Help with NOS tubes (6L6/12AX7)..

I like the second choice of each best, but it's all up to your ears in the end. I think the RCA's are a smoother, sweeter sounding tube, and if you like some breakup the GE's will give it up earlier than 7581's which are known for lots of headroom. Hope that helps.

 

Neither is "better". It's like asking if green or blue is better. It's a personal/subjective issue.

 

Oh, come on Mike - everyone knows that green is the "Mullard" of the color spectrum.

- T

p.s. for what it is worth, I prefer the RCA 12AX7A to the GE 12AX7WA - the RCA has real fat, tight lows, somewhat scooped mids, and bright but somewhat indistinct treble. The GE also has good low end punch, but is a bit less dynamic than the RCA. Both tubes lack the clarity of many other (mostly older) 12AX7.

 

The JAN Philips 7581As will give the most clean headroom and would be brighter than the GE 6L6GCs.

 

I had an amp tech replace the tubes in a 1966 Super Reverb. He replaced the 6L6 with the 7581A. He said he would swap them with 6L6 if I didn't like tham but wanted me to try them first. I loved the JAN Phillips 7581a. They really worked in that amp. Like others have said, huge clean hedaroom from that amp.

 

I have Phillips 7581As & RCA 6L6GCs, and while the 7581As have more clean headroom, they don't break up as nice, ie: the OD tones aren't as sweet, IMHO. That's the trade off. They do take pedals well though.

 

I am sure that Mike at KCA NOS Tubes can help you, or Doug's tubes.

Good luck!


Mark