Good Tube inside Cheap amp QUESTION..

[ton13]

Hello HFC my advice about equipment for the likes of me, I just bought a Kustom Tube 12 A, it is appropriate to my room. With its small size. I want to know that if I change the tube type is better. My device will sound better or not. Because it is cheap amp just 110 us$. please offer new tube for me if it can make me better.

Original tube is 12ax7b china. I just try play tube amp & I feel good with clean sound But feel indifferent about drive sound.Probably because it was not as severe jar percent. but clean sound smooth & warm than transister .

thanks........

[carfish7]

Don't know about that amp in particular, but I have swapped tubes in cheaper gear with good results.

I'm about to open up my new (to me) Vox Valvetronix AD60VTX and see if a better tube might bring something good to the party. Sounds a bit "loose" and slightly "raspy/tinny" as it is.

Z

[Uncle Thor's Hamer]

I replaced the "China" 12ax7 preamp tube in my Fender Super Champ XD with nice results. The original tube was a bit harsh.

Ruby Tubes makes a nice tube, though it is lower gain than a regular 12ax7. If you run the amp at low volume it doesn't matter, but if you push it pretty hard it won't be as loud or have as much distortion. Probably it will work just fine. Tung Sol makes a good 12ax7, that is what is in my amp now. Mesa-Boogie is a rebranded tube that sounds good in my amp.

Bottom line is that your amp probably has really cheap tubes in it, so upgrading will likely help. You should have a spare set of tubes just in case one goes bad. Buy a replacement tube and put it in. Keep the original as your spare.

[ton13]

Thanks....carfish7 & Uncle Thor's Hamer

[backinit]

I think that's a hybrid amp. I swapped out the preamp tube in my Vox Cambridge (another hybrid amp) from a 12ax7 to a 12aT7. Still gets plenty of gain, but it's more usable. To my surprise I took this to an audition and the little sucker cut through the mix just fine (50%) volume.

[ton13]

I was so surprised.I try use my Daddy O with Kustom that give me Good sound .

+

Cheap Amp & Cheap Pedal

[JohnnyB]

About a dozen years ago I got an Epiphone Electar 10. It's sort of an updated Champ in that it's a single-ended class A amp, but with a 6L6 for ballsier power, plus gain and EQ knobs. Anyway, the preamp tube was a very nice NOS 1987 mil-spec Philips 12ax7WA. Those were pretty plentiful back in '98, but they're hard to find now. It no doubt made this amp sound better than it would have with a modern Chinese or Russian version.

[ArnieZ]

I have personally found the 8th and 9th generation Chinese 12ax7 to be a better than average tube. I certainly perfer it tonewise to the JJ. Right now if I was going to retube 12ax7's I would get the Tung Sol re-issues.

ArnieZ

[tbonesullivan]

another thing to look at: the speaker. Often they use really crappy speakers in the super low budget tube amps. changing out the speaker can improve sound dramatically.

[Armitage]

Right, I plugged a Fender Bullet into a 4x12 and was really surprised.

[gtone]

The Chinese Golden Dragon 12AX7 is decent, whereas many of the "standard" Chinese tubes of this model are second-best, tonewise. I much prefer virtually any N. American NOS, however.

[mathman]

Kustom is a pretty decent amp for the price. Gets good review. can't help with the tube replacement. I've been thinking about getting that or a similiar Kustom amp. Still remember my friends big padded Kustom from my band days.

[Mindseyes]

I have some Tung Sol re-issues in my Mesa Boogie triple rectifier

and the sound way better than the JJ's I had in

there before....... Good tubes IMHO

[carfish7]

Swapped the no-name tube in my Vox Valvetronix VTX for a Groove Tubes 12ax7r and it made a tremendous difference.

Old tube - loose, flubby lows, grating highs.

New tube - waaaay tighter bottom and highs are smoooth.

Not a bad upgrade for $7

Of course, this tube is in the "power" section, so YMMV.

Z