New Tube Day

[kbause]

Ok so after getting screwed by my roommate for $150 which caused me to be unable to buy Pete's modded SL+, I decided I'd still get something for the RM after getting it back online.

I got the following tubes today from Doug's Tubes (fast shipping btw)

Winged C EL34 Pair
Winged C 6L6 Pair
GE 6201/12AT7WC
2 JJ ECC81/12AT7

I first fired up the amp with the old tubes and played both clean and dirty boosted and unboosted.

I then swapped out the stock EH 12AX7s (input driver, fx loop, phase inverter) for the 12AT7 (with the GE on the input driver).

And now I don't know if its because the AX7s were stock or if its just placebo, but the REALLY like the AT7s.

Better articulation and clarity, definitely less gain, and it seemed like less treble. I liked the cleans MUCH better after this. The dirt was good, but sucked in the aspects that my mistakes and sloppiness were more easily noticed. Which really isn't a bad thing as it'll force me to clean up.

Next were the power tubes, it came stock with JJ E34Ls. I had swapped them out to try 6L6s (2 from my bugera and 2 Fender/GTs).

So first I pulled out the set of bugera tubes for the Ruby Winged C 6L6s.
First and probably the biggest difference was reduced noise. I had gotten lots of noise with the other tubes and with these I wasn't sure if the amp was on before strumming (my Decimator nor was any of my rack hooked up because I wanted to keep the test as simple as possible).
I also noticed a bit more tightness. And maybe an increase of treble, but that may just be my ears ringing (I rebiased the new tubes at 31 mV just like the bugeras had been).

Next I swapped out the Fender/GT tubes for the Ruby Winged C EL34s and rebiased them at 34 mV.

At first I thought the EL34s had been a terrible idea by my initial tone.
Then DUH my tone knob had still be turned all the way down from when I was tuning.

Anyway after that.
WOW.
This is the best my tone has EVER been.
And I haven't even incorporated any of my rack gear yet.

I'm very happy. that I spent the $$ on the new tubes as well as being very happy with my purchase of the RM overall.
Though after being an active guy for so long, I may end up switching to passives as my main pups because this amp with its current modules and tubes definitely prefers them.

So basically my verdict is Winged C 6l6 + EL34 + 12AT7 = AWESOMENESS.

I'm thinking next paycheck I'll be sending my XTC to pete as well as buying new pre amp tubes for the Recto and Blackface.

Suggestions on those?





(PS testing was primarily done with my C-1+ with SH5/SH2 and TS-808 and ran through my Framus cab w/V30s G12T75s)

 

[Mike361]

Hey Kyle, did your gain come back after all of that or did you lose some. If you did what percent of gain loss was it. I thought about changing to 12at7's at least in the loop. I did notice putting a Ruby 12ax7 in the loop caused the reverb to sound a bit harsher than the stock eh. Is using Dougstubes a better deal than say the tubestore? Last thing is I have to thank you for passing on the Pete SL cause I was next in line. Can't wait to get it. Hows the XTC working out? Did you see Pete's new XTC video on Utube? Really good. Mike

 

[kbause]

Gain was definitely reduced.
Which is something I was looking for. I mean theres a gain knob on the modules for a reason right?

Gain was reduced in a good way though. Like I said better clean, and more articulation on the dirty channels.

I didn't have theanything in the loop so swapping that tube was pretty unnoticable.

Haven't shopped at Tube Store but Dougs Service is great and his prices seem better just but browsing the items I bought from him. I'd recommend buying for him without a doubt. Plus shipping is free with over $105.

And hope you like that module freaking room mates man, I need to just find a cheap place by myself.

 

[maximus1]

i'll bet that bugera smokes that rm100 gain wise now, i bet its twice as heavy sounding

 

[kbause]

i'll bet that bugera smokes that rm100 gain wise now, i bet its twice as heavy sounding

:lol: depends what you mean by heavy.

more gain?
sure but i never turn it up past 2-5 anyway on the bugera.

But the bugera can't touch the RM100 in any department. We'll see how it hangs with a tube swap.

 

[maximus1]

cool i'd be interested in what you find out, ever since i heard one of them things on you tube i've been obsessed with trying to get one to try out . seems like it could be a good backup. the side by side clips with the peaveys are crazy, they sound identical, maybe better. :shock:

 

[kbause]

cool i'd be interested in what you find out, ever since i heard one of them things on you tube i've been obsessed with trying to get one to try out . seems like it could be a good backup. the side by side clips with the peaveys are crazy, they sound identical, maybe better. :shock:

Not bad for a backup. Be prepared to have a boost or the gain channels are way to loose.

 

[maximus1]

thats cool, just put my maxon back on my rm100 , everythings nice and tight now , seems to work best in the paralell loop at about 2 o clock on the effects knob, never really liked it outfront for it seemed to tight but it sounds killer now , recto smokes and the 1086 is huge :twisted: