tubes- Shuguang vs JJ

[Australian]

I was talking to a tech today and he was telling me that JJ's have been a lot less reliable than Shuguang and that Marshall may have to consider using the more reliable Chinese tubes.

True or False?

 

[eljeffebrown]

False.

 

[eljeffebrown]

But I will be the first to state that "I don't know shit about shit, and pull up my pants!"

 

[demonufo]

Tricky one that. The Chinese tubes aren't all that consistent and with regards to the EL34's in particular sound a bit of an oddball, but they do handle higher voltages than others it would seem.

I certainly won't be using them, but then I won't be using JJ generally speaking either. Not in my amps, anyway.

 

[Australian]

I was told by someone at the Marshall Service centre that they had 300 faulty JJ tubes in 2 years. Thats why I'm asking this question.

 

[big dooley]

I was talking to a tech today and he was telling me that JJ's have been a lot less reliable than Shuguang and that Marshall may have to consider using the more reliable Chinese tubes.

True or False?

you know that the JVM heads came with shuguangs only during the first year of production... also the JCM2000's, JCM900's and late model JCM800 came with shuguangs only... (as for what the preamp is considered)
these days they mix in the JJ's on certain positions... perticularly V1... let him explain that

 

[glina]

never had a JJ tube failed on me
I've had many pre and power tubes
right now I have ordered 4 new 34s and I am expecting them to be just fine

I have never used a Chinese power tube, so I can't tell much about those
but I use chinese 12ax7 and was impressed by it's clarity and tight lows
(though not far from JJ ecc83s)
very subtle difference but just enough to keep the Cchinese in and kepp JJ as a spare

so for reliability (pre or power) I'd go to JJ - that's what the poll is about
for nice preamp tones - Shuguang all the way

 

[jcmjmp]

you know that the JVM heads came with shuguangs only during the first year of production... also the JCM2000's, ... (as for what the preamp is considered)

The JCM2000 DSL in 1997, came with SED =C= power tubes and Marshall branded Shuguang preamp tubes.

Those SED =C= power tubes have lasted a long time. I've never had any power tube last that long in any amp.

 

[Australian]

you know that the JVM heads came with shuguangs only during the first year of production... also the JCM2000's, JCM900's and late model JCM800 came with only... (as for what the preamp is considered)
these days they mix in the JJ's on certain positions... perticularly V1... let him explain that

Yeah my JVM410C had all Shuguangs and =C='s.
I have to say that I was very happy with the sound of those tubes in the JVM.

Dooley are you saying that Marshall had problems with the Shuguangs so have put JJ's in key positions?

 

[LPMarshall hack]

The VM also comes stock with Shuguangs.

 

[Joey Voltage]

Some of my preamp favorites, especially for high gain mayhem are 9th Generation Shuguangs

 

[big dooley]

The JCM2000 DSL in 1997, came with SED =C= power tubes and Marshall branded Shuguang preamp tubes.

Those SED =C= power tubes have lasted a long time. I've never had any power tube last that long in any amp.

marshall still uses winged C EL34's for all their amps... only the MA-series have shuguang EL34's... i was talking about preamp tubes only in this case

 

[big dooley]

Yeah my JVM410C had all Shuguangs and =C='s.
I have to say that I was very happy with the sound of those tubes in the JVM.

Dooley are you saying that Marshall had problems with the Shuguangs so have put JJ's in key positions?

santiago once said to me, that the shuguang low microphony selected tubes weren't consistent enough for their standards... that's why they put JJ's in certain positions... the JVM combo's already came with a JJ in V1
santiago himself prefers the shuguangs in terms of sound, according to him the gainstructure is more tight then the JJ... the JJ is a bit more loose

 

[Australian]

santiago himself prefers the shuguangs in terms of sound, according to him the gainstructure is more tight then the JJ... the JJ is a bit more loose

Thats what I was going to comment on. The shuguangs have a bubbly warmth and a nice gain as was mentioned earlier in this thread.

I'm going to take a risk and go back to shuguangs for my JVM410Combo. It seems that Santiago would have voiced the JVM with the shuguangs in mind.


The Poll says: no one trusts the shuguangs. Interesting because the JVM Forum would have had a different result.

 

[big dooley]

.


The Poll says: no one trusts the shuguangs. Interesting because the JVM Forum would have had a different result.

that's because you talked about reliability... not about sound

now don't get me wrong, the shuguangs are a sturdy tube, i still have some oldies on spare with 10 years of duty on them... i can be assured that i can put them in and they work... my bandmate had them for 23 years in his 2210 and they still work as well

it's just the consistency of their low microphony quality's, that had marshall make the decision to use JJ's instead

also, a lot of people have something against stuff made in china...

 

[Lowlife]

The JJ's I've been in touch with have all been nice sounding and reliable. So have the Shuguangs to be honest, only had one lose its vacuum, and that was an oooold tube (some 18 years in a VS8080 amp). Prefer JJ's dunno exactly why

 

[Cosmik de Bris]

My JVM came with JJs and Shuagangs, I had a bunch of JJs in a HR Deluxe for a number of years, none have failed me. You do read that the more recent ones are unreliable. YMMV.

 

[diesect20022000]

But I will be the first to state that "I don't know shit about shit, and pull up my pants!"

i own that movie. modern classic.

 

[diesect20022000]

Yeah i don't think that's true but, Marshall DOES use Shuguangs and everyone else uses chinese as well. it's cost related imo. marshall's a business and they cut costs anywhere they can like any of them.

 

[Marshall Mann]

I cant say I have had a greater failure rate with either. But I do not use Shuguangs very often because I prefer the tone of the JJ's.

I have had very few problems with JJ's.