12ax7WXT

[Eulipian]

Looking for tube data sheet for 12ax7WXT.  No love from Radio Museum, National Valve Museum, Sylvania and RCA tube manuals, Duncan, AES, Dr. Tube's linked sites, various other web sites, forums and the google.  What I've gleaned so far is "low noise and a lack of microphonics" from Gear Page, TDPRI.com, and Tube Store review of Sovtek 5881WXT (which may be wholly irrelevant to the 12ax7). The ones I have are Sovtek if that matters.
Thanks,
Carl

[PRR]

How does it *sound*?

The data as amplifier will be same-as 12AX7. The "W" *implies* a (US) Military Rugged spec but there's little detail in TungSol's 12AX7W sheet; also Sovtek did not supply the US military. The "XT" may have the same meaning as "XR7" on a Mercury Cougar (you paid more).

[Ritchie200]

I'm sure you probably saw this review, but it was pretty interesting in the scope of the test.

My 75 Cougar XR7 was an awesome beast!  That 351 Windsor hauled a two horse trailer all over the Midwest with my butt in luxurious leather comfort!  Worth every penny!  The WXT, maybe not?

Jim

http://netads.com/~meo/Guitar/Tubes/MooksTasteTests/tt-12ax7.html

[Eulipian]

I'm sure you probably saw this review, but it was pretty interesting in the scope of the test.

My 75 Cougar XR7 was an awesome beast!  That 351 Windsor hauled a two horse trailer all over the Midwest with my butt in luxurious leather comfort!  Worth every penny!  The WXT, maybe not?

Thanks for the Mooks link, Jim.  I had not seen it.  Consistent with what I've read elsewhere.  Coincidence on the Cougar.  We had one with the 351 and that thing was faaaaaast.  Red with black buckets.  Loved driving that thing.

[MakerDP]

My aunt and uncle had matching white and burgandy XR7's they bought new together. Nice cars. Basically luxury Mustangs.

[Ritchie200]

My wife saw this thread and started cracking up.  She said: Only a bunch of dudes can turn a complex electronics discussion into reminiscing about a car.

I don't see the problem?

Jim

[silverfox]

The "XT" may have the same meaning as "XR7" on a Mercury Cougar (you paid more).

Funny story. My daughter bought her first car couple years ago- Mercury Cougar, 1999 XR7, with rebuilt tranny and fuel injected 289. Paid $650. just before Memorial Day weekend. Ended up getting totaled due to the fact someone backed into the trunk and dented it and insurance said: Totaled. Bought it back for $250 and got 3x the money cash value.

Also seen some of the 70's Cougars my Dad's contemporaries drove in the day; Back when Amway and Tupperware were the thing. Ahh, the years of riding around country roads listening to Led Zeppelin or Jethro Tull.

My wife saw this thread and started cracking up.  She said: Only a bunch of dudes can turn a complex electronics discussion into reminiscing about a car.
I don't see the problem?

Jim

edit: Hey Ritchie, did your wife ever ride around in car partying like it's 197x, Casset playing and, what, a bottle of Boone's Farm Wine?

silverfox..

[MakerDP]

Here's what my aunt and uncle had...



They were absolutely beautiful cars. My cousin would always try and talk my aunt into taking him cruising on McHenry Ave. in Modesto (the same strip George Lucas made famous.)

[shooter]

My Dad built up a late 60's Chevy II for my Brother, buffed out, mag wheels, mechanically sound.  I installed a sound system, great looking car (250- 6)

a couple weeks later Tom comes home fogging mosquitos with a ~70 351 cougar!
Where's the Chevy?  Oh, I traded my buddy for this beauty 

a couple weeks later I'm dragging Tom n his Cougar behind my Plymouth to the bone-yard for something that runs    

[nandrewjackson]

Years back I bought the sovtek 6L6 WXT+ and have loved them ever since. I've never heard of 12ax7 wxt but I'm sure its another in their many variations of 12ax7, which are all "ok". Sovteks best is probably the  electro harmonix 12ax7, so there's that.


XR7 is new to me, although my mom had a few Mazda RX7's when I was growing up in the 80s and 90s. Fun car to drive when you're first getting your license. 

[1blueheron]

There is a Mercury cougar XR7 just up the road from me.  Black.  Always thought it was cool.

The Merkur XR4ti never seemed to develop much of a fan base. Did not live up to its predecessor in terms of beauty. Was butt ugly but a buddy of mine had one and said it was very quick.

I know nothing of the 12AX7WXT.  Guessing it is probably overpriced?  Maybe it needs some blue glass to sound better?   

[Eulipian]

I know nothing of the 12AX7WXT.  Guessing it is probably overpriced?  Maybe it needs some blue glass to sound better?   

No blue glass and got `em for $7.50 each new.

Merkur? Yikes.  Even the name was ugly.  Marketed as a BMW competitor it was a version of the European Ford Sierra XR4i adapted to US regs. Rated as one of the "best forgotten" cars,  even a comma would have made it so much better.

[1blueheron]

LOL, yep.  People were afraid to buy them in the US because they wouldn't know how to say Merkur properly when people asked them what the odd ugly looking car they had was.

The 80's though was when a lot of companies were competing for the ugliest car.  It had plenty of comrades in the ugly category. Ford wasn't the only company to commit an abortion with a previously well regarded car name.  Remember what Chrysler did to the Charger in the 80's.  Somebody should have slapped them.

Then you had the Chevy Citation.  It sure gets the citation for ugly but not much else.  Looked like it got squeezed out of a toothpaste tube by the designer.


7.00 sounds pretty reasonable for a good 12AX7.  To me that would make them sound better 2X even without the blue glass.