Mark IV retube help about tonal change.

[fatbagg]

Ok...I tried EH, and didnt like them...sounded too flat and bright for me...So I got all JJ's (5 preamp and 4 6l6) Well now Im running two el34 and 2 6l6. Im gonna be retubing soon...I am mostly a leadplayer, and was curious as to some sound differences...What would be a dynamic, smooth tube, that will keep things tough and...jammin'. I like a good heavy sound too, but mainly im looking for a tube that will be real smooth and dynamic and stuff...HELP!?

I was thinking of trying tung soll preamp and =C= (sed?) 6l6 and el34... good bad? suggestions?

 

[domct203]

I do not own a Mark IV, but in my Roadster (and others) I find the Tung-Sol sounds awesome in V1. It really sounds great when pushed hard.

Also, The SED =C= SV6L6GC's I have in my Roadster sound way better then the STR440's that came out. It's not that the 440's sounded bad, just that the =C='s sound (and feel) alot better IMO. I don't think you could go bad with the =C= EL34's either, I have read alot of good reviews on them as well.

Hope this helps,

Dom

 

[Russ]

I'll second the Tung-Sol in V1. You can try other tubes and use them for supporting tubes if you don't like them in V1 also. JJ's, C9, LPS are all good support tubes.

Winged C's tend to get good reviews on both 6L6's and EL34's.

 

[Guitarzan]

Groove Tube 6L6 GE's. You will not be dissapointed.

 

[recto-robbie]

I dont own the mark IV nor have I ever tried one,,,I own the ROV series 2 combo and have owned and tried a bunch of tubes with it.
I would suggest trying some tung-sol 12ax7's,,very quiet, articulate, high gain tubes. I recently purchased some Penta labs 12ax7's and find them to be equal with the tung-sols's. I would really like to a/b the 2 different tubes but I dont have the means right now. Of the 6 different preamp tubes I own I feel these two are the best.
I swap a bunch of different power tubes around for kicks and I would suggest the SED c winged el34's. They are a mid range heavey tube without a deep bottom end like a 6l6. To my ears I think they are close to the 6l6's I own for clean sounds. Right now I have a set of kt77's in my amp which are a direct replacement for el34's. I think these take the cake in the el34 department for me so far. Compared to the SED'S they offer a deeper bottom end and I think the clean channel is on par with my 6l6's and again they are mid rangy.They also seem to offer a 3d type of sound for a lack of a better word, that the SEDS's dont seem to have. Honestly if you are looking for the deep chugga, chugga sound of death metal I would stick with 6l6's though. I bought a set of TAD 6l6 WGC's
which I have not yet tried but have my hopes up high because of the reviews ive read.