what brand of tubes you guys using?

[fusedbrain]

With current production power tubes, it's all about the vendor.
Tested, burned in, and matched duets and quads from either Valve Queen or The Tube Store.
I use a few different brands depending on what tonal characteristics I'm looking for with a particular amp, but the screening by the vendor is critical for any kind of reliability.
Doesn't mean your not gonna have sudden failures though, and ALWAYS have a backup set of tubes.

 

[sg guy]

-GOLD LION-ive been abusing the hell out of a quad of KT88's with an obscenely high bias for 7 years,

-GOLD LION GOLD PIN PRE's, some say its voodoo-(the gold pin)-and identical to other new sensor tubes, well I have my second favorite ELECTO HARMONIX as well, clearly different tubes, both the getter and halo are different, as well as the sound, the most pissed off sounding tubes I have used, great for any MARSHALL platformed amp

-I have plenty of NOS/ANOS tubes, my above opinion stands.

 

[SpiderWars]

With current production power tubes, it's all about the vendor.
Tested, burned in, and matched duets and quads from either Valve Queen or The Tube Store.

I agree except for that very last part. Valve Queen yes, Tubestore not so much ime. And then you have to return ship to Canada which is expensive. I've eaten microphonic new preamp tubes just because it was so expensive to return them.

 

[ProgFree]

I like Mesa tubes. Have not heard anything good about JJ power tubes.

JJ are just among the best around nowadays.

 

[fusedbrain]

With current production power tubes, it's all about the vendor.
Tested, burned in, and matched duets and quads from either Valve Queen or The Tube Store.

I agree except for that very last part. Valve Queen yes, Tubestore not so much ime. And then you have to return ship to Canada which is expensive. I've eaten microphonic new preamp tubes just because it was so expensive to return them.

I hear ya. I'm sure they would have made it right, but the return shipping thing is always a pain.
I'm local to the Tube Store, so I use them unless I need something they don't have. Then it's Valve Queen.
I've bought a ton of tubes from them over the years, and had very few issues. The odd time something's not right, I drive over there and they take care of me. Good guys and good tubes

 

[Chester Nimitz]

I like Mesa tubes. Have not heard anything good about JJ power tubes.

JJ are just among the best around nowadays.

Thats subjective, i know 2 tube vendors that have about a 50% failure rate out of the box. They just send them back and get more.

JJ Electronics pays some of their employees in bags of rice & Vodka, they are a far cry from the old TESLA tubes.

 

[psychodave]

I mainly use Winged C EL34's and Sylvania 6L6's.

 

[psychodave]

Yeah but now am having failures with the other. Im doomed

That sucks.

Have you looked into the Chinese EL34's?

 

[Anonymous]

Ruby EL34BSTR are what I use in all my amps. They sound great and last me a long time...

Steve

 

[dstroud]

well I went for A couple tung sols from Valve Queen. Probably snag a couple Ruby's Steve mentioned as well. Had one more pair of JJ's. Gonna throw them in the Plexi I use for recording - if they fail while recording no biggie lol

 

[Chester Nimitz]

Great choice, Laura is my Favorite tewb chick ...

 

[maggotspawn]

Running Ruby 6L6GC's in my JSX. Chinese 12AX7's for the preamp. The Ruby's are O.K. Had some ARS 6L6GC's that were very good sounding.

 

[napalmdeath]

The answers you'll get, and opinions are all subjective. I've used JJ's for 20 years, personally, and have never had any more issues with them, than others. In fact, their 6L6's are my personal go-to most of the time for their durability, thump, and overall tone. And in most Marshall-voiced amps I've owned, my favorite current EL34 variant has been their KT77's. Just because they go bad, doesn't meant they suck, it's hogwash. Educate yourself and take opinions with a grain of salt. Tone is subjective, but durability has never been an issue for me and I've bought, retubed and biased over 100 amps in the past 20 years.

Preamp tubes, I don't care for their ECC83s in V1, but normally will use in V2 & 3. The Tungsol 12AX7's have been a favorite of mine in V1 in most cases. I like the Soviet LPS in the PI.

Alot of times, a tube goes bad, and in the process takes another with it. It's best to change them all, and bias it. Throwing one or two in will get you by, but I've never considered it a permanent fix, just a band aid. You're just asking for trouble, in the end.

Try their KT77's in it. You'll thank me later.

I have probably thrown away more microphonic Chinese Ruby 12AX7s, and had more problems with their 6L6s, than anybody's. To each their own, I hate them.

 

[ProgFree]

I like Mesa tubes. Have not heard anything good about JJ power tubes.

JJ are just among the best around nowadays.

Thats subjective, i know 2 tube vendors that have about a 50% failure rate out of the box. They just send them back and get more.

JJ Electronics pays some of their employees in bags of rice & Vodka, they are a far cry from the old TESLA tubes.

They could eventually pay in potatoes, rice is not so popular over there i.e. Slovak Republic and Canada. You might be confusing these two countries with China.

Curious with 50% failure rate. Where I live the vendors are sticking to JJ and dropping other brands because JJ has a lower failure ratio than most of the other brands. Maybe you wanted to write 5%?? I have made 4 full retubes using JJ and never had a bad tube, same with most of the guys that I know that use tube amps. If these tubes are so bad as you say, I guess we are just lucky then?

 

[Chester Nimitz]

No mistake, not confused, maybe you need glasses.

That info came off a JJ factory tour from Bob/Eurotewbs website, and yes Slovaks eat rice. Potatoes are seasonal. They are poor.

 

[ProgFree]

No mistake, not confused, maybe you need glasses.

That info came off a JJ factory tour from Bob/Eurotewbs website, and yes Slovaks eat rice. Potatoes are seasonal. They are poor.

Which info you mean? The info at Eurotubes about JJ is:

"Over the years we have visited JJ Electronic several times and they are some of the nicest people we know! They have allowed us to shoot video and take photos of their facility and we would like to share these with you. JJ is continually updating their machinery and the new building they now occupy is state of the art when it comes to valve manufacturing"

Maybe you have some access to secret info!? According to Eurotubes their production is state of the art, you say that Eurotubes state that they are paid in rice. Donald is it you?