Expert Reviews Roundup: The Apos Ray 12AU7 Tubes

Welcome to our latest roundup where we dive into the world of high-fidelity audio with the Apos Ray 12AU7 vacuum tubes. We've scoured the internet to bring you a curated collection of reviews from some of the most respected names in the audio industry. Below, you'll find the key takeaways from each review, offering a snapshot of what these experts have to say about the Apos Ray 12AU7's performance. Whether you're an audiophile or just starting your journey into high-quality audio, these insights will help you understand what makes these tubes stand out. Happy reading!

From Z Reviews’ review of the Apos Ray 12AU7 Tubes, first published on August 29th, 2023: 

"They add an overall veil of comfy."

From SoundNews’ review of the Apos Ray 12AU7 Tubes, first published on August 29th, 2023: 

"Resolving...clear-sounding...you can hear more music and less noise...tight...smooth....warm....I do believe these are worth it if you want to improve the sound of your amplifier."

From Passion for Sound’s review of the Apos Ray 12AU7 Tubes, first published on September 19th, 2023: 

"A brilliant, brilliant new production tube. I don't have anything negative to say. I can't find any cons or negative with the Apos Ray tubes."

From Joshua Valour’s review of the Apos Ray 12AU7 Tubes, first published on September 25th, 2023: 

"In one word: coherent...compared to stock tubes they're more clear. They have a more well-defined and solid bass response. The real differences lie in the upper mid-range and treble response. The fidelity of the upper mid-range is actually quite significantly better than that of the stock tubes....the sound-staging width is a lot more substantial."

From iiWi’s review of the Apos Ray 12AU7 Tubes, first published on November 24th, 2023: 

"These proved to be so good, so resolving, yet never harsh, never annoying...instead they combine really smooth and natural sounds with higher-resolving, really open, really spacious sounds that we expect from great tubes."

From Ecoustics’ review of the Apos Ray 12AU7 Tubes, first published on September 23rd, 2023: 

"The Apos Ray 12AU7s are not the least expensive options out there which is going to raise the ire of some. However, if you can find me a better option that delivers excellent sound quality, reliability, superior packaging, a 90-day warranty, and proper matching — I’m more than interested to compare them."

From Evshrug’s review of the Apos Ray 12AU7 Tubes, first published on November 29th, 2023: 

"In the context of featuring high performance, high value, and high confidence, Apos Ray tubes could be the last stop for many people looking for a great tube experience. The Rays are more comparable to solid state amps with low levels of euphonic and harmonic distortion, and they’re quite detailed, but they they do manage to sweeten the music a bit, striking a nice balance that doesn’t become so full bodied to become muddy while also doesn’t become so analytical that flaws distract from enjoying the music."

From betula’s review of the Apos Ray 12AU7 Tubes, first published on October 13th, 2023: 

"Where do I put the Apos Ray 12AU7s then on today's tube market map? I think they are excellent sounding 12AU7s and by far the best sounding new production tubes I have ever heard. They are able to compete with some 'new old stock' tubes, even sounding better than many of them. The Ray 12AU7s offer a very exciting, clear yet colourful and engaging sonic experience. They only start to fall a little short when we compare them directly to the most regarded NOS 12AU7s which are also significantly more expensive. If you also take reliability (dead silent, noise free) and the three months warranty into account, we might just be witnessing the birth of a winner! Apos Audio's first tubes sound great, they offer very good value, and their future plans are inspiring! What not to love?"