We need a tube comparison/tone chart

[Jak0lantern01]

Just wondering if it would be possible to have a thread or chart or something to compare the tonal variations of various power tubes. There are a lot of different types of tubes out there, and some amps can handle a variety of different tubes. It would make it easier with tube selection if the were descriptions of how a specific tube affects, say, low end response, mids, etc. I know, I want the world. I'm being a little selfish with this idea since I just got a Marshall AFD100 that can take most tubes and has a self biasing feature, it would be nice to do a little experimenting.

 

[Jackie]

That would be great, yeah!

I think that the perfect amp for this kind of comparison would be a Fortin (wow, ain't I humble in my requests xD), since they can take pretty much any crazy tube you throw at it!

FEATURES & SPECIFICATIONS:
? World Mains 100/110/120/220/230/240 VAC 50/60HZ
? 4 - BIAS locking pots and test points
? 5 - 12AX7s, 1 -12AT7, & 4 - Power tubes in any combinations of EL34, 6CA7, KT77, 6L6, 5881, KT66, 6550, KT88, KT90, KT100. Class-AB, 100 to 200+ watts RMS

Nuts, huh?

 

[MrMarkIII]

Great idea... for all you Fortin owners.
But what about my amp? And his amp? And that guy's amp?
Beginning to see the problem?

 

[cscotto]

Here is a link to the Tubestore's tube reviews. It has some information you are looking for. Also, check out the preamp tube reviews.

http://thetubestore.com/6l6templeton.html

 

[212Mavguy]

Lordy! There are two here already, but you're gonna have to dig pages and pages back or search posts by to get them. Timbre Wolf did up awesome ones, much better than the Tubestore's a few years back. Mainly it was concerned with the old stock tubes, one for 12ax7's and one for 12at7's, both types old stock tending to sound better than modern production tubes to most ears anyway.

Yes, different tubes sound different in different amps but for each make of a certain type there are definite tonal tendencies. Might oughta have the mods do it as a sticky...

Personally I never listened to the prattle, I just bought what I wanted to try and rooooooooooooooolled another one, just like the other one...that is the best way by far. I did mine a little at a time. Now my collection is done.

 

[dodger916]

Here's one of Timbre Wolf's preamp tube discussions: http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=749&highlight=timbre+wolf. I found this very helpful and a good guide to different preamp tube general characteristics. As 212Mav notes, they can sound different in different amps. You really have to try them for yourself to find your favorites for a given slot and amp.

 

[lolzgreg]

Here's my preamp tube comparison chart:

JJs are darker, smoother, and a bit more saturated than other preamp tubes

Sovtek/EH/GTs are on the bright side, have a nice clarity and good amount of gain, but can be strident in the highs

Chinese/Pentas are "angry" sounding tubes, that can get a bit grainy, but work great in amps with less grit

Tung Sols are very balanced over-all, with a good amount of gain, but lean toward the bright side

In high gain amps with cold-clipping stages, I prefer JJs in the signal path, and chinese in the effects/phase inverter.

 

[MrMarkIII]

What is "cold clipping"?

 

[J.J]

Cold clipping is just running one or more of the gain stages at very low current or "cold".

 

[yeti]

Lordy! There are two here already, but you're gonna have to dig pages and pages back or search posts by to get them. Timbre Wolf did up awesome ones, much better than the Tubestore's a few years back. Mainly it was concerned with the old stock tubes, one for 12ax7's and one for 12at7's, both types old stock tending to sound better than modern production tubes to most ears anyway.

Yes, different tubes sound different in different amps but for each make of a certain type there are definite tonal tendencies. Might oughta have the mods do it as a sticky...

Personally I never listened to the prattle, I just bought what I wanted to try and rooooooooooooooolled another one, just like the other one...that is the best way by far. I did mine a little at a time. Now my collection is done.

exactly, but my collection isnt done. im so addicted to the different tones just by changing tubes out, even same types and year makes!
love doing it. if you want to get into it, my suggestion is find the limits of your certain amp and go from there with what you think sounds best. use your ears.

 

[yeti]

Here's one of Timbre Wolf's preamp tube discussions: http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=749&highlight=timbre+wolf. I found this very helpful and a good guide to different preamp tube general characteristics. As 212Mav notes, they can sound different in different amps. You really have to try them for yourself to find your favorites for a given slot and amp.

theres SO MUCH good info in that link alone, it took me days literally to mentally digest it all...and, again, even though, generally, descriptions i read usually on the web, i just use to get a background and some sort of idea where others are coming from when describing tonal properties of tubes, etc. i trust timberwolf and 212mavguy when it comes to what they say about tube tone reading what they've posted (as well as other posts from other peeps!), as i've learned a ton that turned out to be pretty spot on what the say or tell you that is going down re: tubes and such. i will say this though, due to tone and perspective and ears and every other sonic variable involved in "hearing", your OWN experience trumps all.

hell, i even put 2 12bz7's in my v1 and v2's of some of my amps after reading the timbrewolf post.

 

[dodger916]

Here's one of Timbre Wolf's preamp tube discussions: http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=749&highlight=timbre+wolf. I found this very helpful and a good guide to different preamp tube general characteristics. As 212Mav notes, they can sound different in different amps. You really have to try them for yourself to find your favorites for a given slot and amp.

theres SO MUCH good info in that link alone, it took me days literally to mentally digest it all...and, again, even though, generally, descriptions i read usually on the web, i just use to get a background and some sort of idea where others are coming from when describing tonal properties of tubes, etc. i trust timberwolf and 212mavguy when it comes to what they say about tube tone reading what they've posted (as well as other posts from other peeps!), as i've learned a ton that turned out to be pretty spot on what the say or tell you that is going down re: tubes and such. i will say this though, due to tone and perspective and ears and every other sonic variable involved in "hearing", your OWN experience trumps all.

hell, i even put 2 12bz7's in my v1 and v2's of some of my amps after reading the timbrewolf post.

Welcome to the addiction! It's relatively inexpensive, but before you know it you've spent a few hundred, have your own tone "cocktail", and have a couple dozen tubes as a "diploma".