RCA 12AX7 Black Plate

It's true... NOS tubes DO sound better.

Need proof? Try an RCA Black Plate 12AX7!

The RCA black plate 12AX7 are the best tubes for one speaker amps hands down.

Manufactured in the 1950's, black plate 12AX7's are the first RCA 12AX7's ever made, and are regarded as one of the best sounding tubes 

Black plates are THE best option for restoring American 50's amps back to former glory or enhancing the sound of a clone!

Two Notable amps that originally used the RCA Black Plate 12AX7:

Black plate tubes flourish in smaller amplifiers (typically one speaker) but are excellent for most applications.  They have the least amount of headroom (breakup sooner) amongst the RCA 12AX7 types and come with a HUGE bottom end. They are super warm and are a great option to get rid of some "shrill" in any amplifier.

Moreover, RCA 12AX7 black plates' distorted sound is legendary, with lows, mids, and highs all staying more defined than any other tube. If you like fuzz, or play heavy rock and roll- the black plate is for you. 

That being said, black plates can be a tad noisy and if you are trying to avoid noise, these may not be a great choice. Likewise, if you play clean.. these should not be considered as they reduce headroom (breakup sooner) and again, can be noisy. 

Best tubes for one speaker amps hands-down.