Do you prefer the factory tubes for your Mesa? Or......

[cradlefish]

something else?

 

[ANIMATED SUSPENSION]

Yes the std tubes are absolutely fine no matter what a lot of people will reply. If you don't like them why buy the amp in the first place I say ? Why would you think different tubes would make it sound 'better' ? You can make it sound 'different' though if you want to. If it doesn't sound 'good' with std tubes, it's not the tubes it's something else in the rig. You can fine tune with different brand preamp tubes, but I've never needed to. 8)

 

[Barry]

Ive always used the stock tubes with no problem , besides thats what all the R&D is done with anyhow .

 

[BigMesa]

Not all tubes are created equal. I prefer an assortment of pre-amp tubes Ruby's for poweramp tubes. They don't cost any more than stock tubes either.

 

[R_ADKINS80]

The current Mesa 6L6 STR440 is a Ruby tube. You can got to DougsTubes, TheTubeStore or TubeDepot and get a set of Ruby 6L6GC's in Mesa's bias range and save yourself about $10/pr and be done with it.

 

[jab]

I was happy with the tubes in my DR. I did swap out the Stiletto for the Mesa branded 450s and a set of Doug's preamp tubes. I thought the swap out made for a bigger, smoother sounding tone but I'd say it only changed it in the 10-20% range. It's not life changingly drastic.

 

[guitarman_nebr]

my F-100 came with 430's. i didn't really care for them, so i bought Ruby 6L6GCMSTR's (440's). i put JJ12AX7's in the pre and have been extremely happy since.

my stock pre tubes sounded great, they were just ready for a change.

i used the stock tubes until they were used up and they sounded pretty nice. the new tubes sound basically the same, they just have better harmonics and dynamics.

stock tubes are good, usually. i am not a Sovtek fan, and EH tubes give me fits. i say do your research, you will find certain tubes just get "that" sound for you.

 

[Charlie]

I've found that the stock power tubes sound fine but I've had to mix and match preamp tubes to get the sound right in both of my amps.

Something I've had to do with every amp I've had.

 

[loudguitars]

I just had an interesting experience. I got a LSC with stock Mesa 6L6s, one tube didn't survive the shipping. I got a new set of JJ 6L6s. I thought I liked them, but I on a whim put in a set of slightly used GT 6L6 GEs and I am much happier.

I play country and blues, the JJs seem darker and less vibrant. The GEs have better highs and seem more dynamic. However a duet of GTs is $80 ish and a quad of JJs are less than that, so I guess, you get what you pay for?

For my style of music, guitar and preferences, the GEs are better.
Opinions may vary. Bob at Eurotubes is a great seller and still sells the best EL 84s on the planet.

Greg

 

[edward]

Is one brand of strings "better" than another?
Is one speaker "better" than another?
Is one Boogie "better" than another? ... (notice I said "Boogie" and not "amp" since we all know Mesas really are better )

Or is the real point here that all of the aforementioned components in sum create the very tone that we love.

This dang Mesa tube vs others' debate (no offense to orig poster as I'm sure he simply wanted everyone's opinion) will rage on till doomsday, I suppose. But the simple fact of the matter is tubes DO make a sonic difference ...how much/little an audible difference varies from tube to tube, from V-position to position, and from amp to amp. To say there is zero difference ignores the physics of what tubes do. To say they make all the diff in the world is equal hyperbole.

IMHO, if we just changed one simple facet in the discussion, all would be easier and discussion more fruitful: let us exchange "is this tube 'better' " for "is there a difference between tube x in this amp in that position, from tube y."

There. No more sweeping generalizations. We can now discuss specific points and share what we've learned through experience. Knowing that "tone" is intensely subjective to begin with, at least we can try to discern what "may" work for our tastes vs what does not. After all, how DO you know that you hate the strings, speaker, or amp until you hate them with your own ears
...ahhh, so glad I could get that off my chest.

8)

Edward

 

[Murphy Slaw]

Yep. I HATE tubes that suck. They, well, they just suck.

And sucky strings....... What could be worse than that?

I stopped for breakfast on the way home from a gig last night at a Waffle House, and a bunch of idiots were passing around a cell phone with a stupid video, and I realized how bad this has become.

Oh.

Sorry........

Murph.

 

[songrider]

I have had less problems with Mesa tubes than many others.

I like them.