Jackie
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- Dec 11, 2010
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I had some spare time today so I decided to tube roll my TriAxis to see what I could squeeze out.
Sorry if this isn't really comprehensive, sadly I only had Shuguang 12AX7, TungSol 12AX7 and JJ ECC83S to choose from (no EH was really interested in that). And I only had time for Lead 1 Input and Lead 2 Input (V1 and V4 positions). Will do the rest occasionally.
V1
Here I was primarily looking for more clarity, in any form or shape, and a little less fizz. A
I had in a Mesa branded 12AX7WA Sovtek tube. I swapped it and the TungSol 12AX7 around, then I threw in a JJ just for fun, then a Shuguang.
I found the TungSol to clean it up nicely and add some silk to the midrange and some bite to the top end (it being a bit more musical than the thin top I got on my Marshall using Tungs). Bass was also more usable and low end more firm. This is what I got in the end.
The JJ was nice, but I didn't like the extra "blur" in the mids I got, also the top end was a bit subdued and there was a bit more bass than I'd like. While it wasn't a bad tone it certainly didn't help my cause.
The Shuguang was similar to the TungSol but with a little less clarity that stepped aside for a little "grain" in the tone, though the low end was nice and crisp. So it was good but the TungSol did a better job for what I wanted.
V4
Here I didn't really know what I wanted, I just know the tone is a little lifeless and I wanted it to be a bit less dry.
Here I didn't put in the TungSol because I only had one tube and I used it for V1, so I didn't want to touch it even though common sense told me I could.
First I tried was the Shuguang 12AX7 and this thing RIPPED MY FUKING FACE OFF!!! I put it in, fired it up and said "holy mids!!!", it was very aggressive, bright and downright nasty. Tight as hell too. Kind of bordered on harsh and I think that could be a descriptor if it were played with the wrong settings/guitar. I liked it though.
Then I put in the JJ, and the tone was very menacing, more low mid growly kind of thing. Definitely more lows, highs were a bit more breathy, rounder tone. It was a really hard decision but in the end, the JJ got me, which is something I didn't expect since I'm not very fond of them (I found zero use for them in my Marshall for instance). I swapped the Shuguang and it in and out and in the end I think the JJ brought me closer to what I was looking for in a Mesa.
The tone is a bit more "driven" with this tube so to speak. It's also a tad more compressed which could turn into a gripe but I'll see.
That's it for now. I'm dying to try out an EH 12AX7, I have a feeling it might be the best of both worlds.
Question for safe tube rolling - is it enough to turn the TriAxis off when I'm about to swap? Or should I also put the 2:90 on standby?
Also, if V1 is Lead 1 Input and V4 is Lead 2 Input, then V2 is the Rhy input? It says "all other modes" and that's all that's left. Wonder why they labeled it like that in the manual.
Sorry if this isn't really comprehensive, sadly I only had Shuguang 12AX7, TungSol 12AX7 and JJ ECC83S to choose from (no EH was really interested in that). And I only had time for Lead 1 Input and Lead 2 Input (V1 and V4 positions). Will do the rest occasionally.
V1
Here I was primarily looking for more clarity, in any form or shape, and a little less fizz. A
I had in a Mesa branded 12AX7WA Sovtek tube. I swapped it and the TungSol 12AX7 around, then I threw in a JJ just for fun, then a Shuguang.
I found the TungSol to clean it up nicely and add some silk to the midrange and some bite to the top end (it being a bit more musical than the thin top I got on my Marshall using Tungs). Bass was also more usable and low end more firm. This is what I got in the end.
The JJ was nice, but I didn't like the extra "blur" in the mids I got, also the top end was a bit subdued and there was a bit more bass than I'd like. While it wasn't a bad tone it certainly didn't help my cause.
The Shuguang was similar to the TungSol but with a little less clarity that stepped aside for a little "grain" in the tone, though the low end was nice and crisp. So it was good but the TungSol did a better job for what I wanted.
V4
Here I didn't really know what I wanted, I just know the tone is a little lifeless and I wanted it to be a bit less dry.
Here I didn't put in the TungSol because I only had one tube and I used it for V1, so I didn't want to touch it even though common sense told me I could.
First I tried was the Shuguang 12AX7 and this thing RIPPED MY FUKING FACE OFF!!! I put it in, fired it up and said "holy mids!!!", it was very aggressive, bright and downright nasty. Tight as hell too. Kind of bordered on harsh and I think that could be a descriptor if it were played with the wrong settings/guitar. I liked it though.
Then I put in the JJ, and the tone was very menacing, more low mid growly kind of thing. Definitely more lows, highs were a bit more breathy, rounder tone. It was a really hard decision but in the end, the JJ got me, which is something I didn't expect since I'm not very fond of them (I found zero use for them in my Marshall for instance). I swapped the Shuguang and it in and out and in the end I think the JJ brought me closer to what I was looking for in a Mesa.
The tone is a bit more "driven" with this tube so to speak. It's also a tad more compressed which could turn into a gripe but I'll see.
That's it for now. I'm dying to try out an EH 12AX7, I have a feeling it might be the best of both worlds.
Question for safe tube rolling - is it enough to turn the TriAxis off when I'm about to swap? Or should I also put the 2:90 on standby?
Also, if V1 is Lead 1 Input and V4 is Lead 2 Input, then V2 is the Rhy input? It says "all other modes" and that's all that's left. Wonder why they labeled it like that in the manual.
