Hey all. My 6L6 Quinn has been sounding really strange the last month. The notes have been lacking focus, (Kind of splatty and undefined) and the bottom end was lacking. There were no odd noises, pops or hisses, so I did not think it was a tube problem. A few days back, just for the heck of it I threw in some new Chinese preamp tubes just to see what happened. WOW!!! Everything was instantly back to where it should be. Most of you guys know this stuff far better than I ever will, but for those with little experience, never overlook how a simple preamp tube change can tighten things up. You may or may not be able to tell much by these videos, but since I was the one playing, I can hear it right away. The playing in the first clip is much better, but the tone had that lack of focus. The second clip is recorded much worse I think, but you can hear the focus of the notes. When you get that loose ratty sound, it feels and sounds like a bad OD box. What you put in makes no difference. the same tone comes out. Lol! Two clips if you want to give a listen. I hope everyone is doing well, I have not been around it quite a while.
Adjust the volume for the different clip levels.
One of the main reasons why I don't care for Telefunkin's and to a certain extent some NOS stuff in V1 is the OD can get loose..The newer chinese tubes don't have the sweeter more musical tones/harmonics like the older USA/Euro tubes do IMO but the low end to me always seems tighter so there is a kind of balance..Some of the best sounding ones to me have a combination Chinese (shugang/TAD/JJ) in V1 and a NOS in V2..You could also try and find some NOS large plates for V2 and the PI (if you like low end)..Clips sound good!!
Preamp tubes are cathode biased so each triode will bias/sound different amp to amp..
Rock On!!
Tony
" The psychics on my bench is the same as Dumble'"
One of the main reasons why I don't care for Telefunkin's and to a certain extent some NOS stuff in V1 is the OD can get loose..The newer chinese tubes don't have the sweeter more musical tones/harmonics like the older USA/Euro tubes do IMO but the low end to me always seems tighter so there is a kind of balance..Some of the best sounding ones to me have a combination Chinese (shugang/TAD/JJ) in V1 and a NOS in V2..You could also try and find some NOS large plates for V2 and the PI (if you like low end)..Clips sound good!!
Preamp tubes are cathode biased so each triode will bias/sound different amp to amp..
Rock On!!
Tony
Hey Tony, thats exactly what they did! I have all kinds of NOS tubes, and in the original 183, GEs sounded the best. With both of my Quinns however, I like the Chines tubes more. Tighter, more punch in the bottom, and more defined. Maybe a bit less sweetness, but Ill take the definition! Cool we hear it the same way.
One of the main reasons why I don't care for Telefunkin's and to a certain extent some NOS stuff in V1 is the OD can get loose..The newer chinese tubes don't have the sweeter more musical tones/harmonics like the older USA/Euro tubes do IMO but the low end to me always seems tighter so there is a kind of balance..Some of the best sounding ones to me have a combination Chinese (shugang/TAD/JJ) in V1 and a NOS in V2..You could also try and find some NOS large plates for V2 and the PI (if you like low end)..Clips sound good!!
Preamp tubes are cathode biased so each triode will bias/sound different amp to amp..
Rock On!!
Tony
I would also like to preface this by saying that 183 is a different beast (due to the 250k drive and slightly larger .015 V2A coupler) that serves up more low end!
102 and the earlier generation amps (especially) 2nd/3rd gen amps don't carry with it quite the low end (in OD) so preamp tube choice is not as critical IMO..
Cool we hear it the same way. Smile
_________________
Yes it is very Cool!
Tony
" The psychics on my bench is the same as Dumble'"
I spent the recent days exchanging preamp tubes to see what fit's best. Though it's not a 183 clone. But an OTS.
I actually like a Tungsol in v1, and a JJ in v2. The Tungsol is the brighter and more dynamic, and perhaps a bit more gainy.. which I like for v1 (compared to a JJ it's like uncovering a blanket in front of your amp and makes the amp so much more dynamic and musical imho). V2 could use a tungsol as well but I have to increase the snubber caps. I found that for that dumble singing compressed lead tone. A JJ803s works a bit better.
Now, Tungsol tubes can be hummy.. it took me 5 tubes to finally settle for a tube that wasn't noisy or added hum into the circuit. But if you have a good one... it's a lot better then JJ.. especially in v1 imho.
Kassie wrote:
I actually like a Tungsol in v1, and a JJ in v2. The Tungsol is the brighter and more dynamic, and perhaps a bit more gainy.. which I like for v1 (compared to a JJ it's like uncovering a blanket in front of your amp and makes the amp so much more dynamic and musical imho).
Interesting! I woul like to try that as well. Its amazing how amp to amp can bring such different results. In all my old twoRocks, telefunkins always seemed to be the best in V1, but the custom hated them. Chinese all the way. 183 does not care for teles at all either. Just not enough gain it seems.
Structo wrote:I also have found that the HG Chinese 12ax7's can sound awesome in a ODS amp in either V1 or V2.
Like Tony said, they work together in OD so finding the right combinations is the key.
Right now I believe I have some GE short plates in V1 & V2 and a long plate in V3 (phase inverter).
So roll them tubes fellas!
The GEs (green labels) were THE tubes for 183. I tried everything. The chinese were to gainy and felt congested. telefunkens thinned everything out. Mullards to bright...Bugle boy meh....GE....Just right!!!! Best of everything!!! In most of my twoRocks, teles in V1, GEs everywhere else except teles for the reverb as well.
Everything was instantly back to where it should be. Most of you guys know this stuff far better than I ever will, but for those with little experience, never overlook how a simple preamp tube change can tighten things up. You may or may not be able to tell much by these videos, but since I was the one playing, I can hear it right away. The playing in the first clip is much better, but the tone had that lack of focus. The second clip is recorded much worse I think, but you can hear the focus of the notes. When you get that loose ratty sound, it feels and sounds like a bad OD box. What you put in makes no difference. the same tone comes out. Lol! Two clips if you want to give a listen. I hope everyone is doing well, I have not been around it quite a while.
