Favorite tubes for EVH 5150 III

[the4thlast1]

JJ preamp tubes for sure.... Power tubes really depend on what you are going for..JJ 6L6s are dark and smooth ...Sovtek Wxt+ has tighter bottom end , a bit brighter overall and more midrange punch. Rubys sound big and mean , a bit too aggressive for me. So far Wxt+ has been my favorite 6L6, I will be trying the Tads soon.

 

[DAMIAN The MAN]

I'm currently running Groove Tubes 12AX7-C preamp tubes and a quad of GT 6L6GE power tubes. Brought the amp back to life.

did you find what was wrong with your amp?

Yes. The Sovtek 6L6WXTs had gone bad. I'd only had them in the amp for six months.

I remember your vid with those tubes as one of the best sounding out there.

Do you like the GT 6l6 GE + 12ax7C more than the Sovteks/EHX combination ?

 

[crwnedblasphemy]

To the top....

Thinking of a retube. Have stock in which are JJ's I believe. Not labeled.

 

[napalmdeath]

I liked Svetlana 6L6's - (New production, New Sensor). Those tubes are nice & warm, with a more controlled low-end, which, for me, tighten the amp up.

The EVH SHINES with NOS preamp tubes. Yeah, could be unreasonable for some, but it does. But, a new production Tungsol in V1 really improves the blue channel, IMO. Adds a little "hair", and sounds less stuffy. I hate JJ's in V1. Warm, yes. Bland and stuffy too.

Try the Tungsol. Just have to dial down the presence/treble a tad, but it'll balance nicely, and sound more pleasing on the blue channel.

 

[Lord Toneking]

I put a couple Mullard CV4004's in mine and it really tamed that nasally harshness that I could never dial out

 

[232cap]

I had a bunch of EVH heads and at the end of the day the amp is what it is. You can fine tune with preamp tubes but thats it, the chainsaw tone will always be in it. Still a super cool amp. I went down the tube flippin road with it. lol

 

[Speeddemon]

On my 50W:
Definitely an RFT in V1 to darken it a tad, Sovtek LPS in the PI spot.
And I toned down CH3's gain by putting a new and a NOS 5751 in V2 and V3.

 

[Lakeabilene]

On my 50W:
Definitely an RFT in V1 to darken it a tad, Sovtek LPS in the PI spot.
And I toned down CH3's gain by putting a new and a NOS 5751 in V2 and V3.

Tried that in my 50 watt. The RFT in V1 was about as harsh as the original JJ. I put a NOS 5751 in V1 and now it's perfect! NOS tubes in v2 and v3 both 12ax7, and winged c power tubes. Sounds like it's supposed to!

 

[riffermadness]

The only thing I've done is rebias both amps to 30ma.

Do you know what the factory bias is on those?

On the 50 watt head Howard Kaplan of Fender-EVH recommends 30mA per tube for the 50 watt heads. thats what I run mine at and it sounds the best there..I have replaced the stock JJ 6l6 GC's for a matched set of the same tubes,and have a mix of JJ's,the chinese 12ax7b and Tungsol re-issue in the preamp slots..sounds the best I can get it.