Current production tubes for current production amps?...

[Maggot Brain]

I've thought about this off and on since reading Steve Dawson recommended Shuguang KT66s for the VM since the amp was designed around those tubes. So I got to thinking if it may actually be beneficial to run current production tubes in current production amps since they were obviously designed, dare say voiced? around these tubes.

I've been rolling some tubes in my SV20 and come to like the stock tubes in V2 and V3. I've experimented with my Bugle Boys and left one in V1 for the past week or so. I've been trying to convince myself the Amperex sounds better but tbh it's kinda hifi, stiff and sterile sounding imo. I rolled around the Bugle Boy, JJ and EH... The EH was the clear winner, lively and rich with life to it, Idk how to explain it but the EH is lively and rich while the Bugle Boy was definitely the clearest, most open sounding tube I have, it lacked... life? Idk how to put it but anyways...

Anyone else notice anything like this? I kinda feel like NOS and vintage tubes probably sound their best in vintage circuits. Idk maybe I have no clue what I'm talking about!

 

[fitz]

I don't have any vintage amps, and I've never even considered paying premium cash for vintage tubes.
But I think that current production brand tubes sound better in my current production amps than the Marshall branded stock tubes.
I've never read a consistent opinion on one brand over another, so I'm just going to assume the differences are perceived, subjective, or bullshit wishful thinking.

 

[purpleplexi]

Back when 'old' tubes were cheap I had quite a few JAN tubes for messing around with. I think my faves in the JCM 800 were Brimars. Clipped bright cap and those made it nice and woody. Had some Siemens ones that were prettty nice too.
Nowadays I just put new GT mullard replicas in everything. For the money can't go wrong.

 

[Rokinroller]

For about the last 10-15 years or so , all the GT and Mesa branded tubes I bought were all A-1 trouble free and great sounding . The GT EL34M 's were superb ! Still have a like new pair . The other ones I was very impressed with were the EHX6CA7 . Absolute rugged , fantastic sounding and easy to bias-up big bottle EL34 subs . Another surprisingly good preamp tube was the Shuguang 12AX7's . Bought a bunch back in the day ( @ 8$ each ! ) , still have some brand new ones in my stash . Never a bad one , never microphonic , and sound great . Got some duds with the "tung-sol" 12ax7's ... some noisy , some hummers , and some microphonic . They seemed ok at first but after only a few hours they would fail . But I can remember that happening mostly due to being put in a PV C30 combo . A known tube torture chamber , tube rattler shitbox amp . Most JJ's pretty good . I do have some old but good Sylvania , Raytheon , Siemens , GE , RCA's here as well . Ah , tubes so much fun .

 

[Old Punker]

The stock tubes in my SC20H sound great. The stock tubes in my other amps sounded great too.

Whenever I have any issues with tubes it's because the stock tubes in one of my amps have quit and I have to find 'new' tubes that sound like the stock ones did.

I think what happens is that when I get a new amp I dial in the sounds I really like with the original tubes and this becomes the sound of that amp for me. I become disappointed if I retube an amp and it no longer sounds like it did before.

I don't own any vintage amps either (2007 or newer) and I don't buy NOS tubes.

 

[paul-e-mann]

I've thought about this off and on since reading Steve Dawson recommended Shuguang KT66s for the VM since the amp was designed around those tubes. So I got to thinking if it may actually be beneficial to run current production tubes in current production amps since they were obviously designed, dare say voiced? around these tubes.

I've been rolling some tubes in my SV20 and come to like the stock tubes in V2 and V3. I've experimented with my Bugle Boys and left one in V1 for the past week or so. I've been trying to convince myself the Amperex sounds better but tbh it's kinda hifi, stiff and sterile sounding imo. I rolled around the Bugle Boy, JJ and EH... The EH was the clear winner, lively and rich with life to it, Idk how to explain it but the EH is lively and rich while the Bugle Boy was definitely the clearest, most open sounding tube I have, it lacked... life? Idk how to put it but anyways...

Anyone else notice anything like this? I kinda feel like NOS and vintage tubes probably sound their best in vintage circuits. Idk maybe I have no clue what I'm talking about!

I totally agree with you. I hate JJ but thought they sounded best in the current DSL over other tubes I tested.

 

[Maggot Brain]

I totally agree with you. I hate JJ but thought they sounded best in the current DSL over other tubes I tested.

Yeah, I kinda feel these amps are voiced using the current production tubes so in a way sound their best using them.

I've been trying to roll my Bugle Boys in and out of the SV20 but tbh time and time again a EH in V1 and the stock tubes in V2 and V3 sound best hands down.

 

[paul-e-mann]

Yeah, I kinda feel these amps are voiced using the current production tubes so in a way sound their best using them.

I've been trying to roll my Bugle Boys in and out of the SV20 but tbh time and time again a EH in V1 and the stock tubes in V2 and V3 sound best hands down.

I put some Ruby Chinese tubes in my SV20 to brighten it up, sounds great!

 

[Len]

My takes on this:
- Amps tend to sound best with the tibes that the designers used when they were designing the amps.
- New versus NOS has less of an impact with the more gain you use.