Favorite tubes for EVH 5150 III

[lettmusic]

What TAD are you guys using? I'm using the 6L6GC-STR in my 100w and they sound killer. Tons of low end. A lot more than the JJ's and Mesa's I've tried in there.

Same ones, maybe the bias hasn't settle in yet, maybe they work better in the 100w (mine's the 50w). I'm giving it couple days of playing before the final verdict.
I had a lot of success with the TAD in my randall amps, but they just don't seem to kick with the eVH
Thanks for the input, what do you have yours bias at?

 

[madrigal77]

What TAD are you guys using? I'm using the 6L6GC-STR in my 100w and they sound killer. Tons of low end. A lot more than the JJ's and Mesa's I've tried in there.

Same ones, maybe the bias hasn't settle in yet, maybe they work better in the 100w (mine's the 50w). I'm giving it couple days of playing before the final verdict.
I had a lot of success with the TAD in my randall amps, but they just don't seem to kick with the eVH
Thanks for the input, what do you have yours bias at?

Whatever the factory bias is. Strange you are lacking low end, because those tubes are known for massive low end. I haven't tried them in the 50w though so IDK. Some amps just don't like certain tubes. All I know is they are super punchy and have more low end to them than any other power tubes I've tried in my 100w.

 

[Kevin11]

Was lucky enough to play through a first-run, pre-JJ 5150 III 100w right when they first came out. I still can't get that tone out of my head. Just an incredible sounding amp. A year or so later, I played through a friend's brand new JJ loaded EVH and I couldn't believe the difference. I couldn't stand it. I'd just experimented with JJs in my Bogner at the time and knew right away why I didn't like his EVH. They impart this overbearing mid-range honk that I don't gel with at all. I'm always surprised when I hear players talk about how much they love JJs because I'd go digital before I ever used them again. Maybe they just don't play well with low-mid voiced amps like the 101B and EVH.

That sound is all over 'A Different Kind of Truth' and a number of live clips from the first few shows on that tour unfortunately. Then at some point EVH decided to yank the JJs (not sure what he replaced them with), and clips from those later shows are worlds better.

he never yanked the JJ preamps

Sorry, I should have clarified I was talking about power, not pre. I actually kept a few JJ pres in my amp for the longest time and I didn't mind those at all.

 

[bonedish]

I'm in.

Just recently I pulled out the JJs from my 50 watt head and did as follows:
V1 -Tungsol
V2 - EHX
V3 - EHX
V4 - Ruby AC5HG (ac cathode spot, I've been told to avoid Russian tubes in these spots)
V5 - EHX
V6 - Ruby AC5HG (ac cathode spot)
V7 - Sovtek LPS

V8 & V9 - JJs

The preamp changout alone made a HUGE difference - sweeter, more clarity, not dark. I remember Sovtek 5881s working well with the 100w when I had it, I may try these with the 50w sometime soon.

Also, it may be of some interest, but, when biasing my 50w I left the bias probe socket connected to the amp and let it sit for a few minutes. During that time I noticed that, when I started playing through the amp the bias jumped from 30ma to a higher number. The higher I turned the volume knob, the higher the bias climbed. Is this normal for tube amps? I though it was interesting nonetheless.....

 

[Mr. Willy]

I'm in.

Just recently I pulled out the JJs from my 50 watt head and did as follows:
V1 -Tungsol
V2 - EHX
V3 - EHX
V4 - Ruby AC5HG (ac cathode spot, I've been told to avoid Russian tubes in these spots)
V5 - EHX
V6 - Ruby AC5HG (ac cathode spot)
V7 - Sovtek LPS

V8 & V9 - JJs

The preamp changout alone made a HUGE difference - sweeter, more clarity, not dark. I remember Sovtek 5881s working well with the 100w when I had it, I may try these with the 50w sometime soon.

Also, it may be of some interest, but, when biasing my 50w I left the bias probe socket connected to the amp and let it sit for a few minutes. During that time I noticed that, when I started playing through the amp the bias jumped from 30ma to a higher number. The higher I turned the volume knob, the higher the bias climbed. Is this normal for tube amps? I though it was interesting nonetheless.....

Oh my gaa!!! I didn't realize those EVH heads had so many preamp tubes. How does it not hiss like crazy?

 

[bonedish]

Good question. For the insane amount of gain that channel 3 has I cannot believe it is as quiet as it is. There is still some very slight hissing, but it's very low. The JVM 50w was WAY noisier and had less preamp tubes IIRC!!!

 

[lettmusic]

I'm in.

Just recently I pulled out the JJs from my 50 watt head and did as follows:
V1 -Tungsol
V2 - EHX
V3 - EHX
V4 - Ruby AC5HG (ac cathode spot, I've been told to avoid Russian tubes in these spots)
V5 - EHX
V6 - Ruby AC5HG (ac cathode spot)
V7 - Sovtek LPS

V8 & V9 - JJs

The preamp changout alone made a HUGE difference - sweeter, more clarity, not dark. I remember Sovtek 5881s working well with the 100w when I had it, I may try these with the 50w sometime soon.

Also, it may be of some interest, but, when biasing my 50w I left the bias probe socket connected to the amp and let it sit for a few minutes. During that time I noticed that, when I started playing through the amp the bias jumped from 30ma to a higher number. The higher I turned the volume knob, the higher the bias climbed. Is this normal for tube amps? I though it was interesting nonetheless.....

How did you come up with these combination for the pres? it's a very interesting combo. Definitely better than JJs on the pre eh?

 

[lettmusic]

I'm in.

Just recently I pulled out the JJs from my 50 watt head and did as follows:
V1 -Tungsol
V2 - EHX
V3 - EHX
V4 - Ruby AC5HG (ac cathode spot, I've been told to avoid Russian tubes in these spots)
V5 - EHX
V6 - Ruby AC5HG (ac cathode spot)
V7 - Sovtek LPS

V8 & V9 - JJs

The preamp changout alone made a HUGE difference - sweeter, more clarity, not dark. I remember Sovtek 5881s working well with the 100w when I had it, I may try these with the 50w sometime soon.

Also, it may be of some interest, but, when biasing my 50w I left the bias probe socket connected to the amp and let it sit for a few minutes. During that time I noticed that, when I started playing through the amp the bias jumped from 30ma to a higher number. The higher I turned the volume knob, the higher the bias climbed. Is this normal for tube amps? I though it was interesting nonetheless.....

Oh my gaa!!! I didn't realize those EVH heads had so many preamp tubes. How does it not hiss like crazy?

yeah, suprisingly not a s noisy as you think, but I always run ISP Decimator in front

 

[ams2ek]

I'm in.

Just recently I pulled out the JJs from my 50 watt head and did as follows:
V1 -Tungsol
V2 - EHX
V3 - EHX
V4 - Ruby AC5HG (ac cathode spot, I've been told to avoid Russian tubes in these spots)
V5 - EHX
V6 - Ruby AC5HG (ac cathode spot)
V7 - Sovtek LPS

V8 & V9 - JJs

The preamp changout alone made a HUGE difference - sweeter, more clarity, not dark. I remember Sovtek 5881s working well with the 100w when I had it, I may try these with the 50w sometime soon.

Also, it may be of some interest, but, when biasing my 50w I left the bias probe socket connected to the amp and let it sit for a few minutes. During that time I noticed that, when I started playing through the amp the bias jumped from 30ma to a higher number. The higher I turned the volume knob, the higher the bias climbed. Is this normal for tube amps? I though it was interesting nonetheless.....

Yes that is normal.

Rick

 

[bonedish]

I'm in.

Just recently I pulled out the JJs from my 50 watt head and did as follows:
V1 -Tungsol
V2 - EHX
V3 - EHX
V4 - Ruby AC5HG (ac cathode spot, I've been told to avoid Russian tubes in these spots)
V5 - EHX
V6 - Ruby AC5HG (ac cathode spot)
V7 - Sovtek LPS

V8 & V9 - JJs

The preamp changout alone made a HUGE difference - sweeter, more clarity, not dark. I remember Sovtek 5881s working well with the 100w when I had it, I may try these with the 50w sometime soon.

Also, it may be of some interest, but, when biasing my 50w I left the bias probe socket connected to the amp and let it sit for a few minutes. During that time I noticed that, when I started playing through the amp the bias jumped from 30ma to a higher number. The higher I turned the volume knob, the higher the bias climbed. Is this normal for tube amps? I though it was interesting nonetheless.....

How did you come up with these combination for the pres? it's a very interesting combo. Definitely better than JJs on the pre eh?

I originally had a 100w with the Sovtek/EHX mix and really felt the tone was more to my liking (before I foolishly traded it). I like the EH better in the pre spots I have them in, they have a nice tone mixed with the Tungsol, IMHO. Mostly just trying stuff out in different spots. The JJs aren't bad, just a different tone.

 

[dead-pan]

Had the 50 watt version here and rolled all the tubes I have. Generally don't like JJ's much but for the preamp they worked the best for me. I did like Sovtek in the power section a little better that the JJ's. All in all I didn't think the head reacted to tube changes as much as Mesa, Peavey, Framus etc...

 

[SFW]

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

 

[lettmusic]

Had the 50 watt version here and rolled all the tubes I have. Generally don't like JJ's much but for the preamp they worked the best for me. I did like Sovtek in the power section a little better that the JJ's. All in all I didn't think the head reacted to tube changes as much as Mesa, Peavey, Framus etc...

that seems to be my experience as well, difference is not drastic like some amps

 

[jinch0]

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?

 

[SFW]

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.

 

[jinch0]

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.

are those the tubes you were running when you recorded the video for the dimarzio super distortion?

 

[SFW]

I had the Sovteks in for that vid. Was the last those tubes sounded good.

 

[synergyscott]

I'm in.

Just recently I pulled out the JJs from my 50 watt head and did as follows:
V1 -Tungsol
V2 - EHX
V3 - EHX
V4 - Ruby AC5HG (ac cathode spot, I've been told to avoid Russian tubes in these spots)
V5 - EHX
V6 - Ruby AC5HG (ac cathode spot)
V7 - Sovtek LPS

V8 & V9 - JJs

Bonedish, thanks so much for sharing your preferences on the 5150III 50 watt preamp tubes. I’m ready to replace tubes myself, but the tube layout is a little different from what you describe. Schematics say:
“V1 – ½ CH1/CH2 Preamp and ½ CH3 Preamp
V2, V3, V4 – CH3 Preamp
V5, V6 – CH1/CH2 Preamp
V7, V8 – Power Amp Output
V9 – Power Amp Phase Splitter”

So, if V7 and V8 are power amp tubes, which ones are the AC Cathode spots? Just V9?

 

[stompboxfreak72]

Jjs slay in the 5153. Valvequeen likes a Ruby Ac5+ in V1 and I have been using those in the gain stage of all my tube amps. My 5153 sounds great with a Rubyac5+ and Jjs.

 

[bonedish]

@ synergyscott - you are correct sir.
The phase inverter is the 12AX7 next to the power tubes.

V4 and V6 that are the AC cathode spots.
V4 is the cathode spot for channel 3 and V6 is for channels 1/2.