Mark III advice please

[Zug]

Hi all. I am a noob here :roll: so thanks in advance for your noob tolerance. I've got a Mark III blue stripe head on the way. I'll be playing it through my EarCandy 2x12 BuzzBomb cab. The head is going to need to be retubed right away. So, I want to look into what kind of tubes to get and where to get them from. Ideally I like to order the tubes right away so I get them right about when the head is delivered.

In the past I've used JJs from Eurotubes and always thought they were very helpful and had good stuff, but lately I've read (here) some not so flattering things, especially about their preamp 12AX7s.

From the manual I downloaded I see the Mark III takes five 12AX7s, two 6L6s and two EL34s. If my limited tube knowledge is right, I understand I can substitute KT77s for the EL34s, which seems like the way to go. (I want good tone for hard rock and metal). The JJ KT77s are good, so I am wondering if it makes sense to get the KT77s and 6L6s from Eurotubes and get the 12Ax7s elsewhere, like Doug's or Mesa. I assume I need matches pairs of power tubes. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Also, I will be playing the Mark III at bedroom levels a lot of the time. I have read conflicting opinions here on how well the Mark III does this. I am planning on getting a THD hot plate. Anyone here using a hotplate, Weber or other attenuator with this amp? Thanks guys.

 

[6L6C]

I would give Doug a call for the whole package he deals with many different brand tubes as opposed to just JJ’s. Personally I would try a set of SED winged =C=. I just picked up a set from Doug last week for my Mark IV (2) 6l6 & (2) EL34’s really pleased and sometimes I switch up with (4) 6L6’s depends what mood I’m in.
And I like the preamp packages that Doug puts together really brings the best out of the amp as opposed to using (5) 12AX7 (of whatever brand) mixing up the preamp packages can have some different results, sometimes good sometimes bad. The order that Doug gave them to me seems to work the best but he will tell you to experiment. This is my current:
V1 Tung-Sol reissue 12AX7
V2 high gain JJ ECC83S
V3 Penta Labs/Shuguang 12AX7C
V4 Unlabled/Shuguang 12AX7C
V5 balanced Sovtek 12AX7LPS
As far as the attenuator I have had a Hotplate and still have a Weber Mass-Lite, bottom line they both work well. I seem to favor the Weber but I really could not give a good reason. Don’t even use it to much with the (2) 6l6 & (2) EL34’s in my Mark IV I just go to class A which is the EL34’s only which knocks some power out of the amp. Also I have Weber “Beam Blockers” in my 2X12 cab and this knocks a bit of volume out of the cab. I don’t use the Beam Blockers for volume reasons, just the ice pick effect.
Hope this helps a little, keep in mind I don’t own a Mark III.

But I want too!

 

[cradleofflames]

I called up Mesa awhile back and talked to a tech. They told me that the new Boogie tubes are designed to be run in a recto (optimized for lower plate voltage) and to use Electro-Harmonix at the very least in the power section if not in all positions. They claimed it was the closest to match to what they used back in the day. Not only that he said to avoid Svetlana EL34s at all costs unless I want a sound that goes between muddy and harsh.

 

[rgx612a]

I gotta say, i did not have good results with the JJ kt-77's in the outer sockets of my Mark III. Sounded good at low volumes, but when i cranked up to around band volumes the amp would go haywire and would just make alot of uncontrollable feedback and noise. The amp popped when i flicked the standby too, so i quickly pulled those tubes out. I went back to the regular el34's and the problem dissapeared.

Maybe they were just a dud pair?? :?

I've got some SED 6l6's and el34's coming for my Mark III now, should be here soon... i'll report back on how they sound.

As far as pre-amp tubes, i actually kinda like the stock Mesa's, and i dig the reissue Tung-sols too. I've got a mix of those in my amp and it's sounding good.

 

[CoG]

I use a Weber Mass 150 with my IIIs.

R1 cleans/slight breakups are good down to conversation volumes (volume 8/master 4 on my purple, volume 7/master 3 on my green, attenuator at 2.5 and -6Db "Low" toggle.) R2 sounds okay that way as well.

Lead channel sounds pretty much sucks with attenuation below 5, which is still loud enough to hang with a drummer; basically it becomes really loose and washed-out.

My cabs both have EVs in them right now, though, so that basically means loud no matter what you run into them.

Some guys say they actually get decent bedroom tone with their IIIs. I can't, but I haven't really tried too hard.

edit: btw, I am running Mesa 5881s (STR-425) in my 6L6 sockets on my green stripe. The green stripe is super-aggressive, with more EL34 in the tone than the earlier ones, and the 5881s seem to make the sound a little less harsh and more balanced.

 

[rgx612a]

Some guys say they actually get decent bedroom tone with their IIIs. I can't, but I haven't really tried too hard.

I guess it depends on the definition of bedroom volume. I think the Mark III does lower volumes very well. Honestly, i don't think most Mesa's are REALLY loud amps, they're certainly loud enough... but i've heard alot louder amps.

 

[CoG]

I think my MkIIIs have a fairly narrow band where they sound good... about 1.5-2 "points" on the master (3.5-5 on my purple and 3-4.5 on my green), and it's definitely "rock gig" level. But they're not as loud as an ampeg vt-22 or something, that's for sure.

My bandmate's Roadster seems to have a wider range of good-sounding volumes. But the Roadster is a 20 years newer design than the Mk III...

 

[Zug]

Thanks guys, appreciate it.

Anyone have any comments on:

* any more input on Mark III tube choices for my blue stripe head? - (especially regarding whether KT77s are a good idea)
* the differences between the various stripes
* Weber vs. THD Hotplate: which is preferrable (and why)

 

[CoG]

Never used the THD, can't compare.

I would ask on the Tubes forum. My gut feeling is that the KT77s won't work out-of-the-box, but ask.

 

[MrMarkIII]

I've had a blue stripe since 1990, and have always had good luck with Mesa power tubes. Hell, I still have the originals, and pop them in once and a while (it helps to use the standby switch).
I've had pretty good results experimenting with different pre-amp tubes, and like NOS Mullards a LOT. Bought 'em used on eBay, mostly. They seem to enrich and mellow out the mids.
If you're playing at bedroom levels, the power tubes ain't gonna be doing much, anyway, so KT-77s may be overkill for that app.
Never used an attenuator, though. You can switch to "Class A", which is about 15 watts. You can also try plugging the 8 ohm speaker, if that's what you have, into the 4 ohm jack. It un-fattens the sound (to my ears), and tends to rattle the windows a bit less. YMMV.

 

[camsna]

KT-77s are drop-in replacements for EL-34s. Just make sure they're graded for the Mk III and that you use them in the outer 2 tube sockets.

It's what I'm using now

 

[psychodave]

I have tried every tube under the sun (well...almost). I currently use 4 Sovtek 6L6WXT+ power tubes. To me, these have a deep rich sound that is chewy and soft. I even chose these over NOS Sylvania 6L6's. Regarding preamp tubes… V1 RTF, V2 old Yugoslav smooth plate, V3 Sovtek LPS, V4 Sovtek LPS, V5 Tungsram. All are 12AX7's.

 

[rgx612a]

I got my SED's in from Doug's Tubes, and they sound amazing! I recommend them.

 

[Zug]

I got my SED's in from Doug's Tubes, and they sound amazing! I recommend them.

Hate to admit it, but I don't know what an SED is.

 

[edward]

Huge +1 for the SED Winged-C here. I like them so much I have them on both of my Boogs, a MkIII Simul and a DC5. Just be certain that the SED is a true "Svetlana" tube (the "S" in SED) and not a new-production tube (which IIRC is from NewSensor, if memory serves me).

Edward

 

[Nomad]

Correct.

Current Production Svetlana Labeled tubes are made in the Sovtek New Sensor Reflector Factory is Sarotov Russia.

Current Production Winged C SED (Svetlana Electron Devices) are indeed real Svetlana Tubes that are made in the Svetlana Factory in St Petersburgh Russia. These Tubes are what we call the real deal.

I will go further with this. The New Sensor products are mostly the same stuff with one or two parts slightly different and a Big Name Change on the outside of the bottle.

As far as the JJ stuff goes get em at Euro Tubes. He is the first stop for the best stuff JJ has in the USA.

I prefer the JJ E34L's and KT77's to the Winged C EL34's though but I like the Winged C's for 6L6's.