Ray Tubes
Ray Tubes SELECT 12AX7 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
CORE 12AX7
The CORE 12AX7 delivers everything you know and love about tube audio. With modern production and uncompromising selection processes ensuring reliability and consistency, the Ray Tubes CORE Collection is all you need for years of audio bliss.
Hand selected and tested, the Ray Tubes CORE 12AX7 vacuum tube is manufactured with modern production and selection processes for reliability and consistency. The CORE Collection leaves the uncertainty of the New Old Stock market behind and makes uneven performance and tube failures a thing of the past.
The 12AX7 vacuum tube was introduced in 1947 as a replacement for the earlier 6SL7 family of dual triodes, all of which were used extensively in audio applications. As one of a handful of small signal tubes that have remained in production since their first use, the 12AX7 is commonly found in the pre-amp stage of tube amplifiers and is especially associated with the emerging electric guitar sound of the 1950s.
Sound Characteristics
The CORE 12AX7 delivers a clear and natural sound profile, perfect for users who prioritize vocal and detail performance, particularly suited for systems that require smooth treble and midrange clarity.
Bass Performance
Tight, with moderate quantity and an emphasis on clarity over depth. Suited for music requiring clear, defined bass without a heavy low-end, making it ideal for rhythmic tracks where bass doesn't dominate.
Midrange Performance
Clear and direct, with prominent detail. Excellent natural reproduction of vocals, especially female voices, which exhibit finesse and transparency with a natural yet vibrant tone.
Treble Performance
Transparent and detailed, offering clarity without being overly prominent.The high frequencies are well-extended but smooth, providing a balanced presentation that remains fatigue-free over extended listening sessions.
Dynamics and Soundstage
The dynamics are well-balanced, particularly for small to medium dynamic changes. The soundstage is focused with precise imaging and clear positioning of instruments, making it ideal for small to medium-sized systems.
The CORE Collection
The entry-level CORE Collection delivers everything you know and love about tube audio. With modern production and uncompromising selection processes ensuring reliability and consistency, CORE is Ray Tubes' essential offering.
Looking to get more out of your existing system? The SELECT lineup of tubes can take your amp to the next level thanks to its more involved production and stricter selection.
Everything You Love Without the Hassle
The tube marketplace is a bit of a minefield. 70% of new production isn’t intended for audio applications, which means inconsistent sound. Meanwhile, New Old Stock (NOS) is seen as a hallmark of quality, but it’s tough to source, expensive, and old enough to collect a pension. Even quality tubes are hit or miss after the better part of a century.
That’s where the Ray Tubes CORE Collection comes in. Here’s how it works: we produce batches of brand new tubes. Then, we identify the tubes that are suitable for audio. (The rest go on to fulfilling lives in other, less demanding applications.) Thanks to our rigorous selection process, you get a tube that sounds as good as NOS and lasts as long as NOS did when it was young. Win-win.
At the end of the day, the CORE Collection is about one simple thing: delivering the tube audio you know and love, without the hassle of navigating a confusing marketplace.
Modern Selection Equals Consistency
Most of the time, buying new production tubes is like entering the lottery. Maybe you’ll hit the jackpot—that once-in-a-lifetime tube that sounds better than you ever expected. More likely, you’ll get a tube that’s only okay, or that’s actively bad.
The Ray Tubes CORE Collection takes the gambling out of new production. We measure each tube’s amplification factor, internal resistance, and other critical parameters to ensure it’s suitable for audio applications. We also make sure it’s not prone to excessive microphonics. Finally, our audio engineers sign off on each tube. The end result are tubes that sound the way they should, every time.
We think consistency is the most important quality a tube can have. Think of it this way: even if you hit the lottery with one tube, what happens if your amp needs two? Unmatched tubes won’t live up to their capabilities. Our meticulous selection process allows us to offer tubes in our CORE Collection as matched pairs.
Modern Production Equals Reliability
Vacuum tubes are delicate electrical components. Books have been written on the myriad ways they can fail — books with names like Getting the Most Out of Vacuum Tubes and first chapters titled Catastrophic Failures. We read them, and then we used that knowledge to make sure our tubes wouldn’t fail.
This is where new production has a big advantage over NOS. Our tubes haven’t been languishing for years while their components slowly deteriorate. Instead, they’re fresh out of our factories, built to our exact specifications—and we check our work. Each tube is inspected to make sure the vacuum seal holds and put through an extended burn-in period to weed out early failures.
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 CORE Collection, you’ll have peace of mind.
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 two, or single vacuum tube
- User handbook featuring burn-in guidelines
- Certificate of authenticity and warranty
Technical Specifications
Tube Type: 12AX7 / ECC83 / CV4004
Tube Socket: 9-pin
Max Anode Dissipation Power: 1 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: 1.6 mA/V
Amplification Factor: 100
Internal Resistance: 62.5 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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