Tube lineup

thenappyone · 05-23-2009, 01:14 PM

I'm just wondering about everyone's tube lineup out there. What are your favorite tubes to use? Mullards, teles, amperex....etc? What 12a varient do you prefer in the preamp and in what position? And finally what are your favorite output tubes. Just scored a nos pair of Philips 7581a tubes and am waiting by the door for the ups man.

V!N · 05-24-2009, 01:52 AM

Welcome to the forum.

I can't answer your question. After a lot of experimenting (and I'm still not done) I ended up with different sets in different amps, most of the times even mixed. There's not a single brand that can do it all for me and I'm pretty much done with NOS.
Ten years ago, the differences were quite big, but the Chinese are making great sounding pre-amp tubes nowadays. Also Tung-Sol is rapidly becoming one of my favourite brands for 6V6 and EL34.

rockmonkey · 05-24-2009, 07:13 AM

It depends on the amp and the sound I'm after. I like the EH 5U4, and JJ GZ34 rectifier valves. The JJ 6V6 valves sound great when they don't rattle and aren't microphonic. I love the TAD 6L6WGC-STR in tweed amps with Tung-sold 12AX7 and EC 12AY7 valves in the preamp. I also really like the TAD 6l6GC-STR in blackface amps. Haven't settled on favorite valves for British voice amps yet.

Liam · 05-24-2009, 08:39 AM

Preamp tubes? NOS Mullard or Brimar in my Marshalls, although I often use JAN Phillips 5751 in the V1 slot to tame the gain a bit. I like Telefunken and Tung Sol, but Mullard are my favourites.

Power tubes, always used to like NOS Mullard too, but they are just too expensive now (if you can find them) and I've found Winged C (used to be Svetlana) to be a pretty good substitute.

Got a small supply of BNIB Mullard GZ34s, but I really don't think the rectifier tubes make any difference to the sound.

rockmonkey · 05-24-2009, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Liam

Got a small supply of BNIB Mullard GZ34s, but I really don't think the rectifier tubes make any difference to the sound.

Sounds like somebody isn't turning their amp to 11

I don't hear any difference in tone from one rectifier brand to the next either but the dynamics of a cranked amp do change slightly with different brands of rectifiers. I've also noticed that some brands burn out much quicker than others.

stryker59 · 05-24-2009, 09:11 AM

i have jj's in both my jvm and classic 50 and really like them. ive used the electro harmonix tubes as well and they do very nicely....

Liam · 05-24-2009, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockmonkey

Sounds like somebody isn't turning their amp to 11

I don't hear any difference in tone from one rectifier brand to the next either but the dynamics of a cranked amp do change slightly with different brands of rectifiers. I've also noticed that some brands burn out much quicker than others.

Maybe I'm just spoilt. Generally use Mullard or Zaerix (made in Blackburn!), so they last forever. And you're right, I don't often play with everything on 11.

thenappyone · 05-24-2009, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockmonkey

It depends on the amp and the sound I'm after. I like the EH 5U4, and JJ GZ34 rectifier valves. The JJ 6V6 valves sound great when they don't rattle and aren't microphonic. I love the TAD 6L6WGC-STR in tweed amps with Tung-sold 12AX7 and EC 12AY7 valves in the preamp. I also really like the TAD 6l6GC-STR in blackface amps. Haven't settled on favorite valves for British voice amps yet.

i have heard good things about the TAD tubes but on the flip-side i have read about people getting a lot of microphonic tubes as well. Seems kinda 50/50. I have also come across a review of the JJ 6v6s in place of a 6l6gc. Apperently those are quite stout tubes and can upwards of 500 volts at the plates but I can't remember the plate dissipation. Drops the output as well. Rip roaring little monster from what I hear. I've just been using GT tubes but have started tweaking all my gear lately. Bought a bunch of tubes and I am going to see what I like. In the blackface amps what did you set the bias at? I know a lot of people do by ear but I'm not about to try it...........yet

hillbilly · 05-24-2009, 09:51 PM

Winged C's for Power, NOS Mullard's for Pre's.

thenappyone · 05-24-2009, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hillbilly

Winged C's for Power, NOS Mullard's for Pre's.

Right on. I actually came across a few nos mullard ax7 locally. I really like how smooth they break up. Sound a lot warmer than the groove tubes were

PINKBITS · 05-24-2009, 11:56 PM

I use TAD el84s and SED Winged C 6L6's

Preamp tubes a mixture of Tungsol, Penta labs and JJ.

I had all sorts of trouble with Tungsol pre's with my GH50l in V1 and V2. Just gave a loud humming.

Penta Labs are a great chinese tube for gain. JJ are a darker tube. I do not like these at all in the first couple of slots Tungsols are clear and punchy, great tube but due to the long plate seem to be prone to noise in some amps.

Every amp responds differently to tube change. The best thing about pre's is that unless you go NOS they are cheap. I've got shit loads and it took me a long time to work out what worked and what didn't. Even using the same tubes in different slots made a big difference.

05-23-2009, 01:14 PM	#1 (permalink)
thenappyone Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Washington, MO Posts: 72 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Tube lineup I'm just wondering about everyone's tube lineup out there. What are your favorite tubes to use? Mullards, teles, amperex....etc? What 12a varient do you prefer in the preamp and in what position? And finally what are your favorite output tubes. Just scored a nos pair of Philips 7581a tubes and am waiting by the door for the ups man. Last edited by thenappyone; 05-23-2009 at 04:05 PM.

05-24-2009, 01:52 AM	#2 (permalink)
V!N Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Working on De-Railroad Posts: 4,084 Thanks: 79 Thanked 113 Times in 25 Posts	Re: Tube lineup Welcome to the forum. I can't answer your question. After a lot of experimenting (and I'm still not done) I ended up with different sets in different amps, most of the times even mixed. There's not a single brand that can do it all for me and I'm pretty much done with NOS. Ten years ago, the differences were quite big, but the Chinese are making great sounding pre-amp tubes nowadays. Also Tung-Sol is rapidly becoming one of my favourite brands for 6V6 and EL34. __________________ I've been driving all night, my hands wet on the wheel.

05-24-2009, 07:13 AM	#3 (permalink)
rockmonkey Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Mid Wales Posts: 163 Thanks: 1 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Tube lineup It depends on the amp and the sound I'm after. I like the EH 5U4, and JJ GZ34 rectifier valves. The JJ 6V6 valves sound great when they don't rattle and aren't microphonic. I love the TAD 6L6WGC-STR in tweed amps with Tung-sold 12AX7 and EC 12AY7 valves in the preamp. I also really like the TAD 6l6GC-STR in blackface amps. Haven't settled on favorite valves for British voice amps yet. __________________ rockmonkeyguitars.com Proud user of the cheap but very nice kits from diyguitarshop.com

05-24-2009, 08:39 AM	#4 (permalink)
Liam V.I.P. Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Preston, Lancashire, United Kingdom Posts: 5,182 Thanks: 87 Thanked 104 Times in 23 Posts	Re: Tube lineup Preamp tubes? NOS Mullard or Brimar in my Marshalls, although I often use JAN Phillips 5751 in the V1 slot to tame the gain a bit. I like Telefunken and Tung Sol, but Mullard are my favourites. Power tubes, always used to like NOS Mullard too, but they are just too expensive now (if you can find them) and I've found Winged C (used to be Svetlana) to be a pretty good substitute. Got a small supply of BNIB Mullard GZ34s, but I really don't think the rectifier tubes make any difference to the sound.

05-24-2009, 09:11 AM	#6 (permalink)
stryker59 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: annville, pa Posts: 3,395 Thanks: 21 Thanked 3 Times in 1 Post	Re: Tube lineup i have jj's in both my jvm and classic 50 and really like them. ive used the electro harmonix tubes as well and they do very nicely.... __________________ *you've been weighed, measured, and found wanting!*

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05-24-2009, 09:51 PM	#9 (permalink)
hillbilly V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,399 Thanks: 1 Thanked 101 Times in 16 Posts	Re: Tube lineup Winged C's for Power, NOS Mullard's for Pre's. __________________ I think myself that we have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious. --- Thomas Jefferson

05-24-2009, 11:56 PM	#11 (permalink)
PINKBITS Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: From the Land Down Under Posts: 7,627 Thanks: 250 Thanked 366 Times in 63 Posts	Re: Tube lineup I use TAD el84s and SED Winged C 6L6's Preamp tubes a mixture of Tungsol, Penta labs and JJ. I had all sorts of trouble with Tungsol pre's with my GH50l in V1 and V2. Just gave a loud humming. Penta Labs are a great chinese tube for gain. JJ are a darker tube. I do not like these at all in the first couple of slots Tungsols are clear and punchy, great tube but due to the long plate seem to be prone to noise in some amps. Every amp responds differently to tube change. The best thing about pre's is that unless you go NOS they are cheap. I've got shit loads and it took me a long time to work out what worked and what didn't. Even using the same tubes in different slots made a big difference. __________________

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