Preamp tubes, what are you having good luck with?

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tweed

tweed

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Time for me to stock up on some 12ax7's again and I'm wondering what everyone is running. I know the last batch I went through, a lot of the EH's and a few of the chin 9th, didn't last long at all. I am looking for my DSL50 mainly as that's what I'm using at the moment. Thought about getting some JJ's as I've never tried them...

Thoughts?
 
Tungsram,,,and old Ei tubes not the silver or gold..
 
tweed":3kr8ko8m said:
Time for me to stock up on some 12ax7's again and I'm wondering what everyone is running. I know the last batch I went through, a lot of the EH's and a few of the chin 9th, didn't last long at all. I am looking for my DSL50 mainly as that's what I'm using at the moment. Thought about getting some JJ's as I've never tried them...

Thoughts?
Click to expand...


Axe-Fx....
:hys:
 
Don't get JJ's unless you're amp is super bright and you want it super warm.

Reissue Tung Sol's are a pretty safe bet across the board.

I used to love the Chinese tubes, but they just feel mushy to me lately.
 
I came across a box at work with RCA and Westinghouse 12ax7's. Now I have to find out if they all work. :rock:
 
HGainiac":r5cbhz7u said:
tweed":r5cbhz7u said:
Time for me to stock up on some 12ax7's again and I'm wondering what everyone is running. I know the last batch I went through, a lot of the EH's and a few of the chin 9th, didn't last long at all. I am looking for my DSL50 mainly as that's what I'm using at the moment. Thought about getting some JJ's as I've never tried them...

Thoughts?
Click to expand...


Axe-Fx....
:hys:
Click to expand...

You pay the credit card bill and i'll get one :hys:


I'll try and order some Tung-Sol's and see how they work. Who has the best price on them right now? Doug's Tubes?
 
stephen sawall":12igipdi said:
I am very interested in these .....

https://shop.blackburnmicrotech.com/index.php

Myself I like the Tung Sol stuff a lot.
Click to expand...

Interesting. But 60+ bucks a pop plus the shipping from overseas...no thanks.

I wonder what ever happened to the tube replacements that popped up at NAMM last year. I forget the company and the name of the product, but basically it looked almost like a solid state replacement for tubes.
 
I have been pretty impressed with Tung Sol Reissues. They are my new favorite current production 12AX7's after EI's dried up.

Never been a fan of JJ ECC83s or ECC803s's in most amps.....
 
tweed":25cqkh44 said:
stephen sawall":25cqkh44 said:
I am very interested in these .....

https://shop.blackburnmicrotech.com/index.php

Myself I like the Tung Sol stuff a lot.
Click to expand...

Interesting. But 60+ bucks a pop plus the shipping from overseas...no thanks.

I wonder what ever happened to the tube replacements that popped up at NAMM last year. I forget the company and the name of the product, but basically it looked almost like a solid state replacement for tubes.
Click to expand...

I agree the price is stupid .... but who knows after a few more batches I may pick one up to check out in V1 in a few of my amps. i completely forgot about the replacements.....
 
stephen sawall":8e6pwuyc said:
tweed":8e6pwuyc said:
stephen sawall":8e6pwuyc said:
I am very interested in these .....

https://shop.blackburnmicrotech.com/index.php

Myself I like the Tung Sol stuff a lot.
Click to expand...

Interesting. But 60+ bucks a pop plus the shipping from overseas...no thanks.

I wonder what ever happened to the tube replacements that popped up at NAMM last year. I forget the company and the name of the product, but basically it looked almost like a solid state replacement for tubes.
Click to expand...

I agree the price is stupid .... but who knows after a few more batches I may pick one up to check out in V1 in a few of my amps. i completely forgot about the replacements.....
Click to expand...

It says on there site, not to use them in v1 unless you're using one of there dampening devices that they supply free of charge. WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? I can use any other tube without a dampening device. sounds fishy.
 
Way too many recommendations and opinions on tubes for me. I never have the cash or the time to check them all out.
What I usually do is shoot an email to Doug @ dougstubes and whatever he recommends for the amp I go with. I haven't been dis-appointed.
 
I recently picked up a Tung Sol RI and a Penta Labs 12ax7-M for my Pro Reverb. I am very happy with the Tung Sol. I put it in V1 and I was very impressed. Just sounds "right". The Penta on the other hand was very thin and lifeless. Kinda disappointing, but you never know until you try.
 
I try to use NOS when I can. Of the current production, I think the Sovtek 12Ax7WC is an excellent sounding tube for a very reasonable price. Much better than the JJ's, I think.

ty
 
Sovtek 12AX7-LPS and TungSol 12AX7. But not to be used in cathode follower positions, they almost always fail at some point if used in that position. To address that issue, i just use a Chinese 9th Gen in the CF position and that never gives me problems :)
 
R.Milbeck":2qxo53uv said:
So Tung-Sol quality is back again? I remember about a year and a half ago everyone was bitching (myself included) about the fail rates.
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I haven't had mine for an extended period of time (only about a month and half) but so far so good!
 
Depends on the amp, but I am really digging the Tung-Sol's and the 9th generation Chinese. For adding thickness sometimes I use a JJ in the V3 position. In my Camerons I would use V1 Tung-Sol, V2 and V3 9th gen Chinese, 4th position I would throw anything because I dont use a loop. If the amp was lacking thickness I would throw a jj in the V3 position.
 
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