Noob Toob question

[amokrun]

I cannot believe how much I didn't know about tubes. This is the first time I am replacing them in my Triple Recto, must read up on it a lot. Can anyone help make my research more efficient and suggest pre and power tubes(I've had the head for about 3 years now, played an average of 6-8 hours/wk LOUD at the practice room)?
I need a tone that is crushing bass and clear screaming highs and well-defined mids, but very important the sound must be TIGHT.

 

[stephen sawall]

Welcome to the forum. :mrgreen:

I like JJ KT77 for power.

The preamp tubes I have in it are Mesa tubes I have had since the 80's.

Not sure about DR's .... but I like the new Tung Sol pre's in a lot of amps.

Go check out some of the tube sellers sites.

Groove Tube site is pretty good.

 

[amokrun]

The bias switch on the back indicates two settings(6L6, EL34), this is for the preamp I take it, right? I heard it's best to stick with Mesa tubes as they are picked and balanced with the bias of the amp, yes?

 

[ryjan]

Hello fellow noob. Check out eurotubes.com. Even if you dont like JJs (I do) this site really explains what is going on in your amp and in laymens terms. I recently put two JJ el34ls in the outers of my mark iv and love them. The el34/6l6 switch is referring to the power tube section. Those are the larger ones. The smaller tubes are for the preamp and are 12ax7 tubes. Bob at erotubes has a bunch of different combinations of complete tube sets for your recto. I agree with most people on this board that there are better preamp tubes out there but for us noobs, eurotubes is a great place to start. They are very inexpensive and in my opinion have an awsome variety of quality tubes. By the way, it is agreed that the jj 6l6 is one of the all time best 6l6 to be had. Wow, maybe Bob should be paying me for all the advertising I do on here :lol: Ive bought from these guys several times and always my tubes are in my mailbox in three days and Im very happy with what I get. (and my wife doesnt yell at me when I only spend $30 on some tubes instead of $130 on NOS stuff) :lol:

 

[stephen sawall]

The bias switch on the back indicates two settings(6L6, EL34), this is for the preamp I take it, right? I heard it's best to stick with Mesa tubes as they are picked and balanced with the bias of the amp, yes?

http://www.mesaboogie.com/manuals/2chRecto.pdf

http://www.mesaboogie.com/manuals/3chRecto.pdf

One of these are the manual to your amp. You need to read this before you do any tube changes. This well give you most of the answers.

I run Mesa tubes in my Mesa amps most of the time.
If you tell Mesa what amp you have they well get you the tubes that work well with your amp. The 2 and 3 channel versions are different.
There are only a few places in the world that still make tubes. They are just relabeled and resold.
Mesa does as good of a job at testing tubes as most or better. They also have good prices.
I would go that route till you know more.
The Q about the 6L6 / EL34 is in the manual. Leave it alone till you read about it.

 

[amokrun]

The bias switch on the back indicates two settings(6L6, EL34), this is for the preamp I take it, right? I heard it's best to stick with Mesa tubes as they are picked and balanced with the bias of the amp, yes?

http://www.mesaboogie.com/manuals/2chRecto.pdf

http://www.mesaboogie.com/manuals/3chRecto.pdf

One of these are the manual to your amp. You need to read this before you do any tube changes. This well give you most of the answers.

I run Mesa tubes in my Mesa amps most of the time.
If you tell Mesa what amp you have they well get you the tubes that work well with your amp. The 2 and 3 channel versions are different.
There are only a few places in the world that still make tubes. They are just relabeled and resold.
Mesa does as good of a job at testing tubes as most or better. They also have good prices.
I would go that route till you know more.
The Q about the 6L6 / EL34 is in the manual. Leave it alone till you read about it.

How about between the 6L6 and EL34? A tech at the store told me EL34s give more punch in the sound and are therefore more suited for Extreme or Death metal, which is what I need.

 

[LerxstLee]

The bias switch on the back indicates two settings(6L6, EL34), this is for the preamp I take it, right? I heard it's best to stick with Mesa tubes as they are picked and balanced with the bias of the amp, yes?

Meet Robotube: King of the Tube Testers.
With the brains of a computer and the ears of a musician, Robotube runs a battery of seven exacting tests on each power tube and analyzes performance so thoroughly it can even predict the tube´s lifetime. Designed by Mesa Engineering and built for us by an aerospace firm, Robotube is a one-of-a-kind machine and easily the most modern and powerful in the industry.

Precision data generated during the seven-part test procedure is combined in Robotube´s memory and later printed out for each tube. But there are still some factors of tube performance that only a human (with a hammer) can properly analyze. After passing tests for noise and microphonics, then comes the severest mauling of all the MESA hammer test. Here each tube is tested for reliability under sever shock and vibration....enough to duplicate your amp falling off a six foot stage at full volume!

Compare our guarantee: Six months under Heavy Duty use. That´s twice as long as most. You can find tubes that cost more, but if they worked any better, we´d be using them!


If you feel better sticking with mesa try these N.O.S seimen's EL34s branded and tested by Mesa.

EL34 STR-450
Our 450 is an actual German made, “A” grade NOS (New Old Stock) Siemens EL-34 - This legendary European EL-34 is known for its unsurpassed
“bell-tone” clarity and touch sensitive sustain & articulation - Premier German engineering provides unsurpassed structural quality that makes this
one of the most toneful, consistent and reliable EL-34’s you can buy - This is a final chance to own a real authentic EL-34 classic - Quantities are subject to final availability

Substitute in: Solo 50, Rect-O-Verb, Dual Rec, Triple Rec, Road King, Roadster, Stiletto Ace, Stiletto Deuce, Stiletto
Trident, Mark IV (outside sockets only), Lone Star, 2:50 & Recto 2:100

Right click open in new window you won't get booted out of the forum.

http://mesa.stores.yahoo.net/elsiemst.html

This is my opinion only, if you get into trying this brand, that brand,eventually you will spend this much if not more
and mesa gives you a six month warranty, the best in the business. Plus the tubes are tested with the robo tube.
Beaten with the wooden side of a hammer to test for shorts.
It has been my experience that people selling tubes for a living do not like to beat their tubes, and do not have
anything close to robo tube. Mesa would rather toss tubes away so you can keep on playing.

check out robotube in action .

Somewhere there was a video of robotube in action. I will find it.
So for now load the hompage, and watch the little video.

and read this.

http://www.mesaboogie.com/catalog/acrobats06/Tubes.pdf


when you load the home page watch the video that starts playing.
At about 14 seconds you will see a quick version of the tube testing followed by the data of the tubes tested.

http://www.mesaboogie.com/index.html

let me know what you think

 

[stephen sawall]

The EL34 have a different sound. The low end is tighter. There is more upper mid crunch.

The 6L6 well have much better cleans, the lows well be a lot bigger.

From what I have heard everyone is having a hard time finding dependable EL34's.

I use old 6CA7's in my Tremoverb most of the time. They are a form of EL34's.

 

[dodger916]

The EL34 have a different sound. The low end is tighter. There is more upper mid crunch.

The 6L6 well have much better cleans, the lows well be a lot bigger.

From what I have heard everyone is having a hard time finding dependable EL34's.

I use old 6CA7's in my Tremoverb most of the time. They are a form of EL34's.

I prefer 6CA7s over EL34s.