List your dream setup of preamp tubes

[MarkIVwidebody]

with money not an issue, what 5 tubes would you buy? I ordered 2 RCA 12AX7's from the mid 1950's to try out but what is your dream lineup? BTW I have a mark IV widebody combo

 

[Rocky]

Depends on the amp. I dont think I have a dream tube setup....rather use the energy it would take to dream one up playing guitar.

 

[MarkIVwidebody]

That's rich. Was looking for someone who did have an answer.

 

[MusicManJP6]

I'm just now getting into the NOS preamp tube world. Boy is it expensive to experiment! Right now I have the following and like it alot so far:

V1 - Tung Sol (Magnavox)
V2 - Mullard (Eico)
V3 - RCA 12AX7A (short gray plate - halo getter)
V4 - RCA 12AX7A (short gray plate - halo getter)
V5 - Mesa Russian-2

I have a Raytheon long blackplate on the way and i'm interested to hear it in the PI (V5) slot. So far i like this arrangement, but i've just begun to collect some of the nice NOS tubes so i'm not sure what my dream arrangement would be exactly! That's a hard question to answer really.

 

[Timbre Wolf]

12AX7s:

...(note: edited to color highlight a set of five fave 12AX7 that cover a range of characteristics)...

Mullard long-plate/halo-getter (f91 or f92 type)
Mullard short-plate/halo-getter (I61 type)
Valvo long-plate/angled-D-getter ("Bugle Boy" logo; mC1 type)
Ken-Rad long black/silver-plate
RFT
Sylvania long black-plate/square-getter
Sylvania short black-plate/square-getter
Sylvania short gray-plate/square-getter
Raytheon long black-plate
GE long gray-plate

Those are the 12AX7s that are currently in my amps. But I don't have to buy those - I've already got them (plus a bunch more)...

If money were no object, I'd surely want to buy some tubes I don't have, such as:
*'50s Heerlen long-plate 12AX7 ("Amperex," with or without the Bugle Boy, or "Miniwatt")
*Telefunken ECC803S frame-grid (cost hundreds of dollars, but may not be any better than the undesireable [to me] long smooth-plate version)
*French Mazda silver-plate ($125 each at KCA NOS Tubes)

If anyone has a couple of these bottom three 12AX7s to donate to a worthy cause, I’d love to try ‘em out. Of course, I’d report back here on my impressions of their tonal qualities.

- T

 

[trem]

Mullard short-plate/halo-getter (I61 type)

I thought you didn't like the I61s. I currently have a mixture of NS Tung-Sol, RCA, RFT, Tungsram and Mullard ECC81.

 

[camsna]

Telefunken. ECC803S. Dozens of them.

 

[Timbre Wolf]

Mullard short-plate/halo-getter (I61 type)

I thought you didn't like the I61s.

I don't rave about 'em, like I do about others. But this one works particularly well in a high-vibration combo (Victoria Regal II), and I'm currently using it, so I guess it is okay. I didn't want to sacrifice a long-plate Mullard to all that 15" speaker vibration :roll:

- Thom

 

[MusicManJP6]

Telefunken. ECC803S. Dozens of them.

I'd love to try out a Tele or two in my combo. Hit me up if you'd be interested in trading one of those Teles for an Eico by Mullard I just ran across...

 

[212Mavguy]

Rocky, I like the way you think, and I agree that it depends on the amp... Although I am an admittedly obsessive tube collector, I have the opinion that a lot of tone is in the mind and fingers, and yes, it helps hugely to know how the knobs work. Speakers and cabs can have more effect on tone than tubes, again, to my ears, it depends on the amp. Without guitar playing skills all the tone toy theory is less useful, to say the least. Keep having your thoughts heard. Peace.

 

[Anonymous]

Here's my setup in my Triple:

V1 - RFT
V2 - Mullard ECC83
V3 - RCA 12AX7A
V4 - Mullard 12AT7
V5 - Mullard 12AT7 CV4024

My dream setup (going off everything I've tested so far) would be NOS versions of these tubes.

 

[dmt]

Mullard 12AX7 12AT7
Telefunken 12AX7 12AT7
Sylvania 12AX7 12AT7
RCA Black Plate
Raytheon 12AX7
Tesla E83CC 12AX7
JAN 5751
Bugle Boy 12AX7
Genlex KT66
5751

 

[212Mavguy]

I would buy the 5 tubes that would bring world peace.

AMEN 8)

 

[ANIMATED SUSPENSION]

The NOS tubes won't be around for much longer so I always tend to go for the best of current production at the time that have been gain selected/noise tested.

 

[Timbre Wolf]

The NOS tubes won't be around for much longer so I always tend to go for the best of current production at the time that have been gain selected/noise tested.

Great! One less competitor in the NOS market :lol:

 

[boola]

Mullard MC1's all round!!

 

[JimmyB]

The NOS tubes won't be around for much longer so I always tend to go for the best of current production at the time that have been gain selected/noise tested.

Great! One less competitor in the NOS market :lol:

It's easier to avoid that competition altogether: buy used tubes rather than NOS! You'll save a lot of $ even if you do end up with the occasional dud... and you'll quickly learn who the reliable vendors are.

 

[dmt]

Get a decent tube tester before you venture into the NOS/Used tubes market... then you will know what all the tubes you have really are. There are still uses for a well used tube with lower output... but its better when you know the characteristics of your.