mooncobra
Well-known member
Yes, tubes matter. Made my
Amp sound and feel better.
Amp sound and feel better.
MetalHeart
Well-known member
yeah I dont watch him anymore. Every amp sounds the same.
Techdeth
RESIDENT ROCK PROFESSOR
He seems nice but ya
Hiwatts-n-Gibsons
Active member
That's what she said.
K
Kraku
Member
Just out of curiosity, what amp did you have before that?
A
AKMlarry
Member
I bought some 6L6 tubes for my triple crown, and it didn't really change the sound at all.
311splawndude
Well-known member
Noob alert.
(didn't watch the video)
I can def here a difference between EL34s and 6L6s, BUT, I also agree it is subtle compared to all the other things going on in the chain - as noted. That and the differences can sometimes be made up with other adjustments. I also feel preamp tubes make far more impact, but still much less than speakers, pickups, room, chain, etc etc. - as noted.
My reference point is my 2 Rectos - both of which have the bias switch on the back, so that may impact my assessment. Swapping power tubes around without concern for the mV bias of the amp is going to have skewed results.
Wow, I didn't know that. That is too bad. I liked the guy and appreciated his videos for what they were. I know he asked many of us, myself included, what we would like to see in comparison videos. Not the amps. The methods.
I don't fully understand this but I consider you an expert so. Are you saying 2 of one pair in slots say V1 and V4 and 2 of the other pair in slots V2 and V3? Or something completely different? Lastly, does my Recto example (bias) not compensate for this?
This is very true
This is a great demo and I can def hear the differences. The 6505 with 6L6s sounded better to me. The Mark (with all options) sounded like a wet blanket in comparison. Something I never really liked about Marks.
I'd rather feel the greasy throat and the glassy warmth
I must have missed all of this drama, and usually I can smell it even when logged out.
Who is that (username)?
(didn't watch the video)
I can def here a difference between EL34s and 6L6s, BUT, I also agree it is subtle compared to all the other things going on in the chain - as noted. That and the differences can sometimes be made up with other adjustments. I also feel preamp tubes make far more impact, but still much less than speakers, pickups, room, chain, etc etc. - as noted.
My reference point is my 2 Rectos - both of which have the bias switch on the back, so that may impact my assessment. Swapping power tubes around without concern for the mV bias of the amp is going to have skewed results.
Wow, I didn't know that. That is too bad. I liked the guy and appreciated his videos for what they were. I know he asked many of us, myself included, what we would like to see in comparison videos. Not the amps. The methods.
I don't fully understand this but I consider you an expert so. Are you saying 2 of one pair in slots say V1 and V4 and 2 of the other pair in slots V2 and V3? Or something completely different? Lastly, does my Recto example (bias) not compensate for this?
This is very true
This is a great demo and I can def hear the differences. The 6505 with 6L6s sounded better to me. The Mark (with all options) sounded like a wet blanket in comparison. Something I never really liked about Marks.
I'd rather feel the greasy throat and the glassy warmth
I must have missed all of this drama, and usually I can smell it even when logged out.
Glenn Fricker enters the chat
Who is that (username)?
K
Kraku
Member
The loud Canadian.
glpg80
Well-known member
Noob alert.
(didn't watch the video)
I can def here a difference between EL34s and 6L6s, BUT, I also agree it is subtle compared to all the other things going on in the chain - as noted. That and the differences can sometimes be made up with other adjustments. I also feel preamp tubes make far more impact, but still much less than speakers, pickups, room, chain, etc etc. - as noted.
My reference point is my 2 Rectos - both of which have the bias switch on the back, so that may impact my assessment. Swapping power tubes around without concern for the mV bias of the amp is going to have skewed results.
Wow, I didn't know that. That is too bad. I liked the guy and appreciated his videos for what they were. I know he asked many of us, myself included, what we would like to see in comparison videos. Not the amps. The methods.
I don't fully understand this but I consider you an expert so. Are you saying 2 of one pair in slots say V1 and V4 and 2 of the other pair in slots V2 and V3? Or something completely different? Lastly, does my Recto example (bias) not compensate for this?
This is very true
This is a great demo and I can def hear the differences. The 6505 with 6L6s sounded better to me. The Mark (with all options) sounded like a wet blanket in comparison. Something I never really liked about Marks.
I'd rather feel the greasy throat and the glassy warmth
I must have missed all of this drama, and usually I can smell it even when logged out.
Who is that (username)?
Bias won’t compensate for it no. The transformer primary is designed physically to match a given impedance which the power tubes expect to see. You can only match to one impedance. Swapping tubes and rebiasing still changes the impedance the primary of the transformer sees, so there’s a significant tonal impact that occurs which can skew tube preferences one way or the other depending on OT physical design.
311splawndude
Well-known member
Thank you my friend for that explanation. I assumed it had something to do with the primary side but does Mesa build something into the trannys or circuit to allow for 6L6 or EL34? I mean, I prefer EL34s but honestly, I'm not going to buy tubes from Mesa just get their color coded expensive tubes. I can figure it out by myself.
Or maybe more simply - how do amp manufactures create amps that will "take any octal type tube"?
glpg80
Well-known member
Typically different biasing schemes and they design the OT to handle the added heat from poor mismatch.
K
Kraku
Member
It was Steven Fryette himself. I accidentally ran again into the video. Here it is for everyone's pleasure. The amp designer himself explains how much tubes change the character of the amp and why it actually happens. The section starts at 10 min 30 sec mark:
Last edited:
Toni Kroos-ant
New member
THIS!
mnemonic
Well-known member
One thing to keep in mind - impedence mismatch isn’t always a bad thing. Some people run EL34’s in their rectos and love the sound. I think trainwreck amps purposely mismatch impedence.
A mismatch might be ‘doing it wrong’ from an electrical point of view but guitar amps in general are ‘doing it wrong’ from an electrical point of view. Distortion? That’s outside design parameters for the tubes.
A mismatch might be ‘doing it wrong’ from an electrical point of view but guitar amps in general are ‘doing it wrong’ from an electrical point of view. Distortion? That’s outside design parameters for the tubes.
mbt64
Member
I don’t know nearly as much as you guys about tube amps and I mostly like Jon’s videos for what they are. This one comparing the EVH 50w 6L6 vs EL34 did (to my ears) show a difference when using the blue channel but I'm also guessing that has to do as much with the amps’ voicing than just the tubes?
K
Kraku
Member
It's explained in detail by a professional amp designed in the above video I posted in my previous post in this thread. It explains everything you need to know about this topic.
mnemonic
Well-known member
IIRC the blue channel (preamp section) on the el34 model is slightly changed from the 6L6 model.