Which preamp tubes do you use in your ODS?

[Funkalicousgroove]

I use JJ's in all 3 positions

Funk, any comments about ECC83 vs ECC803. Wondering if you have a preference, or use both. (?) thanks
I've been using EH for a long time with pretty good results (except for tossing out a few microphonic ones), but would like to try JJ.

I use the run of the mill short plate spiral filament verson, however i think the long plate version would probably be better in the PI.

I find the EH tubes very "Muffled" sounding for V1, but they do well to tame a zingy overdrive section

[Structo]

Do you find the JJECC83's on the dark side?

[Steven_nl]

I use JJ's 12AX7 in all 3 positions. I tried TAD's but didn't like m (to dark). The JJ's work well with the Sovtek 5881's. In my Ceriantone OTS the JJ's didn't get along with Winged C's.

[erwin_ve]

Hi Steven,
I think the TAD selected maybe not so consistent in quality tonewise. Mine were defenitly more bright then the JJ's.

[Structo]

My D'Lite came with a pair of the TAD 6L6GC's.

While I thought they sounded great, one of them redplated after about 8 hours of run time.
I was kind of scared to try another pair.

But, back to preamp tubes.....

[herby660]

I have NOS mullards in all 3 - sound great

I have them also in Matchless DC30 clone

They are superior to Tungsols in terms of harmonic content. There is nothing quite like a Mullard. I am british so I would say that.

I tried some Mullard EL34's in my dumble my dad gave me from an old Mullard amp from 1957. Best EL34 I've ever heard. They are $400 a pair so I will put these away somewhere. I'm not sure what the bias would be for these. They sounded great at 40mv.

Mullards sound good in every amp IMO

[Structo]

Yeah I wish I could afford them.

I dabbled into the NOS tubes a little. The most I have spent is $70 for a Ratheon blackplate 12ax7.

I had also bought two GE greyplates at $50 each but one went noisy on me after a short while.

I don't really want to find a NOS tube that sounds fantastic because then if it ever goes south, I would be disappointed until I found another one.

I am more interested in finding a current production tube that sounds good.

I want to try the new Tung Sol reissues to see what they sound like in this amp.

I keep hoping that the new Tech Tube ECC83's will be released but they keep postponing the date.
http://www.techtubevalves.com/index.php

[talbany]

Here's a story for ya..Upon finishing the amp below It came right up everything seemed to function normally.. The clean channel was slammin.. When I went to OD it felt a bit on the sloppy side and a bit farty.. Checked the voltages all within my spec..I voiced this one for single coils.. 205v1 209v1b and roughly 7 volts higher V2.. The amp was clean well dressed and very carefully built.. So I started pulling tubes trying different combination's old stock tubes Amperex/ Tele's RCA's then went to some of the newer tubes JJ's/ EH's etc..( Although the tubes exhibit many of the tonal qualities discussed here and produce positive results in these amps.).. After going through about a dozen different tubes in various combination's..I got the amp sounding better but was still lacking something..About to throw in the towel and warming up the soldering iron I took out my box of reverb recovery tubes.. I threw in a TAD 7025..and wala!!!
perfect.. The OD is tight focused handles the gain well and well voiced I am done!!!
This was proof enough to me that there is 2 kinds of fit... Whether or not the sonic qualities of a tube generates the tone you are after.. (Bright,Dark, smooth, crunchy, compressed,buzzy,fat, etc etc..)
then there is how it fits in mechanically within the architecture of that particular amp...Some amps sound good with any decent tube.. yet some you have to dig to find the magic one..It's kind of funny several years ago I would have immediately started pulling parts..
By the way it's a Music Man 700v Non HRM w/5881's Solvtek..


Tony VVT

[erwin_ve]

About to throw in the towel and warming up the soldering iron I took out my box of reverb recovery tubes.. I threw in a TAD 7025..and wala!!!
perfect.. The OD is tight focused handles the gain well and well voiced I am done!!!

Hi Tony,

I 've got the same TAD7025 in my Non-HRM with 6L6. Is the best sounding pre-amp tube for my amp sofar.

[massygt6]

I'm using TungSol 12ax7 now, great tube...

[Structo]

I wonder what the TAD tube actually is?

He relabels tubes so I wonder if those are Tung Sols?

[talbany]

I bought these about a year ago and if I remember right were pretty expensive..I remember the tube not sounding great but at the same time not bad but not worth the money they were asking for em.. it landed in my Reverb recovery box... The tube looks to be Chinese made..


Tony VVT

[glasman]

I wonder what the TAD tube actually is?

He relabels tubes so I wonder if those are Tung Sols?

I thought most TAD stuff was from Sino or Shuguan in China.

For New Stuff.

Mullard Reissues are Nice in V1 and V2. (My current choice for new amps)

EH 12AX7 are usable but a little harsh (was my main tube ffor a LONG time, gotta keep the plate voltage down)

JJ ECC83 - too dark for my taste for preamp. Ok in PI and loop. They will tame a bright amp.

JJ ECC803, nice tube much better sounding than the JJ ECC83 but microphonic, ok in PI. And selected ones (tap test) in V1 and V2.

TungSol - PI only. Must be picked through to find usable ones. I HATE these in V1 and V2.

FWIW, I go through 5 to 10 tubes on average to find one that I will use in the PI.

Ruby Selected Chinese are not too band, but not as nice as some of the others above.

Generic 12AX7B (china) - Quiet, lack a bit on the bottom end. But work well for loops.

6L6's

Winged C's. Good quality and consistancy.

RI TungSols are very nice (great tone to my ears), but unless you specify high (>45 ) IP values they are down on power.

JJ too dark

TAD short bottle, usuable and sound nice. I have heard of a few failures.

TAD Tall Bottle . I don't like the plate structure, looks flimsy to me. The tone didn't too much for me either.

EL34s.

Winged C' 34's are very nice
EH EL34's Not bad
JJ KT77's. I used them in a few amps, but virtually every set became noisy.


NOS Stuff...

Here is what is in my personal D Clone BM.

V1 - NOS Telefunken 12AX7 ($4.00 at a local swap meet)
V2 NOS Sylvania ($3.00 at the same swap meet)
V3 USED Sylvania ($2.00)

Watch EBAY, there are a LOT of Baldwin 12AX7's (Sylvania out there right now. Give one or two a try, I think you will be pleased)

Outputs are Winged C 6L6

Gary

[talbany]

TAD short bottle, usuable and sound nice. I have heard of a few failures

.




We go through between 500-700 of the TAD short bottles a year now for 4 years and very rarely have failures.. I couldn't be more pleased with the tone and performance of this tube..I did an A/B recently on the TAD short bottles and the Tung Sol RI 6L's ... I thought the Tung Sol's had a slight advantage in the Dumble style amps (A matter of taste really) but the TAD's won out on a Fender clean style amp!!!..
KT77's in a 700v MM Dumble pretty cool!!!



Tony VVT

[Structo]

I wonder what the TAD tube actually is?

He relabels tubes so I wonder if those are Tung Sols?

I thought most TAD stuff was from Sino or Shuguan in China.

For New Stuff.

Mullard Reissues are Nice in V1 and V2. (My current choice for new amps)

EH 12AX7 are usable but a little harsh (was my main tube ffor a LONG time, gotta keep the plate voltage down)

JJ ECC83 - too dark for my taste for preamp. Ok in PI and loop. They will tame a bright amp.

JJ ECC803, nice tube much better sounding than the JJ ECC83 but microphonic, ok in PI. And selected ones (tap test) in V1 and V2.

TungSol - PI only. Must be picked through to find usable ones. I HATE these in V1 and V2.

FWIW, I go through 5 to 10 tubes on average to find one that I will use in the PI.

Ruby Selected Chinese are not too band, but not as nice as some of the others above.

Generic 12AX7B (china) - Quiet, lack a bit on the bottom end. But work well for loops.

6L6's

Winged C's. Good quality and consistancy.

RI TungSols are very nice (great tone to my ears), but unless you specify high (>45 ) IP values they are down on power.

JJ too dark

TAD short bottle, usuable and sound nice. I have heard of a few failures.

TAD Tall Bottle . I don't like the plate structure, looks flimsy to me. The tone didn't too much for me either.

EL34s.

Winged C' 34's are very nice
EH EL34's Not bad
JJ KT77's. I used them in a few amps, but virtually every set became noisy.


NOS Stuff...

Here is what is in my personal D Clone BM.

V1 - NOS Telefunken 12AX7 ($4.00 at a local swap meet)
V2 NOS Sylvania ($3.00 at the same swap meet)
V3 USED Sylvania ($2.00)

Watch EBAY, there are a LOT of Baldwin 12AX7's (Sylvania out there right now. Give one or two a try, I think you will be pleased)

Outputs are Winged C 6L6

Gary

Gary and other pros,
What is the criteria for choosing a tube for the PI spot?
Are you listening for good harmonic content or matching plate voltages or what other things?