Electro Harmonix 6L6 Tubes ??

[Mr. B]

I bought a Peavey Valveking a year or so ago to have a real tube amp I didn't mind banging around. Retubed it with JJ 12ax7's and 6L6's, and it sounds very good, improved the sound 100%.

Later, I bought a Vox Tonelab when the price went way down, and run it through the Valveking. It sounds good, but I think, where the JJ tubes were GIVING character to my amp, they are now COLORING the sound of my tonelab in a not-so-good way. Especially the fender models. Too compressed.

I have tried changing the Tubes in the Valvetronix amps many times and always end up back with the original Electro-harmonix 12ax7's. The Vox amps seem to be geared for those preamp tubes. I am wondering if replacing all the tubes in my Peavey Valveking with Electro-harmonix would give me a more tranparent tube path, so the character of the tonelab would shine through more.

Are the Electroharmonix 6L6 tubes any good? Any inherent shortcomings?

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Electro Harmonix 6L6 Tubes ??

EH tubes are ok, nothing great IMO but nothing terrible either, however I think you're going to have the same "problem" with them that you do your JJ's...

They are tubes, the compress on their own when driven...that is one of the biggest reasons people buy tube amps...

 

[Inazone]

Re: Electro Harmonix 6L6 Tubes ??

I have Electro-Harmonix 6L6s in a Peavey Classic 60 power amp, and Sovtek 6L6s in a Classic 50 combo. I have run a variety of distortion pedals and rack preamps into each. I've also tried Ruby and Peavey-branded tubes (Sovtek?) on the same amps. All of them color the preamp tone quite a bit. In comparison, running the same pedals or preamps into a Carvin T100 with EL34s had very little coloration, and the preamp tones were consistent at any volume. For that reason, I like 6L6s better live when the overall tone varies between venues and sound guys, but EL34s for recording.

 

[Mr. B]

Re: Electro Harmonix 6L6 Tubes ??

EH tubes are ok, nothing great IMO but nothing terrible either, however I think you're going to have the same "problem" with them that you do your JJ's...

They are tubes, the compress on their own when driven...that is one of the biggest reasons people buy tube amps...

I don't think you are following what I am asking. I know what tubes do, and have played tube amps for years.

I like JJ tubes in many of my amps, but they do color the sound quite a bit. They tighten things up a lot.

So let me restate my question:
Are there any commonly available tubes that have a more transparent tone? Tubes that do not tighten up the sound quite so much? I was thinking the Electroharmonix might be a good choice since it seems to have a very balanced EQ in my Valvetronix amps.

Anybody know???

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Electro Harmonix 6L6 Tubes ??

First, you're comparing the results of EH preamp tubes with the results of JJ power tubes...second, if you want transparent get a PA head...tube powered guitar amps were not even intended to have a nutural tonal responce. I don't think that changing power tubes will have the effect you are looking for in this case, but if you want to try it good luck...FWIW, EH power tubes are alright.

 

[ksmith63]

Re: Electro Harmonix 6L6 Tubes ??

I don't think you are following what I am asking. I know what tubes do, and have played tube amps for years.

I like JJ tubes in many of my amps, but they do color the sound quite a bit. They tighten things up a lot.

So let me restate my question:
Are there any commonly available tubes that have a more transparent tone? Tubes that do not tighten up the sound quite so much? I was thinking the Electroharmonix might be a good choice since it seems to have a very balanced EQ in my Valvetronix amps.

Anybody know???

get some sovtek 6550wd tubes. the wd's will fit in your 6l6 amp but have more of a 'clear' eq compared to the 6l6s and lots more headroom. you will probably still have some coloration but thats the best i can do.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Electro Harmonix 6L6 Tubes ??

get some sovtek 6550wd tubes. the wd's will fit in your 6l6 amp but have more of a 'clear' eq compared to the 6l6s and lots more headroom. you will probably still have some coloration but thats the best i can do.

Don't suggst something like that unless you really understand the workings of a tube amp.

There is a good chance that the tranny in a PV Valveking can't handle the current draw of 6550's...6550's pull a LOT more juice than 6L6's ever thought about and that could result in an amp needing a new tranny...

On top of that 6550's hardly have what I would call a flat EQ...