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Preamp Tubes: Which do you use? Current production


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Like many here I almost always use Tung Sol reissue's in the V1 slot (when using current production tubes).  I typically don't care for the JJ preamp tube in most every amp I've tried them in except for my THD Univalve where I use them in both the V1 slot and the cathode follower (FWIW that is a very bright amp on the 'roll' input, so the darker JJ's actually work OK with that amp IMO).  In every other amp of mine besides the Univalve V2 and beyond typically varies (some out of production/NOS, some current production) mainly because sometimes old stock sounds best in an amp while other times I'll expect a certain NOS tube to sound great in an amp only to find out some current production tube I expected to suck end up sounding better to me instead. 

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I'm going to replace the Tung Sol reissue in my Carvin Vintage 16 with one of the new Mullard CV4004 reissues. Made by the same company but I want to see how the sound changes. I'm also putting a Sovtek 12AX7LPS in the phase inverter spot.

I definitely do believe that knowing what preamp tubes do what really helps with tube choice. With the Vintage 16 the drive is all in V1, V2 is reverb, and V3 is phase inverter. Definitely more simple than the 5-7 preamp tubes mesa boogie amps take.

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On 6/30/2017 at 3:06 PM, Caddie said:

tbone with all due respect I disagree

  • easy to find on ebay, gear page, tube-o-phile websites & forums, etc  there it is! top of the list & 9th on the list  sold for $36 and $51.
  • They come with manuals for the selector switches for hundreds of tubes.  So skip the class with Prof John Ambrose Fleming (google him)
  • after i sold my tube tester.  I found a couple dozen tubes in yet another shoebox as i packed up the basement workshop.  I went to our much maligned local Guitar Center talked nice to the kid behind the counter (who still had the disconcerting aroma of a french fryer) sure mister I can test those right up for ya!  No charge cuz I was batting my purty brown Holstein eyes at him.  30min later.  Here ya go mister.  The useless ones are in this paperbag, The ones that tested OK are in this ziplock big. The ones that tested good are individually wrapped in paper towel and back in the shoebox.  Little Buddy you rock.  here's a $10.  I can't take that mister.  bullshit, you can and you will take it.  Its that or its back to the fry machine

Again please tbone, my points are based on my own personal experiences & backed by the link. Certainly your mileage may vary and is respected, not dismissed.

caddie

So, I guess now I will really eat my own words, as I did a tube inventory, and realized that having a bunch of old used tubes around, specially power tubes, is not really space effective. Some are well used so I'd like to figure out just how used they are. I have a few friends who craft, and they LOVE vacuum tubes to make things with, so if they are really dead, I have a use for them, but I need to find out which ones are dead, and which I could give to friends as spares, as I already have a bunch of barely used spare power tubes, thanks to buying new guitar amps years ago.

Any recommendations on a mid level tester that would test for shorts, emissions, etc? I don't really need to do any of the fancy matching, etc.

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I'd find a local amp tech who has a good tester and maybe offer him in trade a few pieces that might be valuable to him that are of little value to you.

While I'm here, I'll play ... Right now in my Boogie Mark III head, I know I'm running a Tung Sol in V1 and a Sovtek LPS in V5. I think I've got Ruby-boxed (can't remember what was actually printed on the tube glass) 12AX7s that I remember are sticker-labeled HG (I assume "high gain" approved) I think in V2, V3 and V4.

And I'm always open to suggestions. I remember back when Poe was heavy into vintage glass, he gave me a little mix of old skool stuff and I distinctly remember a vintage RFT in V1 on a Mark-series Boogie made an instant positive difference and it was some righteously sweet shit.

 

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The Ruby tubes are definitely good in most areas. HG I think is their "standard" line. All of their tubes are "high grade" but some are high grade +, which are graded for V1, which is the most sensitive tube.

The setup you have sounds like it would be the best of current production. The Sovtek LPS as the phase inverter is a solid choice. I have one in my Maverick, and may put one into my DC-5. I currently have an EHX 12AX7 in there, which is another workhorse tube that I really like. They are just some nice tubes, and work in just about any position.

Tube Depot has a nice little tube comparison on their website that I Found to be pretty helpful: https://www.tubedepot.com/tube-comparison-tool

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