Psycho-fonics - Blind testing

[angelodp]

I just went through a big batch of 12ax7's and while I do hear differences in volume and tone and I wonder.

I used a VC build that works great and sounds great. Vol, T & B straight up and no trem.

So here is what I wonder. If any of you have a basket of 12ax7 with varying price and age. Have you done, would you do a completely blind test where you simply insert a tube and listen and score it - tone, microphonics, relative vol. Pick a great guitar & speaker, cable, 6V6, 5Y3, yadayada.....

I wonder if anyone can actually call out a tube by hearing it. Is it that we have paid for that Bugle Boy or Mullard or RCA and it must sound good. Would the JJ's, Sovetek's, EH jump to the front??

Forgive me if the 'dogears' in the forum scoff at this...... I wonder.

Since everything is important in tone, is it safe to say that in terms of ranking..

Tone is in the players hands..... then

1. Circuit
2. Components and quality of build (tubes are in here)
3. Speaker & Cab
4. Guitar

[bepone]

I wonder if anyone can actually call out a tube by hearing it.

not possible.. also there is wide range of manufacturing types and shapes..but you can hear the differences.. and NOS are at least 30% better than modern tubes.. Altough i have good luck with 12AX7 JJ, often they are good enough-till-great, to keep

[angelodp]

Yes seems so, thanks for your observation.

A