Alright. I was wondering if there are any reasons why one tube could be better than the next. Specifically El 84's and 12ax7's. I know of a quite a few good companys and was wondering what the general impression of certain tube making companies happens to be. JJ, Peavey (with Peavey amps), Groove tubes, and Sovtek. Right now I have Sovtek El 84's in my Classic 50 410. I havent even checked what my 12Ax7's were, but my Amp dude says they are fine. I was wondering if those expensive Groove tubes were worth it. And are there going to be any sacrafices in my tone. Thanks for the opinions!
Superior Tubes?
- Thread starter bjeans79
- Start date
Re: Superior Tubes?
groove tubes doesnt make tubes they test, match, and rebrand them. ei, sovtek and jj actually make tubes. peavey doesnt.
ei makes great sounding tubes but i had to go thru a half dozen 12ax7's to find one that wasnt microphonic. when i did, it was great!
for el84's i like the jj brand
groove tubes doesnt make tubes they test, match, and rebrand them. ei, sovtek and jj actually make tubes. peavey doesnt.
ei makes great sounding tubes but i had to go thru a half dozen 12ax7's to find one that wasnt microphonic. when i did, it was great!
for el84's i like the jj brand
mindbender
New member
Re: Superior Tubes?
Tubes can make a huge tonal difference. Go to www.watfordvalves.com and read some reviews. JJ makes good tubes, although I tend to find them a bit 'scooped' sounding. If you're into old school rock see if you can snatch up some Mullard 12ax7's on ebay, they have wonderfully smooth mids. Go to some of the tube sites online and read up on the characteristics of each tube to find one that will suit your needs.
Tubes can make a huge tonal difference. Go to www.watfordvalves.com and read some reviews. JJ makes good tubes, although I tend to find them a bit 'scooped' sounding. If you're into old school rock see if you can snatch up some Mullard 12ax7's on ebay, they have wonderfully smooth mids. Go to some of the tube sites online and read up on the characteristics of each tube to find one that will suit your needs.
metlking
Well-known member
Re: Superior Tubes?
Contact Doug at www.dougstubes.com
Let him know what amp you're using and the sound you're after. He has a knack for picking the tubes you want....trust him!
Contact Doug at www.dougstubes.com
Let him know what amp you're using and the sound you're after. He has a knack for picking the tubes you want....trust him!
kevlar3000
Bullet Proof Toneologist
Re: Superior Tubes?
terry_kilgore2003@yahoo.com
This is the Email address for Terry Kilgore, also known as Tube Tramp on various amp forums. Terry is a good friend who is also the guy who gave me my education on vintage amps and tone. Been among the biggest musical influences I have ever had.
Terry sells vintage and new glass with far and away the best prices on the net. He does not deal with a specific brand, all he deals with is what his ears tell him. He wrote a couple of David Lee Roths albums, is an amazing player and has perhaps the best set of ears I have come across. He will get you into some great sounding glass.
Great guy, will set you up with just about whatever your ears desire.
Feel free to tell Terry that kevlar3000 told you to email him...
terry_kilgore2003@yahoo.com
This is the Email address for Terry Kilgore, also known as Tube Tramp on various amp forums. Terry is a good friend who is also the guy who gave me my education on vintage amps and tone. Been among the biggest musical influences I have ever had.
Terry sells vintage and new glass with far and away the best prices on the net. He does not deal with a specific brand, all he deals with is what his ears tell him. He wrote a couple of David Lee Roths albums, is an amazing player and has perhaps the best set of ears I have come across. He will get you into some great sounding glass.
Great guy, will set you up with just about whatever your ears desire.
Feel free to tell Terry that kevlar3000 told you to email him...
Kommerzbassist
Thunderbirdologist
Re: Superior Tubes?
Design (long plate, short plate)
Materials
Testing (gain, microphonics, matching of all possible sorts, etc.)
Construction
Design (long plate, short plate)
Materials
Testing (gain, microphonics, matching of all possible sorts, etc.)
Danglin' Fury
New member
Re: Superior Tubes?
:bowdown: If you are looking for a really cheap but really good 12AX7, look on Ebay. I know I spoke of The Thing That Should Not Be, but you can find unmarked Shuguang 9th generation tubes for like $4.00-$8.00 a piecs and they are SMOOOOOOOTH and crunchy!
:bowdown: If you are looking for a really cheap but really good 12AX7, look on Ebay. I know I spoke of The Thing That Should Not Be, but you can find unmarked Shuguang 9th generation tubes for like $4.00-$8.00 a piecs and they are SMOOOOOOOTH and crunchy!
Jeff_H
Dean Hardtail Fanologist
Re: Superior Tubes?
Tubes...especially pre-amp tubes, are the 2nd biggest change in tone you can make to your amp, IMO, after speakers. You can go brighter, darker, more gain, less gain, open, more compressed...it can go on and on. Experimentation is the key, and for the most part pre amp tubes are cheap enough to experiment with. At one point I had a stock of about 15 different pre-amp tubes, ranging from cheap Mesa and EH tubes thru a $90 NOS mullard.
I have really found a happy medium between cost and tone with the Groove Tubes pre-amp tubes, specifically the C's, which are the 9th generation Chinese, and the "M"s, which are the Mullard reissues. I have A/B'd them with some of my good NOS tubes including:
Mullard
RFT
Bugle Boy
RCA Blackplate
Siemans
GE (white letter)
and a few other's I can't recall right now. Bottom line is the GT's sounded about 90% as good as my best tubes NOS tubes, and downright better than some of the others. I still have my stock of NOS tubes, and I need to get back in the habit of buying one or two every so often, in case production tubes take a dump again, but the GT's are great, affordable and easy to get.
Long story short, take $100 , buy a handful of different tubes and experiment. It will be the best $$ you've ever spent.
Tubes...especially pre-amp tubes, are the 2nd biggest change in tone you can make to your amp, IMO, after speakers. You can go brighter, darker, more gain, less gain, open, more compressed...it can go on and on. Experimentation is the key, and for the most part pre amp tubes are cheap enough to experiment with. At one point I had a stock of about 15 different pre-amp tubes, ranging from cheap Mesa and EH tubes thru a $90 NOS mullard.
I have really found a happy medium between cost and tone with the Groove Tubes pre-amp tubes, specifically the C's, which are the 9th generation Chinese, and the "M"s, which are the Mullard reissues. I have A/B'd them with some of my good NOS tubes including:
Mullard
RFT
Bugle Boy
RCA Blackplate
Siemans
GE (white letter)
and a few other's I can't recall right now. Bottom line is the GT's sounded about 90% as good as my best tubes NOS tubes, and downright better than some of the others. I still have my stock of NOS tubes, and I need to get back in the habit of buying one or two every so often, in case production tubes take a dump again, but the GT's are great, affordable and easy to get.
Long story short, take $100 , buy a handful of different tubes and experiment. It will be the best $$ you've ever spent.
