What a difference a tube makes

[misterwhizzy]

So tubedepot.com had a Cyber Monday sale, and I picked up a few backup tubes and a new JJ ECC802S for the PI. Before I backed off the preamp gain a bit, I had a 12AU7 in the PI that increased headroom a bit. I eventually put in a JJ ECC803S, which really worked on overdrive tones without killing of cleans when I dialed back the volume knob. But when I went to a higher gain setting with the new JJ, I seriously thought my amp was broken. It was nasally and bright and thin and awful. I may compare with the Chinese 12AU7 I pulled out, but what a disappointment.

For the record, the only JJ preamp tubes I like are the long-plate ECC803S, which is why I had high hopes for a long-plate 12AU7 variant. Turns out it was not what the doctor ordered.

 

[Fonzie]

Re: What a difference a tube makes

So tubedepot.com had a Cyber Monday sale, and I picked up a few backup tubes and a new JJ ECC802S for the PI. Before I backed off the preamp gain a bit, I had a 12AU7 in the PI that increased headroom a bit. I eventually put in a JJ ECC803S, which really worked on overdrive tones without killing of cleans when I dialed back the volume knob. But when I went to a higher gain setting with the new JJ, I seriously thought my amp was broken. It was nasally and bright and thin and awful. I may compare with the Chinese 12AU7 I pulled out, but what a disappointment.

For the record, the only JJ preamp tubes I like are the long-plate ECC803S, which is why I had high hopes for a long-plate 12AU7 variant. Turns out it was not what the doctor ordered.

Ah man that sucks! Well, I guess this really shows that the tubes you have installed really affect the tone of an amp! Cheers!

 

[JeffB]

Re: What a difference a tube makes

Overall, I think JJ tubes are overrated. On occasion they are the solution but generally I don't find them all that toneful, or durable. Their EL84s sound decent but keep dying in spectacular ways (taking a fuse out) in all 3 class A amps I have had them in. Mullard RI EL84s have proven far more durable in these amps. Years of use vs. months for the JJs. All of the New Sensor tubes have proven very durable for me...ehx, mullard ri, tungsol, sovtek and svetlana.

That said , I have some JJ KT-77s arriving today. I hope they don't end up toasting my Marshall.

 

[JeffB]

Re: What a difference a tube makes

Have you tried a Sovtek LPS in the PI?

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: What a difference a tube makes

I would like to know how those KT-77s work for you. It's a heck of a jump in price to go to the Genalex Gold Lions.

 

[JeffB]

Re: What a difference a tube makes

I would like to know how those KT-77s work for you. It's a heck of a jump in price to go to the Genalex Gold Lions.

Ask and ye shall receive...(see my other thread)

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: What a difference a tube makes

Why aren't you using 12aT7 in the Pi slot?

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: What a difference a tube makes

Have you tried a Sovtek LPS in the PI?

I have, and I was underwhelmed. Mullard RI was good, but the cheaper long-plate JJ does just as well.

 

[JeffB]

Re: What a difference a tube makes

Horses for courses...I greatly prefer the LPS over the mullard RI

But the amps are pretty different.

Might try a JAN 5751.

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: What a difference a tube makes

Why aren't you using 12aT7 in the Pi slot?

Long answer: Because the amp was designed for a 12AX7 and the 12AU7 should provide more headroom in theory than the 12AT7.

Short answer: Because glassman told me to.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: What a difference a tube makes

give it a go.

 

[Diego]

Re: What a difference a tube makes

I swapped V1 in my Egnater Tweaker from a Tungsol to a Ruby HG 12AX7.
Wasn't expecting much of a change since they're both Chinese (EDIT: Wrong, Tungsol is Russian you idiot) and high gain.

The Ruby has less bloat in the mids and has more of a Death Metal "sizzle" on top which sounds more musical than you'd think.
So it basically decongested things a fair bit.

I'm surprised.

 

[Surgeon]

Re: What a difference a tube makes

Overall, I think JJ tubes are overrated. On occasion they are the solution but generally I don't find them all that toneful, or durable. Their EL84s sound decent but keep dying in spectacular ways (taking a fuse out) in all 3 class A amps I have had them in. Mullard RI EL84s have proven far more durable in these amps. Years of use vs. months for the JJs. All of the New Sensor tubes have proven very durable for me...ehx, mullard ri, tungsol, sovtek and svetlana.

That said , I have some JJ KT-77s arriving today. I hope they don't end up toasting my Marshall.

Agreed, to me the JJs are overrated while yhe ehx are vastly overlooked. My opinion is that the ehx are too cheap to be taken seriously. I've trid almost all their offerings and was always quite pleased. Better tubes out there? Sure but they've never failed on me and always sounded great no matter what. I've even preferred them to winged-Cs in my jcm800 build...

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: What a difference a tube makes

I swapped V1 in my Egnater Tweaker from a Tungsol to a Ruby HG 12AX7.
Wasn't expecting much of a change since they're both Chinese and high gain.

The Ruby has less bloat in the mids and has more of a Death Metal "sizzle" on top which sounds more musical than you'd think.
So it basically decongested things a fair bit.

I'm surprised.

Tung-Sol is Russian. Comes out of the same factory as ElectroHarmonix, Mullard RI, and Sovtek, if memory serves me correctly..

 

[Diego]

Re: What a difference a tube makes

Tung-Sol is Russian. Comes out of the same factory as ElectroHarmonix, Mullard RI, and Sovtek, if memory serves me correctly..

Corrected.

 

[Hank-]

Re: What a difference a tube makes

I like the ehx12ax7 for PI, i remember liking it more than the mullard ri for that spot. I like the tungsol best for v1 but my rotten luck is that they develop hum within two weeks :'(

I noticed that the jjs & chinese tubes have a distortion pedal sort of sound quality to the gain, whereas the ehx, tungsol & mullard ri have a od pedal kind of gain sound, smoother & not as focused.

I'm trying ehx 6ca7s next time, presently the jj 6ca7s i have are good but not what I'm looking for. Mine were from 2011, still working fine but need to try out new sensor stuff in the power section which I've not done yet.

 

[JeffB]

Re: What a difference a tube makes

I like the ehx 12ax7s too. They are a little bright and crunchy and consistent. The price and durability is great. The only downsides I find are it shaves off some low end compared to the other new sensor 12ax7sor JJs and they can sound a little "flat". I don't like em in v1 in my el84 amps so much but are good in the DSL. A good but not great sounding tube.

The tung sol is much bassier and punchier but it can get really grainy. Svetlana is best of both worlds , IMO ..Decent lows, thickness, clarity, sweet high end, no grainy fizzies like tung sol or JJs. They are just much harder to find. I need to get some more.

 

[mantis]

Re: What a difference a tube makes

I switched to Ruby's all matched sets and my amps sound incredible. It's clear and warm yet bites your face off when called upon.
I still love my Sovtek 5881's as they are still one of the best tubes around IMO.

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: What a difference a tube makes

I like the ehx 12ax7s too. They are a little bright and crunchy and consistent. The price and durability is great. The only downsides I find are it shaves off some low end compared to the other new sensor 12ax7sor JJs and they can sound a little "flat". I don't like em in v1 in my el84 amps so much but are good in the DSL. A good but not great sounding tube.

The tung sol is much bassier and punchier but it can get really grainy. Svetlana is best of both worlds , IMO ..Decent lows, thickness, clarity, sweet high end, no grainy fizzies like tung sol or JJs. They are just much harder to find. I need to get some more.

I should know better than to be swayed by your opinion. You hate Greenbacks, and I think they're a perfect fit for my tone. You hate EL84s, and I can make them work. Why am I about to go buy a Svetlana or two?

 

[JeffB]

Re: What a difference a tube makes

I should know better than to be swayed by your opinion. You hate Greenbacks, and I think they're a perfect fit for my tone. You hate EL84s, and I can make them work. Why am I about to go buy a Svetlana or two?

I don't hate greenbacks (g12m's is what you mean I take it) at all. They are pretty much my fave speaker...in all variations. especially in a 4x12. I've been using one or a pair for the last 4 years or more. UK EVH or the Chinese reissue, or Creamback 65. I did not care for the WGS Green Beret version/take, however.

EL84s have their place, its just not MY sound. For me they are best at doing the british invasion tones. Yardbirds, ftw.

You will probably hate Svetlanas