Performance
Clear and well-balanced, offering good transparency and resolution. Vocals sound natural with distinct layering and detail. Instrumental sounds are reproduced with accuracy and separation.
Treble Performance
High frequencies extend smoothly with a sense of brightness and airiness. Treble detail is rich, adding liveliness and texture to the overall sound. Ideal for listeners who value purity and micro-dynamic expression in their music.
Dynamics and Soundstage
Fast transient response makes the sound feel crisp and well-articulated. It excels in presenting music with strong rhythmic elements. Soundstage is precise with well-defined layering, enhancing the depth and immersion of the listening experience.
The SELECT Collection
SELECT brings out the best in all your favourites. It goes above and beyond the baseline with more involved production and stricter selection, all in pursuit of superior sound.
Above and Beyond
Every tube we sell is carefully produced and tested to make sure it’s good enough for audio applications. At Ray Tubes, that goes without saying. The SELECT Collection is about more than that. It’s not just good enough for audio—it brings out the best in audio, revealing all those hidden details you thought you’d never hear.
Not being content with industry-standard production methods, we’ve tweaked our manufacturing process. We’ve used better materials—like gold pins for improved durability and longevity. Most importantly, we’ve enlisted audio engineers to listen to our tubes and make sure only the very best get the coveted SELECT label.
The SELECT Collection takes the reliability and consistency of the CORE Collection as its starting point, then sets its sights on one goal: superior, more nuanced sound. Simple as that.
Chosen By Audio Engineers
The SELECT Collection is the best of the best. We know — you’ve heard that before, but we mean it literally. We only sell the best tubes in each of our manufacturing batches. (The others never see the light of day.) SELECT tubes? They’re the best of those.
We don’t trust just anyone to make that choice. It’s about more than gain and transconductance and other electrical characteristics. Those are useful guides, but we know they don’t tell the full story. Instead, we rely on something you can’t put a number on: expert opinion.
Our audio engineers have decades of experience and they’re involved in the selection process from start to finish. That includes the crucial final step: listening sessions under real-world conditions.
Our thorough quality control is why we can offer the Ray Tubes One Year Warranty. If you buy a NOS tube that turns out to be a dud, there’s nothing you can do. With the SELECT Collection, you’ll have peace of mind.
Unlock Your Amp’s Full Potential
Testing vacuum tubes in real-life audio equipment shouldn’t be revolutionary, but here we are. We know the Ray Tubes SELECT Collection will sound incredible in your amp because it sounds incredible in our amp.
Have you ever felt like your vacuum tubes are holding your whole system back? You’re not alone. It’s right there in the name—“amp”. Tubes are where the amplification happens. That’s why poor quality tubes hold you back.
The SELECT Collection helps your system reach its peak potential. With a lower noise floor and detailed, nuanced sound, SELECT tubes make good amps sound great and great amps sound sublime.
More Details
The Ray Tubes One Year Warranty
Most vacuum tubes are notoriously fickle. That’s why warranties are rare. But we trust our products and we’re proud to offer our One Year Warranty against manufacturing defects. Click here for details.
Compatible Amps
Click here to explore Ray Tubes' Tube Amp Compatibility List.
Package Contents
- Set of four, two, or single vacuum tube
- User handbook featuring burn-in guidelines
- Certificate of authenticity and warranty
Technical Specifications
Tube Type: 12AU7 / ECC82 / 6189 / CV4003
Tube Socket: 9-pin
Max Anode Dissipation Power: 2.75 W
Max Screen Dissipation Power: N/A
Output Power in Class A1 Amp (Single Tube): N/A
Output Power in Class AB1 Amp: N/A
Max Anode Voltage: 300 V
Max Screen Voltage: N/A
Max Grid Voltage: ~50 V
Heater Voltage: 6.3 V
Heater Current: 0.3 A
Transconductance: 2.2 mA/V
Amplification Factor: 17
Internal Resistance: 7.7 kΩ
Specs
Dimensions
About Ray Tubes
Warranty
The Ray Tubes One Year Warranty
This warranty covers manufacturing defects for twelve months after purchase. We believe that everyone who buys our tubes deserves at least a year of quality, hassle-free sound, and if our tubes get in the way of your bliss, we'll make it right. Click here for more details.
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Personal Attention, Expert Advice
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Service Department
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