fxdx99 Posted October 14, 2013 Posted October 14, 2013 What's your preferred brand for 12ax7 preamp tube, new production? (deluxe reverb like amp this round).
kbp810 Posted October 14, 2013 Posted October 14, 2013 Tung sols and the sovtek lps are generally my two favorites; the sovtek wa is a solid reliable tube and good for the reverb recovery and vibrato tube spots on a DR (v4 and v5)
slider313 Posted October 14, 2013 Posted October 14, 2013 I'll second the Tung Sol. I haven't used the SovTek lps but the EH 12ax7 sounds pretty good in some applications.
Kuz Posted October 14, 2013 Posted October 14, 2013 V1 & V2 don't go cheap. Buy some used, but tested, 1950s or 1960s RCA 12AX7s (maybe $30 each). Again, for V3 & PI buy a used/tested RCA 12AT7. The other 12AX7 doesn't matter what you use, only Tremelo driver, no tone. So if you go the above route you will have reliable preamp tubes and the best sounding tubes. I would consider it a 10 year investment in tone. If you don't go RCA, then the only new tube I like is Tung Sol reissue 12AX7s. I can't stand JJs or Sovtek.
yoslate Posted October 14, 2013 Posted October 14, 2013 V1 & V2 don't go cheap. Buy some used, but tested, 1950s or 1960s RCA 12AX7s (maybe $30 each). Again, for V3 & PI buy a used/tested RCA 12AT7. The other 12AX7 doesn't matter what you use, only Tremelo driver, no tone. So if you go the above route you will have reliable preamp tubes and the best sounding tubes. I would consider it a 10 year investment in tone. If you don't go RCA, then the only new tube I like is Tung Sol reissue 12AX7s. I can't stand JJs or Sovtek. I stayed with John, on the way to PSP. We did some A/B-ing of our Deluxes: John's a pristine '67 Deluxe, mine, a reissue Deluxe, with some new power tubes, bright cap snipped, and an Eminence Tonker, newly installed. We tried just about every combination of speakers to amps, power tubes, blah, blah, blah. Then we swaped one of his vintage 12AX's into V2, in my re-ish...and WOW! What a huge difference! I was amazed! Next day, on the drive to Kalamazoo, I called Dale, my amp guy, about vintage tubes. He said that when I returned, we would go "tube mining," in the filing cabinet which usually remains locked, in his shop. I took the amp in, and Dale and I switched out eight or nine vintage 12AX's, making notes about each. Finally settled on an old Sylvania, for V2. Dropped some relatively serious money on that tube, and worth every penny of it. Huge tone upgrade! Thanks, John....
fxdx99 Posted October 14, 2013 Author Posted October 14, 2013 Thanks gents. I've Tung Sols in it now and I've no complaints on it's voicing so may stick w/those. Looked on line at tested RCAs - near 50 each so need to ponder that one... Swapped the power and rect tubes last nite after Sat's gig had the amp starting out sounding 'half power', then 'BAM' it came on mid song (during sound check so no biggie). Knew the power tubes were old/stressed, but didn't mind the voicing that gave (less bass, dirtier). Much better with new (JJs, 6v6). Those were my spares, down to one 12ax7 in the box so need to place an order anyway - thought I'd get some more preamps while at it. Thanks for the feedback - appreciate it!
58super Posted October 14, 2013 Posted October 14, 2013 Tungsol's for 12ax7. NOS Philips 12at7 for the reverb driver and the Pi. Assuming you play through the reverb channel only the best sounding 12ax7 should be in 2 and 4 in that order. IMO.
Kuz Posted October 14, 2013 Posted October 14, 2013 Tungsol's for 12ax7. NOS Philips 12at7 for the reverb driver and the Pi. Assuming you play through the reverb channel only the best sounding 12ax7 should be in 2 and 4 in that order. IMO. Tungsol's for 12ax7. NOS Philips 12at7 for the reverb driver and the Pi. Assuming you play through the reverb channel only the best sounding 12ax7 should be in 2 and 4 in that order. IMO. Bingo!! At best you only need to buy 2 RCA 12AX7s, V1 & V2. And possibly only V2 if you only use the Reverb channel. The tube in V1 will bleed over into the reverb channel when used, but V2 will be the most important tube when the reverb channel is used.
fxdx99 Posted October 14, 2013 Author Posted October 14, 2013 Bingo!! At best you only need to buy 2 RCA 12AX7s, V1 & V2. And possibly only V2 if you only use the Reverb channel. The tube in V1 will bleed over into the reverb channel when used, but V2 will be the most important tube when the reverb channel is used. The Allen is single channel so I need to look at it's layout, but understand your point. I should ask this... have an on line reputable dealer for NOS I could look at?
fxdx99 Posted October 14, 2013 Author Posted October 14, 2013 Ah, did a search and found a reference to kca. Order placed. Thanks, all - very much appreciate the insight and experience shared here!!!!
rockabilly69 Posted October 14, 2013 Posted October 14, 2013 I like the NOS Sylvania 12AX7, 12AT7s and 5751's, and I like RCA 6V6's. That's what's currently in all of my 6V6 amps, and all of them sound great.
yoslate Posted October 14, 2013 Posted October 14, 2013 I took the amp in, and Dale and I switched out eight or nine vintage 12AX's, making notes about each. Finally settled on an old Sylvania, for V2. Dropped some relatively serious money on that tube, and worth every penny of it. Huge tone upgrade! Thanks, John.... I like the NOS Sylvania 12AX7, 12AT7s and 5751's.... So, Daniel, were we separated at birth, or something...? We seem to have overlapped on a bunch of "Tone Quest" type stuff. Funny!
rockabilly69 Posted October 15, 2013 Posted October 15, 2013 So, Daniel, were we separated at birth, or something...? We seem to have overlapped on a bunch of "Tone Quest" type stuff. Funny! Yes Rob, I have noticed a bit of similiarity in our quest:)
Kuz Posted October 15, 2013 Posted October 15, 2013 I stayed with John, on the way to PSP. We did some A/B-ing of our Deluxes: John's a pristine '67 Deluxe, mine, a reissue Deluxe, with some new power tubes, bright cap snipped, and an Eminence Tonker, newly installed. We tried just about every combination of speakers to amps, power tubes, blah, blah, blah. Then we swaped one of his vintage 12AX's into V2, in my re-ish...and WOW! What a huge difference! I was amazed! Next day, on the drive to Kalamazoo, I called Dale, my amp guy, about vintage tubes. He said that when I returned, we would go "tube mining," in the filing cabinet which usually remains locked, in his shop. I took the amp in, and Dale and I switched out eight or nine vintage 12AX's, making notes about each. Finally settled on an old Sylvania, for V2. Dropped some relatively serious money on that tube, and worth every penny of it. Huge tone upgrade! Thanks, John.... I like the NOS Sylvania 12AX7, 12AT7s and 5751's, and I like RCA 6V6's. That's what's currently in all of my 6V6 amps, and all of them sound great. I don't think I have tried a Sylvania in quite a while, but LOVEs me some old RCA 12AX7s and RCA 12AT7s. What difference did you two boys hear in the Sylvania over RCAs?
yoslate Posted October 15, 2013 Posted October 15, 2013 You know, John, I can't remember what I tried...eight or nine vintage tubes, and to be honest, I'm not sure there was an RCA...maybe one. What I liked about the Sylvania was how balanced and present it was in that amp. There were tubes which had better highs, lows, bite, grind, clarity...but the Sylvania just made the amp sound clearly better. It delivered a little bit of everything in equal measure. It had a kind of complex character...not to make it sound like a Cabernet.... As I think about it, seems that's where I've landed after all this time, all that gear.... I appreciate gear that delivers a variety of qualities, in balance, rather than a pile of different one-trick ponies.
slider313 Posted October 15, 2013 Posted October 15, 2013 What works well in one amp may not work in another. Most Sylvania's I see are the long grey plate version and I find them to be a bit on the bright side; especially in blackface Fenders. They can sometime do well in V4 as a reverb recovery tube or as a phase inverter in a Princeton Reverb. I have also found many long plate 12ax7's to be microphonic and more "scooped" in the mids, The exception would be the blackplate Raytheon which can be found relabeled as "Baldwin". These have yellow script writing and were supposed to have been screened for noise and microphonics for Baldwin Organs. You can find them as used pulls for about $20 each. Many of them saw little use in home organs and are still strong with plenty of life left.
rockabilly69 Posted October 15, 2013 Posted October 15, 2013 I don't think I have tried a Sylvania in quite a while, but LOVEs me some old RCA 12AX7s and RCA 12AT7s. What difference did you two boys hear in the Sylvania over RCAs? I just A/B a bunch of NOS stuff I had lying around and the Sylvania preamp tubes always had the best balanced tone, and low noise. Though I do tend to stick to RCA power tubes as they tend to take the higher voltages that my vintage Ampegs and Fenders through at them.
Guest HRB853370 Posted October 15, 2013 Posted October 15, 2013 How do Groove Tubes stack up against all those NOS tubes?
slider313 Posted October 15, 2013 Posted October 15, 2013 How do Groove Tubes stack up against all those NOS tubes? Groove Tubes are just rebranded JJ, SovTek or Chinese tubes. I actually like some of the newer power tubes but most new preamp tubes sound like a bee in a ball jar.
rockabilly69 Posted October 15, 2013 Posted October 15, 2013 Groove Tubes are just rebranded JJ, SovTek or Chinese tubes. I actually like some of the newer power tubes but most new preamp tubes sound like a bee in a ball jar. +1
Kuz Posted October 16, 2013 Posted October 16, 2013 Groove Tubes are just rebranded JJ, SovTek or Chinese tubes. I actually like some of the newer power tubes but most new preamp tubes sound like a bee in a ball jar. +2
bolero Posted October 16, 2013 Posted October 16, 2013 didn't someone buy the Mullard name & start manufacturing new preamp tubes? I hope it wasn't Mike Mathews, that was a dirty trick he did with Svetlana & =C= *edit* I just found this, looks to be interesting comparisons: http://www.thetubestore.com/Resources/Product-Reviews/12AX7-Tube-Review
Kuz Posted October 16, 2013 Posted October 16, 2013 didn't someone buy the Mullard name & start manufacturing new preamp tubes? I hope it wasn't Mike Mathews, that was a dirty trick he did with Svetlana & =C= *edit* I just found this, looks to be interesting comparisons: http://www.thetubestore.com/Resources/Product-Reviews/12AX7-Tube-Review That is a review of the guy selling those tubes. Helpful, yes.... but biased (no pun intended)!!
smurph1 Posted October 16, 2013 Posted October 16, 2013 I stayed with John, on the way to PSP. We did some A/B-ing of our Deluxes: John's a pristine '67 Deluxe, mine, a reissue Deluxe, with some new power tubes, bright cap snipped, and an Eminence Tonker, newly installed. We tried just about every combination of speakers to amps, power tubes, blah, blah, blah. Then we swaped one of his vintage 12AX's into V2, in my re-ish...and WOW! What a huge difference! I was amazed! Next day, on the drive to Kalamazoo, I called Dale, my amp guy, about vintage tubes. He said that when I returned, we would go "tube mining," in the filing cabinet which usually remains locked, in his shop. I took the amp in, and Dale and I switched out eight or nine vintage 12AX's, making notes about each. Finally settled on an old Sylvania, for V2. Dropped some relatively serious money on that tube, and worth every penny of it. Huge tone upgrade! Thanks, John.... Good Deal.. A friend put some old RCA blackplates in my Gibsonette.. They were spendy, but worth it!!
bolero Posted October 16, 2013 Posted October 16, 2013 That is a review of the guy selling those tubes. Helpful, yes.... but biased (no pun intended)!! ha, true....but I don't see many detailed reviews like that out there? then again I haven't really looked....I'm off to google..."preamp tube comparisons for guitar amps"
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.