Ok Guys Let's Try This Again..Your Fav Marshall Tubes?

[STRATDELUXER97]

Preamp tube choice favorites?

Poweramp tube favorites? (EL34s)...

What's the best sounding ones you guys have been recently sold on and happy with and why?

 

[AmpliFIRE]

Re: Ok Guys Let's Try This Again..Your Fav Marshall Tubes?

Power: SED EL34's
Pre: NOS RFT or Tung Sol 12ax7's

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Ok Guys Let's Try This Again..Your Fav Marshall Tubes?

Modern production Power- =C= EL34
Hard to find old production - Probably, the old German Seimens EL34.

I don't have a clue about modern production 12AX7's. I havn't been happy with any of em. The chinese, Ruby, GT's, JJ's, and EH's havn't worked out all that great. Fortunately, I still got some still good enough RTF's and Tungsrams from the 80's. I had some JAN-Phillips, but there were rather too noisey actually. I'm going to start going through old TV's soon....

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Ok Guys Let's Try This Again..Your Fav Marshall Tubes?

I always like JJ E-34L's and GT12AX7C's in a Marshall. The E-34L's make a 50W sound as fat as a 100W, and the GTC's make the preamp tight and gainy.

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: Ok Guys Let's Try This Again..Your Fav Marshall Tubes?

In my 2204 Homebrew. I have 2 JJ EL 34's. In VI I have a NOS Sylvania 12AX7/ECC83 (The very last of my Grandfathers NOS tube collection:crying: :sad: )
Than 2 JJECC 83 S in V2 & V3.

 

[shredaholic]

Re: Ok Guys Let's Try This Again..Your Fav Marshall Tubes?

Right now in my Plexi, I'm happiest with a Mullard ECC83 in V1 and Sylvania 12AX7WA's in V2 and V3. In the extra gain stage tube I've got an RFT ECC83.

I haven't spent enough time with power tubes as I'm using a PPIMV and it's working great, once I get power scaling in my amp I'll be testing some EL34's.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Ok Guys Let's Try This Again..Your Fav Marshall Tubes?

EH 12AX7's - nice and smooth.
Svetlana EL34's - good headroom, not too tight, not too loose, nice breakup.

 

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: Ok Guys Let's Try This Again..Your Fav Marshall Tubes?

Power: SED EL34's
Pre: NOS RFT or Tung Sol 12ax7's

+1

The RFT ECC83 are hands down my favorite. Perfect across the board for that blues rock/classic rock sound. Basically Mullard tone for less dough.

If you want more bite, try the Sovtek 12AX7LPS's....they're gainier but still retain clarity. The Chinese tubes are good for distortion, but I think the Sovtek lets you hear the note better & longer.

For power, the SED is easy to find at a fair cost & are smoother than some of the others.

I'm nota big JJ guy....I think they're too dark & generic, but that's a personal taste kinda thing. They're very easy to find, inexpensive & are good middle of the road tubes.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Ok Guys Let's Try This Again..Your Fav Marshall Tubes?

Pre = NOS Siemens
Power =
NEW - I really like the sound I'm getting from using 2x EHX on the inside and 2x Mullards on the outside
VINTAGE - Sylvania 6CA7 (Sounds like God in a bottle! )

Edit: Forgot to mention why I like em.
The Siemens have a great vintage drive. We're talking about 12AX7s, here, btw, so there is still plenty of gain on tap. Lots of resolution and attack.

The 6CA7s smoke EL34s in a Marshall. I found my Marshall to be TOO midrange-peaky with EL34s. the 6CA7 really rounded out the tone and extended the lower midrange nicely.

The Mullards are a great compromise if you're hellbent on EL34s. I found that the tone was a touch TOO soft, and by mixing in the EHX valves, I got more snarl.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Ok Guys Let's Try This Again..Your Fav Marshall Tubes?

Excellent info from all of you..Appreciate it.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Ok Guys Let's Try This Again..Your Fav Marshall Tubes?

+1

The RFT ECC83 are hands down my favorite. Perfect across the board for that blues rock/classic rock sound. Basically Mullard tone for less dough.

If you want more bite, try the Sovtek 12AX7LPS's....they're gainier but still retain clarity. The Chinese tubes are good for distortion, but I think the Sovtek lets you hear the note better & longer.

For power, the SED is easy to find at a fair cost & are smoother than some of the others.

I'm nota big JJ guy....I think they're too dark & generic, but that's a personal taste kinda thing. They're very easy to find, inexpensive & are good middle of the road tubes.

Where are you guys getting the RFT 12AX7s from? Might be up my alley? The amp isn't lacking in high end....What Marshall is? :13:

 

[AmpliFIRE]

Re: Ok Guys Let's Try This Again..Your Fav Marshall Tubes?

Where are you guys getting the RFT 12AX7s from? Might be up my alley? The amp isn't lacking in high end....What Marshall is? :13:

KCA NOS tubes usually has some in stock. I've gotten a few from Mike over there as well as from E-bay.

 

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: Ok Guys Let's Try This Again..Your Fav Marshall Tubes?

John, I've got a local guy that actually turned me on to them....I checked in with him a few weeks ago & he was out, but had more on order.

Check here: www.tubeman.com

FWIW, there was a time when RFTs were the stock tubes in Marshalls....and I can see why:beerchug:

 

[shredaholic]

Re: Ok Guys Let's Try This Again..Your Fav Marshall Tubes?

I got a load of my RFT's from eBay, two were £5 each and another one was relabelled as a Mazda that I got for 99p!

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Ok Guys Let's Try This Again..Your Fav Marshall Tubes?

I got a load of my RFT's from eBay, two were £5 each and another one was relabelled as a Mazda that I got for 99p!

Thanks buddy....I'll get a couple to try out...

 

[Guitarist]

Re: Ok Guys Let's Try This Again..Your Fav Marshall Tubes?

SED is easy to find at a fair cost...

Not for long...Doug Preston told me something...but I forgot. Parts are becoming limited? He said that their EL34 batches are extremely inconsistent due to it and are just going to get worse.

Great tubes, though.