What tubes do you prefer?

[Guitarzan]

Yes! an entire header just fot TUBES!!!! So everyone...What do you use? Groove Tubes? Ei? JJ? NOS? EH? MUllards? Svetlana? Winged C? Here's a brand new place to spill you guts about tubes!

 

[cvansickle]

I like the Electro Harmonix stuff myself. The 12AX7s are great in my Mesa preamps, and they're good for other purposes too like my VHT Valvulator and Vox Effects Loop Buffer.

For power tubes, I started using the 6L6EH when I had my DC-5. I was told that they were in the correct bias range for that amp. When I got my Nomad 100, I eventually replaced the stock tubes with a matched quartet of 6L6EHs. They work for me, they're MY sound.

 

[Platypus]

I like JJ tubes for power tubes.

I haven't used any other brand for preamp but mesa.

 

[nosajwp]

I just did a full retube for my DC-10 with JJ's from Bob at Eurotubes:

4 ECC83S graded hi-gain V1-V4
1 ECC83S standard V5
1 ECC83S balanced V6

4 6L6GC matched #48 V7-V10

I liked the amp before, but I really love it now! Believe what everyone says about these. They didn't really change the way my amp sounded...they just took what was already there, and made it 10 times better!

 

[fatboy135]

My vote is for any tube becomes from Reflector, in special the EH tubes

 

[Fuzzman]

I tried a full set of pre and power JJ tubes on my DC-5 and it sounded very muddy to me.
Now I have Shuguang 12ax7c9x on V1, EH 12ax7 on V2-v5, JJ ECC83 on v6 and 2 JJ 6L6 on power.
I'm still loking for some good tubes.
What do you think about SED C on Boogie amps?

 

[Anonymous]

take the sinosuke tube out, put the eh on the first tube ( the nearest to the input jack ) left take the jj out and put another eh on the 6 tube socket ( the driver ) and try to replace the tube from the reverb with a 12at7, I think that eh are good enough

 

[fatboy135]

oops I forget to login in

 

[Anonymous]

Why a 12at7 instead of a 12ax7 for reverb? What for power tubes?

 

[fatboy135]

well the 12at7 is the most different tube for all the 12a*7, it is able to get more power and the construction of the tube makes a marvelous sparkling highs.
High frecuencies that becomes from the reverb tanks seems to be more richnees in high frecuencies with the 12at7 and it sounds so nice....
Futhermore the 12at7 is able to work properly in substitution of the 12ax7 because the resistors that you need to polarizate them are quite similar than 12ax7, for me there is no doubt ( like the band ) 12at7 for the reverb tank
For power tubes I recomends svetlana, like the Eh were born on reflector ( russia ) and all tubes made by reflector has one mission take no prisoners

 

[Guitarzan]

I'd rather sub a 5751 than use a 12AT7.

 

[Fuzzman]

"For power tubes I recomends svetlana..."
Standard Svetlana 6L6GC or SED C 6L6?
I like the bass of JJ 6L6 but it is very dark to me.

 

[nocluejimbo]

Svetlana 6L6's - Mesa STR454

 

[fatboy135]

I prefer the sed c but in my country we say " para gustos los colores " that means " for tastes the colors " it is something that you must take some poweramps and try to get your personal taste

 

[Fuzzman]

fatboy,
Do you get cristal clean tones with the EH 12ax7 on your DC-5? When I tried the EH pre tubes it sounded not so muddy as the JJ, but still on the dark side, maybe it was because the power were JJ 6L6. What do you think? The SED C are brighter than the JJ 6L6? And what about the bass? The JJ 6L6 have a tight bass tone, ttha is the reason I was trying to combine bright (Sino) pre tubes with JJ power tubes.

 

[fatboy135]

I don´t have a dc5, but.... the eh are great tubes for a good S/R ratio, they are low microphonics with high gain. If you are looking for crystal tones goes for a sovtek lps.
The sovtek lps are differents construction than a eh, the lps are long plate like the Ei and eh are short plate. For a high gain sound I recomended the EH, for a crystal sound with well balanced sound and a defined sound go for a lps.
In my point of view china tubes like sino sucks.
For power amps is not a chancer for me. Give me a S, give me an E, give me a D, SED, SED, SED

 

[Fuzzman]

Ok fatboy,
I'll try the SED C. What dou you prefer on your Mesa, "early breakup" or "late breakup"?
For pre amp, I think I'll order some EH12ax7, one EH12at7, and one LPS just for test on V1.
Thanks.

 

[fatboy135]

Yeahhhh reflector rules.
What do you meand with earlier and later breakup???
P.D. Refers to my topic about opening tubes and closing reflector, there are some gossips that new sensor the bigger russian deliver is going to close

 

[Fuzzman]

From thetubestore.com:
"10. What about "early breakup" and "late breakup" power tubes that you see with other brands?
One important aspect of this concept is to keep in mind that it only works in fixed bias amplifiers. For comparison to the Perfect Pair numbers, lower numbers have "early breakup" (distort more easily) and higher numbers have "late breakup" (distort less easily)..."

 

[fatboy135]

Ok then I prefer the less distort as you can for power amp, maybe I´m a purist :roll: