1983 JCM800 2203 tube rolling - suggestions??

T

tonesfoyobones

Well-known member
A 1983 2203 popped up locally so I jumped. The power tubes are new JJ EL34's with a few hours. New caps. I'm ok with these for the time being.
My question is what preamp tube combo's have you JCM aficionados found that work best for you and what style of music do you play? I've got a stash of pre's but before I go rolling I wanted to get a good starting point. For reference I play thrash, 80's hair metal up to current metal.

The preamp's current lineup
V1- JJ ECC83MG
V2- looks like a stock Siemens?
V3- same

I appreciate your time and input RT!
 
I'd put the vintage Siemens into V1, V2 and relegate the JJ to the PI. Test that first. Then, any number of cool vintage pre tubes will kill in that amp...Chinese Bs or 6N4s, Ei, Mullards, Tungsrams, RFT, Teslas, Amperex....lots of options. I'd look for used but test strong vintage pres....Power tubes vintage Siemens are my fav, followed by WInged Cs. Mullards(vintage) are also cool but spendy as hell; and I like the previous 2 better anyway.
 
shortplate JJ is OK in PI, I wouldn’t use it anywhere else.

I definitely prefer a long plate in V2, not overly fussy on brand but whatever you can find should be good. That one is usually what makes or breaks these circuits for me. If you can find a quiet enough long plate that isn’t microphonic for V1 then go for that, otherwise I quite like Tung Sol’s or Chinese
 
Racerxrated said:
I'd put the vintage Siemens into V1, V2 and relegate the JJ to the PI. Test that first. Then, any number of cool vintage pre tubes will kill in that amp...Chinese Bs or 6N4s, Ei, Mullards, Tungsrams, RFT, Teslas, Amperex....lots of options. I'd look for used but test strong vintage pres....Power tubes vintage Siemens are my fav, followed by WInged Cs. Mullards(vintage) are also cool but spendy as hell; and I like the previous 2 better anyway.
Click to expand...
Yes, I’ve only tried this in a ‘79 JMP2203 (not an 800), but my favorite pre’s in it were the Siemens, Bugle Boy’s & RFT’s. Haven’t powertube rolled in them, but I’d bet German Valvo & Bugle Boy power tubes would kill too (in addition to Siemens) like in my NMV Marshall’s. Problem is just finding and affording them
 
Alot a good stuff here guy's, greatly appreciated!
Here's what I settled on for the day. Lol my ears need a break.

V1- JJ E83CC (great palm mutes, tighter more defined low end)
V2- Siemens (or what I think is a Siemens)
V3- Siemens

I also loved a RFT in V1 but I always have. Loved it in my Jubilee's. Tames the bright side of the amp nicely but lower gain.
I've found that some of my higher gain pre's can make the low end and gain get easily outta hand. Not so the case with the 2203X's that I have had. They liked alot more of the newer production tubes than this '83 does.
I did try it with 2 of the E83CC's (v1&v2) but it was too much and I lost some color to the notes. The lower gain pre's mixed with 1 high gainer seems to be the ticket so far.

I'm pushing the front with the good'ole SD-1 anniversary. It seems to like the level about 12 o'clock, drive 10 to 11 o'clock and the tone about 1 o'clock. I tried my TS-9 but it didn't hit the front as much as I wanted. Didn't add enough hair but in all honesty I didn't get the drive up to high.

What do you guy's like to slam the front with? Are you stacking?

Again I appreciate your valued input. Having owning a bunch a Marshall's I really never had one of these earlier ones. I do like the feel of it but would love for it to be a little thicker, more hair. I'm guessing that the right pedal with finish the job for me.
 
While I’ve never owned any rare, valuable NOS glass, I have blown some cash on the currently available offerings. Here are my 2 cents: if you have any amp that is a bit bright and a bit wild that you want to smooth out, I have found the the Gold Lion 12AX7 to be warmer and smoother than many others. By contrast, if you have an amp that needs just a touch more gain and sizzle, I really like the EH 12AX7. I may be really gullible, but I do find the ‘Gold’ EH 12AX7 to be just as hot as the standard offering from EH while being noticeably quieter in the V-1 Position.
 
V1: JJ E83CC or RFT ECC83
V2: JJ ECC83
V3: JJ ECC83 or Sovtek 12AX7 LPS

I like JJ tubes in Marshall style circuits.
 
I've not tried this new JJ E83CC, but I typically like JJ's in V2 and V3 in a 4 preamp set up, with a Sovtek LPS in the PI, (or in this case V3). I find JJ's in V1 somewhat sterile, (though big and warm, they lack character).

Right now in my SC20H I'm running a Gold Lion CV4004 in V1. I also have Mullard RI CV4004's that sound good in V1. Typically, I also dig Tungsols in V1. This amp just likes that Gold Lion.
 
V1: Prewar Ei Yugo in V1, just make sure you buy from someone who screens for microphonics. Mullard reissue would be my second choice.
V2: JJ ECC83
V3: Sovtek 12AX7LPS
 
As you can see, it's a crap shoot. Now if the Siemens sounds good in V1, go for it. If you don't have a tester, all you have is your ears. Ignore the brand. The JJ's I have had test really good but they can be a bit "grainy" in tone. My only other experience with current production is the Mullard branded reissues and they were an improvement on a JCM900 I worked on.
 
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Here’s a pretty cool read for tube rollers.
He gives a good overview of all the different 12AX7 personalities …

https://medias.audiofanzine.com/files/specs-tube-ecc83-12ax7-470053.pdf
I believe you can’t go wrong with Mullard, Siemens, Amperex, Tungsram, RFT in V1 & V2 in a Vintage Marshall type circuit.
Personally, I really prefer a Telefunken or a Yugo Ei (2nd choice) in V3 PI slot.

I agree with you guys, Siemens 34’s are the ultimate power tube, in my opinion.

JJ’s are an excellent choice for V1, V2, V3 in an amplifier you are packing up that just sold on reverb.

All that said, in my Wizard MTL MKII, the most expensive 6 NOS tubes in the preamp section didn’t sound or feel $1000 better than the stock JJ’s it came with.

In my experience, Amps like Marshall JMP’s / 800’s will really benefit from NOS glass more than many of the modern channel switchers.

If you don’t hear much of a difference after switching back-and-forth a couple times, just leave the cheap tube in there😉
 
I tend to prefer JJ's all around but Doug at Dougs Tubes recommended a NOS JAN Phillips 5751 once for a PI tube and I was super happy with it. Still going strong after 10 years now.
 
I like JJ E83CC for gain stages. They have high brightness and add this sort of tightness to the gain. Definitly a different tube then the JJ ECC83S, which I found to be dark and dull. at least to my ears.

Jan Philip12AT in Clean channel socket and same tube for P.I.

I found a 12AT7 in the PI cleaned up the amp nicely, allowed more note separation on high gain channel/sound. Also removed some high end harshness and smoothed it out.

Goodl luck
 
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