braintheory

So far I really liked my vintage 5881's by JAN Philips ECG, USA Tung-Sol and RCA (I tried Sylvania 6L6GC's, RCA blackplate 6L6GC's...

Those bugle boys are amazing, super rare and expensive but very cool

I’d just try other tubes in it. I haven’t tried a BAD era SLO yet, but at least with my ‘89 SLO other tubes sound better to me anyway...

My SLO is a 2020 with the Classictone trannies, if that helps age the tubes. Had the same thing happen with the Sovtek 5881s on my...

I’ve managed to get a decent amount of them over the years. A ‘60’s amp I just bought actually came with 2 of them in the pre and a...

My guess is he means more recent ones. My tech warned me about them. I did have one ‘90’s Russian Sovtek KT66 red plate though on me and...

I haven’t had my Sovtek 5881’s redplate thankfully, but my tech has warned me about their reliability and why he doesn’t use Sovtek’s...

Had a Sovtex 5881 replate. Installed a set of JJ 6L6 I had on hand for my BF Dual Showman. Bit more bass and treble, not as healthy in...

Yes dark leaning, fat, smoothish. What I like about them is their unique chewy quality in the low mids and IME more complex tone than...

The Amperex pre's that I've owned are great; slightly darker than a vintage Mullard but not a dark tube overall. Very smooth. Great tube.

Holland made Amperex Bugle Boys. Excellent tubes, especially their EL34’s, but they’re rare and pricy. They have a warm, chewy, dark...

I had similar findings. I get why those Chinese pre’s are a very popular choice in high gain amps. They are very good but in all my amps...

The most important part for me is quality of tone. Does it sound rich, organic, is there complexity to the notes or is it more 2D...

What I've been seen lately is that is becoming really hard to sell the cheap gear, that got over inflated within the last three years by...

In my Schroeder Dozer at least the KT150’s came off a little more clinical and distant sounding than the KT88’s, but a little bigger and...