Preamp Tubes? - Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How?

[RiverRatt]

Got my little Crate 5 watt combo going. It's a hot little amp. It doesn't seem to care what tubes you throw in it, either. I tried the Mullard ECC83 and a Sylvania 6BQ5 and I couldn't tell that they made much difference. I ended up with a Shugang EL84 and a Tung Sol RI in it.

 

[MartyStrat54]

Got my little Crate 5 watt combo going. It's a hot little amp. It doesn't seem to care what tubes you throw in it, either. I tried the Mullard ECC83 and a Sylvania 6BQ5 and I couldn't tell that they made much difference. I ended up with a Shugang EL84 and a Tung Sol RI in it.

I would say that's a good thing. An amp that sounds good no matter what you put in it. I want to say "Shugang" just once. It's sounds like shawang.



1600

 

[MartyStrat54]

Joe...what we were talking about. Here are some Ei 6CA7's in Taiwan and they want $250 for them. You can get Fat Boy Sylvania's for that.

4Pcs. EI 6CA7 / EL34 OO Getter. - eBay (item 290355205932 end time Oct-30-09 19:25:49 PDT)

 

[solarburn]

Joe...what we were talking about. Here are some Ei 6CA7's in Taiwan and they want $250 for them. You can get Fat Boy Sylvania's for that.

4Pcs. EI 6CA7 / EL34 OO Getter. - eBay (item 290355205932 end time Oct-30-09 19:25:49 PDT)

Nice...and spendy. That's why I was looking at the EH's version. Its doable for me. The only thing is I don't know how reliable they are. The description given says they are a tough tube. I haven't made my mind up but it may be an experiment to do just to see unless I here some bad shit about the tubes.

I PM'd you.

 

[MartyStrat54]

RATT...

What do you think about this? Running an RFT EL34 in one slot and a Sylvania Fat Boy 6CA7 in the other slot. Electronically, they are the same, but tone wise they are not. I'll have to try this, as I have an RFT EL34 that tests 88 and also a Fat Boy that tests 88. This could be interesting.

They might combine their mojo and get some mojonation going on.

Well, I did it and it worked just fine. It gave the top end a little more sparkle. The power chords were very fat, as both tubes do have good bottom end. Oh, BTW, this is a 6CA7 Sylvania Fat Boy and a "Mullard" EL34 in one of my 602's. Both tubes tested the same and they biased right up with just the one bias trim pot. (You lucky DSL50 guys have two trim pots.) I guess I'll leave them in there for a while and see if I'm still liking it this weekend.

I would have to say it is sort of like pairing V1 and V2. In this arrangement, the Mullard gets the first part of the signal and then the Sylvania. So the Mullard's tonal characteristics are there "first" and then it goes into the cleaner sound of the Fat Boy. I guess just like V1 and V2, you could swap them around and see if that sounds different or better.

Time Warp-I swapped the tubes around and it does make a difference, especially on the Clean channel. With the Fat Boy in there first and the Mullard on the negative swing of the power cycle, it is a cleaner, tighter sound. The Sylvania has now become like V1 and it's flavor is dominant.

Now you might ask, "Try two Fat Boys." Well I can't. This pair I bought I got a bad deal. They were sold untested and one reads 79 and the other 88. You could probably bias them up in a DSL50. I don't know how wide a swing the amp will tolerate, but I don't like to go more than 8 points between tubes.

So this is sort of fascinating. That the tube on the positive side of the power cycle is like V1 and the characteristics of the negative side of the power cycle is like V2. The negative side adds to the power, but the flavor is stronger coming from the tube first in line with the power cycle.

I had PM'd JOE about Steelhorse's amp that runs the KT66's and the KT88's. He is getting flavor from two completely different sounding tubes. With the EL34 and the 6CA7, they are both electronically the same...pin for pin. However, even though this is true, they do not sound the same. A 6CA7 is more like a 6L6GC in sound. I told JOE that putting 6CA7's in your amp was a quick way to get the KT88 sound. No worries about the biasing as it will bias right up.

How's that for some tube info?

 

[Bobbo]

 

[MartyStrat54]

Oh no. An ad disguised as a post. Please don't do it here.

 

[solarburn]

:eek2:

 

[Bobbo]

Oh no. An ad disguised as a post. Please don't do it here.

How do you figure it's an add ??? What am I selling ??? Ehh ??? I just happen to really like tubes !!!!!!!!!!!!! adouchebagsayswhat ..............

 

[Bobbo]

 

[Bobbo]

 

[Bobbo]

 

[Bobbo]

 

[Bobbo]

 

[Bobbo]

 

[MartyStrat54]

You know, some of those photos you have posted many times before, here and on the other forums you have been kicked off of. You own any of these tubes, or are these just stock shots? Can you talk the specifics about them? Without cheating online, tell me about the 12AD6. What is it? When and by whom was it made?

whoistheolddouchebag

Oh, we have a new moderator here that is a lot different than Flick 'O Flash. If you want to get obnoxious and fly off the handle, I "will" treat you as SPAM.

 

[jupiter89]

I really got into the tube thread and learned a lot last week. So here I come back and I see this kind of crap going on. Sounds like an unscrupulous competitor.
I wanted to add a little bit more to my minimal but slowly growing knowledge (and new fascination) on tubes and ask a simple question. When I asked what PI stands for (in V1 position) I was told it is a phase inverter. What actually does that mean as far as why and what happens to a signal at this point ?

 

[MartyStrat54]

I really got into the tube thread and learned a lot last week. So here I come back and I see this kind of crap going on. Sounds like an unscrupulous competitor.
I wanted to add a little bit more to my minimal but slowly growing knowledge (and new fascination) on tubes and ask a simple question. When I asked what PI stands for (in V1 position) I was told it is a phase inverter. What actually does that mean as far as why and what happens to a signal at this point ?

I think you mean V4. I would answer for you, but instead I will turn it over to BOBBO. He can tell you. Bobbo, showtime...you're on. Anyone see Bobbo?

 

[jupiter89]

Oops - You're right, I did mean V4 = PI. Guess Bobbo is researching. Can't wait that long Marty.

 

[MartyStrat54]

Oops - You're right, I did mean V4 = PI. Guess Bobbo is researching. Can't wait that long Marty.

I took care of you and sent you a PM.