What's everyone having for luck with tubes?

[Evh5150]

I am fairly new to the tube amp scene. My rm100 has electro harmonics in it and they work, but what have people talking? What are some good options for the rm100's?

 

[zepplin490]

I just replaced my input tube and my phase inverter tubes with JJ 12ax7's and i have been running JJ 6L6GC's in my power section for a while now, they work great have a really nice tone and are very cheap (its around 80 bucks to retube the whole rm50).
-mp-

 

[Jaded Faith]

Tubes are really an individual preference and I normally avoid giving my customers advice. I know plenty of guys who absolutely swear by some of the tubes I like the least and they get great tone from them.

From current production, my two favorites are the JJ ECC83S and the Ruby 12AX7AC HG. They both have very good gain, are very quiet and reliable. Since working on amps is my business, those are very important things to me. Ironically, they are also 2 of the 3 tubes Randall used in the MTS amps as stock tubes. I have well over 150 preamp tubes in the shop (many are highly valued NOS) and for the money these are the best I have found.

For Power tubes, I have had great results with Ruby 6L6GC MSTR, Tung Sol EL34B, Tung Sol 5881, EH KT88 and JJ EL34L in both my own and customer's amps.

 

[Evh5150]

Very good advice gentlemen! I will be ordering some very soon and this helps alot!

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Not sure why I have settled on these combinations but I like what I hear.

I pretty much use ARS or simple chinese 12AX7B (not A as those are higher gain and I didn't like the response) in all positions except phase inverter where oddly enough, I like a balanced JJ. Ruby is also good with these amps. That said, they are all rebranded chinese so the answer really are "chinese 12ax7b".

In some cases I like a Tung Sol reissue in the actual modules, first position but most of the time, straight up chinese.

For power tubes, I really like the Svetlana EL-34. They just work for me. Nice bite with enough chunk without woofiness. I like that. I tried them after reading SLASH uses chinese pres and svet power tubes. He may not anymore but I can tell you that these have been pretty reliable for me. All this NOS this and that is great but let's be honest, reliability is also important. JJKT77's I liked in the past. JJ EL34's I found a tad darker or smoother. I like bite so not really my thang.

 

[Mattfig]

Hi,
I posted this yesterday in another thread...But thought it was somewhat relevant here...

Trust me when I say you will hear what you want to hear...Both in the responses that will follow and how the actual tubes will sound to you...I'm guilty of this so I feel obligated to state the truth...I'm Mattfig and I'm a brand ***** who is OK with that...

A single good brand that is reliable is your most reliable option that will serve you best over time...Try a handful of the common suspects from the plethora of online places to make the purchase..."Brands" are also kinda silly as there is a circular argument that exists about who makes what tube and there's lots of "disagreeing experts." I have read online arguments between dealers who can't agree on who makes what they sell...
It doesn't matter...Fresh tubes can add life...Dull tubes can suck life...

When you absolutely fall in love with a module, try some tube swaps to fine tune it...Don't expect a huge difference and you may just get one...

Edited to say to use your best tube in your Amp V1...Input tube...Not module V1 as that is really the second tube in your chain...Hit it right the first time and go from there...
_________________

 

[eyeball987]

Well said Fig. I hear more of a difference, in the room anyway, with power tubes.

A well placed JJ pre will help darken up a bright amp and a Tung Sol in V1 can help brighten up a dark amp but other than that, I don't pay nearly the amount of attention to it that I used to.

OK. Maybe to the PI where I like a 5751. I guess I have experimented so much that I know what I like and when a pre goes bad and I replace it, I hear the difference but don't care all that much anymore.