Difference between Chinese and Russian tubes?

[ol4t]

I've been told that there's a difference is quality and sound between the two (this could explain the difference between my nephew's RK II and mine that I posted about last wk). Anybody A/Bed these preamp tubes?

 

[cant play pool with a rop]

It depends on which brand.(company) Mesa recently stopped using Chinese due to problems with them( I called Marcus) I've had many fail and go microphonic. In my opinion Russians can be a little darker and less trebly.Definately better in the Ace. The quality issue may lie with Mesa tubes also. I like chinese in the reverb driver only.I dont use any Mesa tubes except the Rectifier tube.Some dudes love the Mesa tubes and like everything with gear its subjective.

 

[Guitarzan]

I've been told that there's a difference is quality and sound between the two (this could explain the difference between my nephew's RK II and mine that I posted about last wk). Anybody A/Bed these preamp tubes?

What sound are you looking for?

 

[dennq45]

I'm not a fan of the Chinese tubes at all

 

[Russ]

C9 is an ok tube. I like them from GT to ensure relatively good performance . Chinese tubes tend to be brighter than Russians and a little gainier. This leads to their microphonic nature though. Depending upon the Russain tube you will find differing levels of gain and tone. I really don't care for the Sovtek WA or WB. WXT can be decent with LPS being my favorite Sovtek. EH are brighter sounding but like the Chinese tubes can be microphonic.

 

[ol4t]

Sorry for the lack of response, I got lost. The reason I was asking had to do with the lack of treble and bass on my new RK II. The shop replaced all the preamp tubes with the Soviet "premium" tube, as the Mesa techs told him to try new preamp tubes first. It sounds great now, but I think with all the switches we were comparing to another RKII with the effects loop off.

 

[Russ]

Soviet "Premium" being what? SPAX7? LPS?

 

[Shep]

quote
"It depends on which brand.(company) Mesa recently stopped using Chinese due to problems with them( I called Marcus) I've had many fail and go microphonic. In my opinion Russians can be a little darker and less trebly.Definately better in the Ace. The quality issue may lie with Mesa tubes also. I like chinese in the reverb driver only.I dont use any Mesa tubes except the Rectifier tube.Some dudes love the Mesa tubes and like everything with gear its subjective."




wow..so mesa have stop using chinese tube's..

 

[Russ]

Yeah, I think their current Russian tubes are Sovtek if I am not mistaken.

 

[slightly_rude]

Russian #1's are Sovteks, Russian #2's are Electro-Harmonix (also made by Sovtek.

 

[ol4t]

Soviet "Premium" being what? SPAX7? LPS?

I think it's the SPAX7, in the owner's manual it's the V1, the one they say is most comsistent.

 

[Russ]

Those SPAX7 are not very consistent from tube to tube or even across the two halves of the dual triode. I bought a handful recently and figured that out first hand. They are however screened by Mesa for noise and microphonics and now even given a rubberized sleeve that helps keep them quiet. In years past they didn't have the sleeve.