Yet another tube discussion (Salvation Content)

[grunge782]

So soon I will be receiving my modules back from Salvation. I've been thinking about what tubes would work best, because the Orange based module and the Recto based module are sounds I've never personally dealt with before. What do you guys suggest for V1 and V2 in these?

The Recto I want to just hit me in the face with power, some good bottom end sag is what Im going for.

The orange Id like to have some nice cleans with too.

I'm not too big into Ruby or Chinese made tubes. As I understand, Ruby are just rebranded. So here's what I know of-

Tungsol
JJ
Mullard
JAN
RFT

I'm planning on buying RFT's anyways. From someone I talked to, they should last for many years compared to other tubes. However, I'm not going to put Rft's in every single slot.

Any suggestions guys?

Also what are you guys running in your RM4's?

Thanks!

 

[salvation]

So soon I will be receiving my modules back from Salvation. I've been thinking about what tubes would work best, because the Orange based module and the Recto based module are sounds I've never personally dealt with before. What do you guys suggest for V1 and V2 in these?

The Recto I want to just hit me in the face with power, some good bottom end sag is what Im going for.

The orange Id like to have some nice cleans with too.

I'm not too big into Ruby or Chinese made tubes. As I understand, Ruby are just rebranded. So here's what I know of-

Tungsol
JJ
Mullard
JAN
RFT

I'm planning on buying RFT's anyways. From someone I talked to, they should last for many years compared to other tubes. However, I'm not going to put Rft's in every single slot.

Any suggestions guys?

Also what are you guys running in your RM4's?

Thanks!

I can only say that your modules were done and tested with JJ tubes.
I am very satisfied with JJ preamp tubes.

Anthony

 

[JKD]

Personally I love a gain tested Chinese ax7 in the recto...sometimes in both slots..but if you don't like 'em then...

Don't discount the Sovtek 12ax7LPS in your Recto..they sound great IMO....if you can't get that one I'd do a TungSol RI or a Mullard RI.

 

[grunge782]

So soon I will be receiving my modules back from Salvation. I've been thinking about what tubes would work best, because the Orange based module and the Recto based module are sounds I've never personally dealt with before. What do you guys suggest for V1 and V2 in these?

The Recto I want to just hit me in the face with power, some good bottom end sag is what Im going for.

The orange Id like to have some nice cleans with too.

I'm not too big into Ruby or Chinese made tubes. As I understand, Ruby are just rebranded. So here's what I know of-

Tungsol
JJ
Mullard
JAN
RFT

I'm planning on buying RFT's anyways. From someone I talked to, they should last for many years compared to other tubes. However, I'm not going to put Rft's in every single slot.

Any suggestions guys?

Also what are you guys running in your RM4's?

Thanks!

I can only say that your modules were done and tested with JJ tubes.
I am very satisfied with JJ preamp tubes.

Anthony

Thanks again Anthony, I really like JJ's too, they've never let me down. However, I was thinking of trying out some other tubes too. Having some NOS tubes seem pretty lucrative, especially if they last for a long time.

 

[grunge782]

Personally I love a gain tested Chinese ax7 in the recto...sometimes in both slots..but if you don't like 'em then...

Don't discount the Sovtek 12ax7LPS in your Recto..they sound great IMO....if you can't get that one I'd do a TungSol RI or a Mullard RI.

I thought that Sovtek were Chinese?

Also to me, reliability is a huge issue. I had a friend who got a LPS which did sound pretty awesome, but it died after about 3 months.

 

[hyenik]

personally I don?t care about label of tubes.
"Tube seeking" is really weird hobby for me
Everytime when I read these wise advices, I remember our testing with marshall and recto through one cab versus marshall (recto) through differents cabs (speakers). And somebody speaks about tubes!!! Ok everything has influence - moon cycle, humidity in Western Asia, temperature of pick, and dimension of guitarist?s shoes....
Libido & Placebo is the BIGGEST guitar company ever :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[fuzzyguitars]

So soon I will be receiving my modules back from Salvation. I've been thinking about what tubes would work best, because the Orange based module and the Recto based module are sounds I've never personally dealt with before. What do you guys suggest for V1 and V2 in these?

The Recto I want to just hit me in the face with power, some good bottom end sag is what Im going for.

The orange Id like to have some nice cleans with too.

I'm not too big into Ruby or Chinese made tubes. As I understand, Ruby are just rebranded. So here's what I know of-

Tungsol
JJ
Mullard
JAN
RFT

I'm planning on buying RFT's anyways. From someone I talked to, they should last for many years compared to other tubes. However, I'm not going to put Rft's in every single slot.

Any suggestions guys?

Also what are you guys running in your RM4's?

Thanks!

I can only say that your modules were done and tested with JJ tubes.
I am very satisfied with JJ preamp tubes.

Anthony

which jj

the ecc83 or the ecc803?

thanks!

 

[JKD]

Personally I love a gain tested Chinese ax7 in the recto...sometimes in both slots..but if you don't like 'em then...

Don't discount the Sovtek 12ax7LPS in your Recto..they sound great IMO....if you can't get that one I'd do a TungSol RI or a Mullard RI.

I thought that Sovtek were Chinese?

Also to me, reliability is a huge issue. I had a friend who got a LPS which did sound pretty awesome, but it died after about 3 months.

Russian.

 

[Julia]

The only thing I can say is that the preamp tubes will only give you more or less of what's already there. They won't change the character of the amp or module.

Since Anthony did the balancing of the module with JJs, I'd start there. See if you like them first. If you do, you're set. If not, they didn't cost you much. I'll get the JJs here stateside at Eurotubes, but that's the only brand they carry. I'm guessing Anthony used the ECC83S. I could be wrong.

If you want to go NOS be prepared to miss a few lunches. Most of that stuff is a bit too high priced for me. I like the JJs in the lower gain stuff. Higher gain? I'll play around a bit.

 

[grunge782]

So soon I will be receiving my modules back from Salvation. I've been thinking about what tubes would work best, because the Orange based module and the Recto based module are sounds I've never personally dealt with before. What do you guys suggest for V1 and V2 in these?

The Recto I want to just hit me in the face with power, some good bottom end sag is what Im going for.

The orange Id like to have some nice cleans with too.

I'm not too big into Ruby or Chinese made tubes. As I understand, Ruby are just rebranded. So here's what I know of-

Tungsol
JJ
Mullard
JAN
RFT

I'm planning on buying RFT's anyways. From someone I talked to, they should last for many years compared to other tubes. However, I'm not going to put Rft's in every single slot.

Any suggestions guys?

Also what are you guys running in your RM4's?

Thanks!

I can only say that your modules were done and tested with JJ tubes.
I am very satisfied with JJ preamp tubes.

Anthony

which jj

the ecc83 or the ecc803?

thanks!

I didn't even know of the 803 until now. How long has that been around?

 

[felineguitars]

I thought that Sovtek were Chinese?

Yeah - the clue is in the name to my way of thinking
Sov => Soviet => Russian

 

[grunge782]

The only thing I can say is that the preamp tubes will only give you more or less of what's already there. They won't change the character of the amp or module.

Since Anthony did the balancing of the module with JJs, I'd start there. See if you like them first. If you do, you're set. If not, they didn't cost you much. I'll get the JJs here stateside at Eurotubes, but that's the only brand they carry. I'm guessing Anthony used the ECC83S. I could be wrong.

If you want to go NOS be prepared to miss a few lunches. Most of that stuff is a bit too high priced for me. I like the JJs in the lower gain stuff. Higher gain? I'll play around a bit.

I agree with you on the point of starting with JJ's. I'm sure they will sound great, but what I'm getting at is being able to buy NOS tubes to use for a much longer time. That way I don't have to buy new tubes every year.

What other tubes have you messed with and how'd that go for you?

 

[Ampoholic]

personally I don?t care about label of tubes.
"Tube seeking" is really weird hobby for me
Everytime when I read these wise advices, I remember our testing with marshall and recto through one cab versus marshall (recto) through differents cabs (speakers). And somebody speaks about tubes!!! Ok everything has influence - moon cycle, humidity in Western Asia, temperature of pick, and dimension of guitarist?s shoes....
Libido & Placebo is the BIGGEST guitar company ever :lol: :lol: :lol:

LMAO! :lol: SOOOO true!

 

[salvation]

personally I don?t care about label of tubes.
"Tube seeking" is really weird hobby for me
Everytime when I read these wise advices, I remember our testing with marshall and recto through one cab versus marshall (recto) through differents cabs (speakers). And somebody speaks about tubes!!! Ok everything has influence - moon cycle, humidity in Western Asia, temperature of pick, and dimension of guitarist?s shoes....
Libido & Placebo is the BIGGEST guitar company ever :lol: :lol: :lol:

I am talking mainly about reliability.
Anthony

 

[Julia]

Sovtek.....

Four major tube manufacturers:

New Sensor: Sovtek, Mullard (RI), Tung Sol (RI), EHX, Svetlana, Saratov (Reflektor plant for KT66)

Svetlana Electronic Devices: SED =C= in St. Petersburg not to be confused but easily so with New Sensor Svetlana.

JJ/Tesla: Czech Republic

Shuguang: China

Several minor: incl -- http://www.techtubevalves.com/ the reports have been mixed on these.

Everything else you'll see is NOS, ANOS, used and expensive. You do reach a point of diminishing returns. I've got a couple of ANOS (tested like new) Mullard 12AX7s, a Telefunken 12AX7 smooth plate, a Pre war Ei 12AX7, a duet of ANOS Sovtek 6CA7 circa 1985, a pair of what were NOS when I got them JAN GE 5751s, and a 15 year old new trio of GT 6550R's.

The Mullards are fantastic in a clean amp, but I don't like them in the V1 position of the Randall. They're too bright, but then with the 6550C's I might be tempted to try them again, but the Chinese valve in V1 is pretty hot. The Ei (I'd bought 3) are just too finicky and unreliable -- one went microphonic pretty fast, and the other just flamed out so I wouldn't waste my money on these but I got them real cheap from someone who didn't know.

 

[hyenik]

JJ/Tesla is Slovakia
ok it is very close, but now is different country then Czech republic

 

[crankyrayhanky]

personally I don?t care about label of tubes.
"Tube seeking" is really weird hobby for me
Everytime when I read these wise advices, I remember our testing with marshall and recto through one cab versus marshall (recto) through differents cabs (speakers). And somebody speaks about tubes!!! Ok everything has influence - moon cycle, humidity in Western Asia, temperature of pick, and dimension of guitarist?s shoes....
Libido & Placebo is the BIGGEST guitar company ever :lol: :lol: :lol:

WORD! I struggle to hear any difference between many preamp tubes; if it works, I roll with it

 

[grunge782]

Sovtek.....

Four major tube manufacturers:

New Sensor: Sovtek, Mullard (RI), Tung Sol (RI), EHX, Svetlana, Saratov (Reflektor plant for KT66)

Svetlana Electronic Devices: SED =C= in St. Petersburg not to be confused but easily so with New Sensor Svetlana.

JJ/Tesla: Czech Republic

Shuguang: China

Several minor: incl -- http://www.techtubevalves.com/ the reports have been mixed on these.

Everything else you'll see is NOS, ANOS, used and expensive. You do reach a point of diminishing returns. I've got a couple of ANOS (tested like new) Mullard 12AX7s, a Telefunken 12AX7 smooth plate, a Pre war Ei 12AX7, a duet of ANOS Sovtek 6CA7 circa 1985, a pair of what were NOS when I got them JAN GE 5751s, and a 15 year old new trio of GT 6550R's.

The Mullards are fantastic in a clean amp, but I don't like them in the V1 position of the Randall. They're too bright, but then with the 6550C's I might be tempted to try them again, but the Chinese valve in V1 is pretty hot. The Ei (I'd bought 3) are just too finicky and unreliable -- one went microphonic pretty fast, and the other just flamed out so I wouldn't waste my money on these but I got them real cheap from someone who didn't know.

Yeah Ei's are known for being a bit unreliable. How are you liking that Telefunken?

 

[grunge782]

personally I don?t care about label of tubes.
"Tube seeking" is really weird hobby for me
Everytime when I read these wise advices, I remember our testing with marshall and recto through one cab versus marshall (recto) through differents cabs (speakers). And somebody speaks about tubes!!! Ok everything has influence - moon cycle, humidity in Western Asia, temperature of pick, and dimension of guitarist?s shoes....
Libido & Placebo is the BIGGEST guitar company ever :lol: :lol: :lol:

WORD! I struggle to hear any difference between many preamp tubes; if it works, I roll with it

That's really good for you then. I've tried JJ and Tungsol and I can tell quite a difference between them. Sovtek's just sound down right buzzy to me. Just wondering what other ones have you tried?

 

[grunge782]

personally I don?t care about label of tubes.
"Tube seeking" is really weird hobby for me
Everytime when I read these wise advices, I remember our testing with marshall and recto through one cab versus marshall (recto) through differents cabs (speakers). And somebody speaks about tubes!!! Ok everything has influence - moon cycle, humidity in Western Asia, temperature of pick, and dimension of guitarist?s shoes....
Libido & Placebo is the BIGGEST guitar company ever :lol: :lol: :lol:

By the way Hyneik, I agree. List for importance of tone in my book goes
Amp>Pickup/Guitar>Cab/Speakers>Tubes>Pick>Strings>Cable

However certain qualities of your tone will rearrange this list.

Right now I'm running a great amp, a great guitar with a BKP, and a Mills cab with V30's. I'm low on tubes, so I figured to really push new boundaries for me. It's next in line for me to really mess around with.

Have you endeavored in NOS tubes and felt like it came up short?

Strange thing is the guy who made my amp thinks its bullshit....
However, the opinion is divided, and if you look at the history of tubes the standards of today just cant even come close to the standards of the bygone societal usage of tubes.