Preamp tubes making me rethink my tubes

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cecilbag

cecilbag

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I've always just bought whatever was the "good" tubes without giving much thought to all the hype over NOS stuff. Well I received a big box of the NOS chinese tubes Snave was selling on here yesterday. They came superbly packed and shipped fast so definitely don't hesitate to buy from Snave. I thought I may as well throw 3 in before headed out to my gig saturday night. I fired up my Splawn before I left to make sure they were working and immediately noticed a difference. Well I always carry two spare sets of pre and power tubes for my amps because you know how tubes can be. I've always loved my tone through this amp but second I started soundchecking my guitar our soundman asked me if I did something to it. I told him just tubes. To say I was impressed last night is an understatement. I don't really know how to explain it but I felt like I had a bit of extra sustain and just more juice to the notes. Just an amazing difference. I've settled on reissue Mullards for my power tubes after I couldn't get winged c at decent prices anymore. What would be the tubes you guys would suggest for power tubes so I could a/b them? I guess I'm going to start building myself a stash of tubes now that I'm falling down the rabbit hole......Any and all suggestions welcome.
 
I am pretty ignorant about tubes...but I got some of those Chinese military preamp tubes and they are great. Makes me wanna horde tubes too.
 
For 34s I would say look for Siemens/RFT. I have Winged Cs, Siemens, and vintage Mullards and at volume all 3 sets sound very close. Pre tubes Chinese A/Bs(chrome square getter) Amperex and RFT. In my Marshalls anyway. Look at KCA or Doug's tubes, or eBay. Used but strong tubes are reasonable and none of mine have gone bad in 7 years. If you want to tube roll bring your Splawn and drive 90 minutes over. I have a bias meter.
 
Believe it or not, some manufacturers are basing their circuits on standard Chinese G9 style preamps - why? Cheap, consistent and always available.

The V1 is a key slot, as is the PI - first and last - whatever goes in between there is a mixture of sonic fact and snake oil :2thumbsup:
 
I've tried the Mullard Reissue, SED =C= , and JJ EL34s in my Quick Rod and honestly - I can't tell much difference. You're main difference is going to be in the preamp tubes. As Ventura pointed out, V1 (V2 in my QR) and the phase inverter are your big bets for tone changes.

I am a huge proponent of JAN 5751 for those slots and I've had lots of luck with Penta Labs (Chinese) 9th Gen and JJs. Telefunken, RCA, GE, Phillips, would be some additional NOS tubes to look at.

When replacing preamp tubes do them one at time and leave everything else constant. Write notes down too - because you will soon forget what worked best where. But yeah - if you pop 3 NOS tubes into any amp it is going to sound better LOL. THey don't make them like they used to and I'm starting to whore up on them as well.

www.kcanostubes.com, www.dougstubes.com, www.valvequeen.com, www.tubedepot.com - all good places to go.
 
A link or anything to help find Snave would be helpful, thanks.
 
It was from the classifieds here on rigtalk he was selling 30 and I think he had 5 left because someone backed out. Just click the classifieds, he's on there.

I really didn't think I heard a ton of difference with power tubes but I do think it have the amp a different feel. I could be crazy but I just really liked the reissue Mullard's but I do want to try a few sets of older power tubes. Ill most likely take you up on that Racer, Ill also bring the blades for you get sliced on lol
 
cecilbag":2owq6nyo said:
It was from the classifieds here on rigtalk he was selling 30 and I think he had 5 left because someone backed out. Just click the classifieds, he's on there.

I really didn't think I heard a ton of difference with power tubes but I do think it have the amp a different feel. I could be crazy but I just really liked the reissue Mullard's but I do want to try a few sets of older power tubes. Ill most likely take you up on that Racer, Ill also bring the blades for you get sliced on lol
Click to expand...
:lol: :LOL: :D
 
I can't get away from Yugo EI 12ax7s after stumbling upon several in the $5 bin of a now out-of-business pro shop 15 years ago. Then I found out EJ uses them too. Evidently they were built using the old Telefunken equipment that had been sold.

Clinton bombed the factory. Well, not personally, but ordered it. No more EI or Telefunken equipment.
 
Square Getters are good, but the best NOS 12AX7 tones I have gotten, have been from old Amperex and Mullards - the long black plate ones.

Power tubes in my experience have less of an overall effect on the tone, but still matter. I haven't had any "true" NOS EL34s, just =C= and 90's Teslas.
 
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