JAN Philips 5751 + NOS Mullard 12AX7A in 2466

[bluezguy]

Just got my $149 :high NOS Mullard pre amp tube and stuffed it into V1 replacing the OE red label Marshall tube. It's parked beside a JAN Philips 5751 in V2.

I finished it off with a pair of new Tung Sol 12AX7Azzzz in V3 & 4.
V3 & V4 HAD a pair of old USA made Raytheon 12AX7Azzzz in them.

OUT come the Tung Sols ... back in go the Raytheons.
My 2466 is now what I believe will be left alone for awhile

[Ghostrider]

You know there are some amps when you change out to a better tube you can really hear an improvment. I don't find this with the VM. I have tried NOS mullards, RFTs, RCA, Telefunkens and such with no real big improvment. I found that a low microphoney short plate tube works just as well.

I like the new reissue mullards and the pentas.

[bluezguy]

You know there are some amps when you change out to a better tube you can really hear an improvment. I don't find this with the VM. I have tried NOS mullards, RFTs, RCA, Telefunkens and such with no real big improvment. I found that a low microphoney short plate tube works just as well.

EXACTLY! I have always been an advocate of Original Equipment parts and everytime I stray from my beliefs, it costs me money. It's kinda like panning for gold in the old days.

My above post - the last line was meant to be taken as sarcasm. IMHO... we all wanna be the first to find the Holy Grail...

Previous claims by me hold no water! I wanted to hear beautiful, subtle changes for my money and I thought I did UNTIL - I recorded all my various tube combinations and A/B'd them side by side in the past 12 hours. ByeBye now...

At least now I got another conversation piece with this $149 tube that sounds absolutely NO better than the stock configurations

[Ghostrider]

That mullard would do well in a older plexi amp, original equipment as you say. I think modern tubes have come a long way in quality.

[Ron Vogel]

That mullard would do well in a older plexi amp, original equipment as you say. I think modern tubes have come a long way in quality.

Yeah, they are better than they were in recent times...but 50/60's manufacture is still the best. I salvage old tube stuff, and roll a lot of tubes looking for keepers. I've tried new tubes of different makes, and they are so-so, just can't find that "magic". I even put out the cash on new tubes with the special matching of the triodes and such; just not there for me.

In fact, I have not come across any 50's or 60's manufacture tubes I DON'T like. They just come in different flavors. I'm partial to RCA's and Tung-Sol's...I'm not big on Mullard's in guitar amps, they sound good...just not for me. It is a matter of taste and playing style with tubes really. If you do a lot of solo's or heavy stuff I doubt you would really notice much of a difference.

[DeanM]

you should try that $149 tube in V4!! most the od comes from there so it mught have better effects in there! i put a $50 tube in V4 and it made all those differences you said you wanted to hear!

so yeah give it a try in V4!! maybe it will work better there or maybe it wont!

[MartyStrat54]

I wheel and deal in preamp tubes and have sold thousands of them. Who in the hell sold you a Mullard for $149?

-- Fri Sep 23, 2011 5:09 pm --

That mullard would do well in a older plexi amp, original equipment as you say. I think modern tubes have come a long way in quality.

Yeah, they are better than they were in recent times...but 50/60's manufacture is still the best. I salvage old tube stuff, and roll a lot of tubes looking for keepers.

In fact, I have not come across any 50's or 60's manufacture tubes I DON'T like. They just come in different flavors. I'm partial to RCA's and Tung-Sol's.

I like the old late 50's GE's and the Raytheon Black Plates that were made until 1965. In an amp with two 12AX7's for gain stages, the Black Plate is the best choice for V2. However, in an older amp, it works great in the Tone Stack.