what tubes for DSL?

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metalowns101

metalowns101

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elo lads,

looking to change the pre amp section in my dsl 50 as i've heard that they are generally crapola. I'm looking to order a new set pretty soon,

so for all you rock and blues players out there who have worked with the DSL, what did you do to get that smashingly great ballsy tone tube wise and otherwise? Right now there's a kinda fizzy little thing going on over the top of the normal tone, thinking the pre amp tubes and a lack of a re - bias lately is to blame.

I know some of you have got some awesome tones out of the dsl with a strat and a les paul, so post up your settings (if memory serves you well) too! :thumbsup:

cheers in advance.
 
Tung-sol, Sovtec LPS, or 9th Gen Chinese are the ones to get.
 
i'm not sure about the dsl 50 as i have a 100.. but i'll try to help.
typically a dsl comes loaded with re-labeled sovteks in the pre and svetlana el-34's in the power section. if you want to save a couple of bucks.. keep the svets if they're the winged c's and re-bias them lower than the factory spec. i've got mine set at 38ma.. the factory recommends 45ma.. but i think it's too hot. you'll need to check the bias settings for a dsl 50 as they are different than the 100.. but slightly lower seems to be better.
as far as the pre's go? i've got an rft in v-1. to my ears it's gives a dsl that classic marshall voicing. feel free to experiment. i'm running jj ecc 83s' the rest of the way to help tame some of the brightness of my amp. i have heard dsl's that sound fizzy like you mentioned.. but i seem to have tamed that with mine.
i certainly am not going to suggest that i have all the answers.. but some of the measures i've taken have been done by others with good results. feel free to experiment with the pre amp tubes. hopefully you'll find what works for you. :)
 
1big1":2rip2p4d said:
i'm running jj ecc 83s' the rest of the way to help tame some of the brightness of my amp. i have heard dsl's that sound fizzy like you mentioned.. but i seem to have tamed that with mine.
Click to expand...
I agree, JJ's seem to round off some of that high end fizz in amps like Marshall's and they work great in my JSX.
 
I have a modded dsl, but I really like the chinese pres. No fuzzies - just balls.
 
I run an EX12AX7 in V1 and JJs in the last 3 slots. Wing C for power.
 
i found that using greenbacks helps get rid of the fizz better than a tube change. with that said, i'm running jj el34's in my power section, mullard 12ax7 in the v1, tung sols 12ax7's in v2 and v3, gt in the v4 and i find it to a be a decent combination.
 
cheers man, yeah, I realised your obsession!!

Im in the same predicament, its "meh" sounding at home, but live its better, im just looking to optimise the tone.

I'm just worried that breaking away from a good les paul into marshall and moving to a telecaster or strat into a marshall is gonna undo all the good! :lol: :LOL:
 
One other thing to consider.. if its sounding average at home but great at gigs.. is that maybe the room is affecting the tone in a bad way at home?

My amps sound average in my room but when in my living room downstairs (which is much bigger), it sounds miles better!! All the fizzy sound goes and it just roars!
 
SgtThump":hhtcteu1 said:
Hey!!! You may know this, but the DSL's are one of my all time favorite amps. I've had nothing but GREAT success with them both live and in the studio. They were always "okay" sounding at home, but really sweetened up when turned up loud. That rolled off some of the sizzle.

I used the stock preamp tubes for a long time and never had a complaint. I thought they were relabelled Svetlana preamp tubes, not Sovteks? I dunno...

I absolutely love the SED EL34s in Marshalls, so I recommend those. They have a super sweet midrange that just sounds perfect to me.

I never got to use the Tung-Sol Reissue 12ax7 preamp tubes in the DSL, but I like them in other amps. I'm guessing they would be fantastic. Alot of guys like JJ preamp tubes, but I don't. They can be kind of "muffled" sounding to me. They roll off too much treble. But... They're exactly what some guys are looking for, so they may work for ya?
Click to expand...

I agree 100% with Chris on the JJ tubes in this amp. Sounds like it has a blanket over it (IMO). I run a vintage Mullard in V1 and shuguangs(sp?) the rest of the way. SED's are the way to go in the output section and I find a hotter bias works for my taste BUT I suggest biasing with a meter AND an ear for the best results. KILLER amp for sure.....................John :rock:
 
zepman":2fr97b96 said:
SgtThump":2fr97b96 said:
Hey!!! You may know this, but the DSL's are one of my all time favorite amps. I've had nothing but GREAT success with them both live and in the studio. They were always "okay" sounding at home, but really sweetened up when turned up loud. That rolled off some of the sizzle.

I used the stock preamp tubes for a long time and never had a complaint. I thought they were relabelled Svetlana preamp tubes, not Sovteks? I dunno...

I absolutely love the SED EL34s in Marshalls, so I recommend those. They have a super sweet midrange that just sounds perfect to me.

I never got to use the Tung-Sol Reissue 12ax7 preamp tubes in the DSL, but I like them in other amps. I'm guessing they would be fantastic. Alot of guys like JJ preamp tubes, but I don't. They can be kind of "muffled" sounding to me. They roll off too much treble. But... They're exactly what some guys are looking for, so they may work for ya?
Click to expand...

I agree 100% with Chris on the JJ tubes in this amp. Sounds like it has a blanket over it (IMO). I run a vintage Mullard in V1 and shuguangs(sp?) the rest of the way. SED's are the way to go in the output section and I find a hotter bias works for my taste BUT I suggest biasing with a meter AND an ear for the best results. KILLER amp for sure.....................John :rock:
Click to expand...


After owning this amp for a long time and selling it, I keep coming back to it I've found this also to be true with the JJ pre-amp tubes. I just don't like them as I think they dull the tone out but some love what they do for the sound, that is all my opinion.
I also really dig the NOS mullard in v1 and chinese in the rest, then I liked to bias the amp down 2 ma from stock setting, but you can play around and see what you like best. You are right Chris that the DSL's come stock with the SED pre-amp tubes and also EI's in the last 2 slots. From the 4 I had anyway. I did find that the SED's did sound pretty good but they would die quickly and the amp would become lifeless. SED's in the power amp which I thought was the best sounding tube for this amp. Right now I'm digging the JJ L's just for something a little different favor.
For current production tubes I love the EH's, EI's, Chinese, and Tung-sol's and I like to mix them in different postions to get the best sound out of this amp.
 
cheers fella's.

Ive already discovered how beastly the thing can be with a boost on the crunch channel.

It's probably because the pre amp tubes have never been changedi n the 2 years of ownership :thumbsdown:
 
When I had a TSL60, my preferred lineup was -
V1 - RFT (best, that tube is sitting in V1 of my 2204 now), GT 12ax7m (mullard reissue - sounded good to me), EH (although that could get a little hairy)
V2 - GT 12ax7m or 9th gen Chinese
V3 on - didn't matter much, but I usually used the 9th gen Chinese
Power tubes - =C=, then Ruby STR's (which are relabeled =C=, if I'm not mistaken)
 
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