Just played an Ace with stock tubes today and not so good..

[Old BF Shred]

...At least compared to mine with NOS (and VOS) preamp tubes in v1 and v2 and with =C= el34 output tubes.
Wanted to check out a guitar at Music Power during lunch today and played it through an Ace head.

Did not have the lively response of mine at home. I know the guitar is part of it, but I've played several guitars through my rig and they all sound better than what I heard today, with all stock Mesa tubes. :roll:

I have become spoiled........

Just an observation, I admit, but wanted to say that the Ace can be made to sound considerably better than what most people will hear in a music store for the first time. It's a shame, too. They may not buy one based on this first impression.....

 

[R_ADKINS80]

Amen to that brother. I bought my Triple brand new without even plugging into one on the showroom. I have a good friend that got me into Mesa's and I trusted his word that the tubes that new Boogies were shipping with sounded like garbage and he was right. I had replacement tubes ready for it when I got it home and after i swapped them out it was already sounding better. I now have the very best 6L6GC's available in it, IMHO, which are the TAD 6L6GC-STR's and I have a mix of VOS/Sovtek LPS tubes in the preamp section and it is absolute TITS! Especially since Bob at Eurotubes told me a nice little bit of info on how to run 6L6's in these amps for killer tone.

 

[MrMarkIII]

...Especially since Bob at Eurotubes told me a nice little bit of info on how to run 6L6's in these amps for killer tone.

Care to share with the rest of the class, Mr. R_ADKINS80 ? Hmmm?

 

[R_ADKINS80]

Sure......flip the switc to EL34 bias. Runs them at 34ma plate current in spongy/tube or 38mA in bold/tube. I don't play on diodes so I don't know what the bias would be on those settings. In 6L6 mode I was getting 17mA on Spongy and 20mA on bold both in tube rectifier mode. Cold ass 6l6 setting is poo!!!!

 

[stokes]

Sure......flip the switc to EL34 bias. Runs them at 34ma plate current in spongy/tube or 38mA in bold/tube. I don't play on diodes so I don't know what the bias would be on those settings. In 6L6 mode I was getting 17mA on Spongy and 20mA on bold both in tube rectifier mode. Cold ass 6l6 setting is poo!!!!

17 AND 20ma's is very cold for a 6L6,imagine how cold the EL34's would be if you opted for those tubes.All the more reason it makes sense to do the adjustable bias mod in Mesa amps.About $5 in parts (less,actually) and the amp will sound good with either tube.You can even use current production power tubes and they will sound better when you can find their "sweet spot".

 

[Old BF Shred]

All the more reason it makes sense to do the adjustable bias mod in Mesa amps

Yea, can't wait for the warranty to end on my Ace so I can do this.
Although if it continues to be reliable, I may not wait that long!

 

[KH Guitar Freak]

Amen to that brother. I bought my Triple brand new without even plugging into one on the showroom. I have a good friend that got me into Mesa's and I trusted his word that the tubes that new Boogies were shipping with sounded like garbage and he was right. I had replacement tubes ready for it when I got it home and after i swapped them out it was already sounding better. I now have the very best 6L6GC's available in it, IMHO, which are the TAD 6L6GC-STR's and I have a mix of VOS/Sovtek LPS tubes in the preamp section and it is absolute TITS! Especially since Bob at Eurotubes told me a nice little bit of info on how to run 6L6's in these amps for killer tone.

Well, aren't the Mesa STR-440s a rebadge of the TAD 6L6s anyway???

 

[R_ADKINS80]

Amen to that brother. I bought my Triple brand new without even plugging into one on the showroom. I have a good friend that got me into Mesa's and I trusted his word that the tubes that new Boogies were shipping with sounded like garbage and he was right. I had replacement tubes ready for it when I got it home and after i swapped them out it was already sounding better. I now have the very best 6L6GC's available in it, IMHO, which are the TAD 6L6GC-STR's and I have a mix of VOS/Sovtek LPS tubes in the preamp section and it is absolute TITS! Especially since Bob at Eurotubes told me a nice little bit of info on how to run 6L6's in these amps for killer tone.

Well, aren't the Mesa STR-440s a rebadge of the TAD 6L6s anyway???

Go visit the other thread comparing the two and you will see that they are completely different tubes in both construction, materials and tone.