current production tubes...

[the guy who invented fire]

I have a question as well as a request...

For those of you that use (or have used) both NOS tubes as well as current production tubes...Do you think they are catching up?

OK, now...for those that use current production tubes...which tubes do you use and what do you use them in?

Thanks

[greendy123]

Re: current production tubes...

I use el-34 Svetlanas in my jcm900 slx.

[Jeff_H]

Re: current production tubes...

I've only used NOS pre-amp tubes Christian, but for a long time was a big NOS snob...thought only they were good enough. Then I tried the new series of Groove Tubes 12AX7's.....really great tubes. Specifically the C's and the M's. I've compared them to my NOS Bugleboy's, Mullards, RCA's, GE's, RFT's, and the GT's stack up very well...95% as good, at least, and at a great deal less money. I think the C's and the M's are around $20 now. I've also used the JJ's, and I find them somewhat underwhelming. I did try one of the new higher gain JJ's, can't remember the number right now, but it was much better. Overall, I find the standard JJ's nice to smooth out an amp, and tame some brightness.

I also believe GJ recommends the Sovtek LPS's, say they are an outstanding high gain pre-amp tube. I haven't tried them myself, but would on GJ's recommendation alone.

I really haven't used any NOS power tubes, although I would like to try the Seimens. The last of the really affordable NOS pre-amp tubes are the RFT's, at around $30 each. I plan to stock up a few of those, just in case the new GT's take a crapper in quality.

These have all been in my modded JCM 800 2205 circuit.

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: current production tubes...

I love the NOS pre's, especially the RFTs....SMOKIN'!!!

That said, Andy Fuchs retubed my ODS 20 with JJs when I had it SLX'd &for a guy that doesn't care for JJs, they smoke in that amp.

Given the choice.....I was no help at all, was I

[Curly]

Re: current production tubes...

I tend to use new tubes on newer amps, and NOS on my vintage amps.

although I love my DRRI and Blues Junior so much I at least put NOS in the first preamp slot.

I've tried Sovtek, EH, Chinese, and JJ 12AX7s.
The JJs are fine for the money. I haven't tried the newer 803s, but I've heard they're good. The Chinese get consistently good reviews, but I don't play the amp I have mine in enough.

of the NOS, I like GE 12AX7s. For power tubes, I have a stash of different ones for each amp.

[kmcguitars]

Re: current production tubes...

I Had JAN Phillips NOS 6V6's in my Princeton that I replaced with JJ's. I gotta say they seem to be more musical. The JJ,s have a more pronounced lower mids and seem to breakup just right. The Phillip's seemed to have more headroom,But there breakup was a Lil' harsh (especially with Bucker's) As far as pre amp tubes and 6L6's I had a large ,But rapidly diminishing collection of various NOS and Used tubes.But that's down to the nitty gritty now.

[aleclee]

Re: current production tubes...

Depends on the application. Some amps (and positions) seem to "prefer" NOS while others sound better with current prod.

I won't give up my OS stash just because the one disappointing thing about current prod is variety: they just don't make as many versions of a given tube as they used to.