What is the ECC82 vacuum tube?

The ECC82 is a triode vacuum tube designed for line applications. European 12AU7..

What is a ECC82 substitute or equivalent?

Direct equivalents to the ECC82 include 12AU7. These share the same pinout and operating envelope, so they can usually be swapped without circuit changes — though batch-to-batch variations between manufacturers (NOS vs current production) may shift the sonic character noticeably.

What are the key specifications of the ECC82?

Amplification factor μ ≈ 17, transconductance gm ≈ 2.2 mA/V, plate resistance rp ≈ 7.7 kΩ, max plate voltage 300 V, max plate dissipation 2.75 W, heater 6.3 V / 0.3 A.

Is the ECC82 still in production?

Production status varies by year and manufacturer. The current Amperatubes catalog classifies the ECC82 as Common availability. NOS (new-old-stock) examples from RCA, Mullard, Tung-Sol, GE, Sylvania and Telefunken trade among collectors; modern production where it exists comes mostly from JJ Electronic, Electro-Harmonix, Tung-Sol (New Sensor), Genalex, and a handful of small-batch makers.

What does the ECC82 sound like?

European 12AU7.. Sonic character also depends heavily on the circuit operating point, the surrounding tubes in the stage, and the output transformer when present — use the interactive loadline calculator on this page to explore the trade-offs.

ECC82 Triode Vacuum Tube

Also known as 12AU7

Medium-gain triode for driver and line stage applications

Dual triodeHeater 6.3 V · 0.3 A9-pin Noval2 sectionsMullard·Philips 1946

Plate dissipation: 2.75W
Max plate voltage: 300V
Amplification factor: 17
Transconductance: 2.2mA/V
Plate resistance: 7.7kΩ

ECC82

Characteristics

Datasheet values, once each. Every value cites its sheet.

HeaterIndirectly heated

Specifications of ECC82 — Heater
Heater voltageVh	6.3 V
Heater currentIh	0.3 A

Limiting valuesDatasheet maximum ratings — not to be exceeded

Specifications of ECC82 — Limiting values
Plate voltageVa max	300 V
Plate dissipationPa max	2.75 W
Cathode currentIk max	20 mA
Peak plate voltageVao	550 V

Mechanical

Specifications of ECC82 — Mechanical
Base	9-pin Noval
Rarity	Common
Pinout

Small signalDatasheet parameters at the reference operating point — not limits

Specifications of ECC82 — Small signal
Transconductance	2.2 mA/V
Plate resistance	7.7 kΩ
Amplification factor	17

Capacitances

Specifications of ECC82 — Capacitances
Grid–cathode	1.8 pF
Grid–plate	1.5 pF
Plate–cathode	0.37 pF

Charactereditorial reading, not a measurement

Specifications of ECC82 — Character
Gain	17%
Power	7%
Drive	92%
Linearity	92%

datasheet cited · model or editorial reading · catalogue value, no citation attached yet · nothing invented

Typical operation

Canonical operating pointSPICE model2 availableModel

B+: 300 V
Load: 12 kΩ
Va: 180 V
Ia: 5.97 mA
Vg: -6.6 V
Pd: 1.07 W
Gain: 21.5 dB

At Q: Ayumi Nakabayashi · 2 engines
μ: 16.8
gm: 1.8 mA/V
rp: 9.3 kΩ

Design a stage →

Using this tube

Applications

Line stage
Phase splitter

McIntosh C22 line stageMarantz 8B driver

Guitar ampHeadphone amp

Replace or compare

Sources

By Jean-Michel Falligan DevergneReviewed May 29, 2026Source : Mullard·Philips datasheetActive model : Ayumi Nakabayashi · 2 engines

Manufacturer datasheets

6 manufacturer datasheets cross-checked for ECC826 verified

ECC82 DatasheetLocal mirror · PDF

SPICE models

Revision and verification status

Source: Mullard·Philips datasheet
Reviewed: 2026-05-29
Status: DataModelCalc
Model: Ayumi Nakabayashi · 2 engines

Context

The ECC82 is a dual indirectly-heated triode from Mullard·Philips, introduced around 1946. It provides a gain factor (μ) of 17 with 7700Ω plate resistance. Commonly used in line applications. European 12AU7.

History

Introduced: 1946
Manufacturer: Mullard·Philips
Era: Golden Age

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