What positions should i put my high gain graded tubes in?

[Young Angus]

Okay ive got three high gain graded JJ ECC83S's, and i need to use them all in one place or another so that I can keep the NOS Mullards (which came with my komet) unused. Luckily i have three spare ones of these JJ's so i can do this and preserve my mullards, but how exactly should i use the JJ's?

Ive got my ENGL Savage 120, my mesa 50cal + combo, and my komet.

The komet has its three NOS mullards, which im taking out to preserve, so i need to put three ECC83's there to replace them. Now what do you think about this:

I put a high gain graded JJ ECC83S in v1 and v2 of the ENGL, and then a high gain graded one in the komet v1, then two normal JJ's out of the ENGL into v2 and v3 of the komet. And leave the mesa alone, which i use for clean jazzy stuff.

Does anyone else have any better suggestions, and why?

[Gearjoneser]

Re: What positions should i put my high gain graded tubes in?

As long as you use your best 12AX7's in the 1st positions of your amps, you're fine. Then pos. 2. After that, you're just looking for good reliable tubes, not necessarily your best toned ones. Have you messed with that bias knob on the chassis of the Komet yet. Just turn up the amp, get the guitar sounding good, then dial it in to perfection with that knob. It's a rotary knob right next to the power tubes on the Komet that gets the tubes right on 'perfect bias'.

[Young Angus]

Re: What positions should i put my high gain graded tubes in?

Im not too worried about that yet, i just want to know peoples opinions on which positions to put my high gain graded preamp tubes.

But yes i am aware of that bias knob.

Ive got the ENGL open now and i think ill put a high gain graded tube in v1, but do you think i should put one in v1 of my mesa too? What difference would it make compared to a normal ecc83, as opposed to one graded for high gain....when talking about clean stuff?

[Young Angus]

Re: What positions should i put my high gain graded tubes in?

Actually, i just put a high gain graded tube in the v1 position of my ENGL and my Mesa, and am saving one for the komet.

So next time i turn on each amp i might hear a difference...but might not

[Gearjoneser]

Re: What positions should i put my high gain graded tubes in?

You may not notice much difference. It shouldn't effect a clean tone on the Mesa, it'll just make it punchier. I guess I should let YOU tell us the difference, since you've got the amps right in front of you. Do an A/B test with your best tubes, including the Mullards, and tell US!

[Young Angus]

Re: What positions should i put my high gain graded tubes in?

Ill get around to that soon, i gotta get this komet up and running for now though.

[Gearjoneser]

Re: What positions should i put my high gain graded tubes in?

Are you able to plug it in and play, or do you need a step up transformer, or a power supply mod to get it to 220? Am I wrong about the power in Australia?

[Young Angus]

Re: What positions should i put my high gain graded tubes in?

Yeah the power in Australia is 240 Volts, as opposed to America's 120 Volts, but the komet was made so that it could handle both without any major alterations...as stated in the komet's manual and in an email from the komet's maker himself (or one of them).

All i need to do is re-wire a couple of wires and replace a varister on the back of the power switch so that it's set to handle 240volts, and replace the slow blow fuse with a different rating, and im done.

So the komet people have done all the work already. No different transformers are required.