NOS Tubes for your Dumble or Dumble Inspired Amp

[dspblues]

What NOS tubes are people putting in your Dumble or Dumble inspired amps? Was there a particular tone you were going for when you voiced it?

Rules: Lets keep this on topic, no Dumble related nonsense w/various builders.

 

[xray]

Alot of the Dumbles originally shipped with GE 6L6's. Ive used GE's RCA blackplates, Tung Sol and Philips 5881's with good results.

 

[FlyingVBlues]

I own the Indoor Storm Emerald Pro prototype. These are the original tubes, which are still in the amp.

V1 Telefunken 12AX7/ECC83
V2 RCA 12AX7A
V3 JAN 5751 SYLVANIA
V4 JAN 5751 SYLVANIA
V5 RCA 12AX7A
2 JAN 6L6WGB PHILLIPS ECG


FVB

 

[scottl]

 

[scottl]

I have seen RCA or GE preamp tubes in the several I had here. I also understand he used the older chinese ones from the 80s.

As far as power tubes, the pic above is from a 90s HRM model. Siemans.

6L6 amps had Sovtek 5881 tubes or other varients.....

 

[dspblues]

Scott,
Are there specific tubes you like in your newer Dumble type amps?

 

[scottl]

Hey Warren,

I use the Winged C or TAD short bottles in 6L6 amps. Although, I have a set of Phillips 7581s in my Glaswerks.

For preamps, I like the old RCA or GE tubes too. I got a bunch from Doug at Doug's tubes. I have been messing with others as well. My Glaswerks has an NOS Tung Sol in V1 and Loop, and a Bugle Boy in V2. I have had success with the usual suspects.... Telefunken, Mullard, and RFT as well. It really depends more on the health of the NOS tube than the type IMO.

 

[dspblues]

Ah, thanks for the feedback. Curious what others are still doing. I've decided to keep my Two Rock Krinard amp for now and load it up w/some good tubes to get more mojo happening.

 

[Sean French]

For my K&M Custom I use JAN Phillips 7581A tubes for power.
I've got a few extra sets that should last me 25 years +.
I have had just about every pre amp tube known to man in this amp.
This is what I've settled on.
V1- Tele smooth ECC83,sometimes a NOS RCA 5751
V2- Tele smooth ECC83
V3- JAN Sylvania 12AX7
PI- JAN Phillips 12AX7

 

[lv]

Ah, thanks for the feedback. Curious what others are still doing. I've decided to keep my Two Rock Krinard amp for now and load it up w/some good tubes to get more mojo happening.

I've always had the best results with telefunkens for preamp tubes. Ribbed plates if you want a little more sparkle, smooth plates are a little darker.

I just replaced the Winged C 6L6's in my Glaswerks with the TAD short bottle 6L6's and they sound much better - thicker and smoother.

My favorite power tubes when I had two-rock's were the Phillips 7581A - huge sounding, lots of sparkle - and reportedly last a lifetime.

 

[trap]

hi warren, right now i'm using rca in v1 and v5, amperex in v2, and jan phillips in v3 and 4. i've been switching between winged C to tad shrt bottle to rca blackplates 6L6's. right now i'm trying the groove tubes 6L6 ge. made on the old ge equiptment. they sound good as well.

 

[lv]

hi warren, right now i'm using rca in v1 and v5, amperex in v2, and jan phillips in v3 and 4. i've been switching between winged C to tad shrt bottle to rca blackplates 6L6's. right now i'm trying the groove tubes 6L6 ge. made on the old ge equiptment. they sound good as well.

trap, how noticeable is the difference between the blackplates and the tad short bottles? blackplates are $400 a pair, do you feel the tonal difference is worth it?

thanks

 

[trap]

trap, how noticeable is the difference between the blackplates and the tad short bottles? blackplates are $400 a pair, do you feel the tonal difference is worth it?

thanks

not enough to make me want to spend $400. i think spending the extra money on preamp tubes would be money better spent. but $400? i've seen them for 250 a pair nos and matched too! and used even less.

 

[jspax7]

I like RCA, and Mullard. RFT too. Which position you put them in is a matter of taste. 5751's can be used in V1 or V2 if you want lower gain. (Although an internal OD trimmer adjustment might be a better solution) Again, this is a matter of personal taste. Try one tube at a time until you find what you're looking for.

FWIW, I played a recent Brown Note amp that had EH pre's, and a JJ PI, with Tung Sol reissue 5881's and it sounded as good or better than mine with NOS.

The circuit makes the biggest difference, imo. Most new amps are voiced to sound good with current production tubes, but NOS can be used to fine tune things.

ANOS tested tubes cost little more than current stuff, so I get them when they are available.

 

[trap]

trap, how noticeable is the difference between the blackplates and the tad short bottles? blackplates are $400 a pair, do you feel the tonal difference is worth it?

thanks

i just tried a pair of the groove tube 6L6 ge's in there and i must say, they are pretty nice. quiet and clear. made on the old ge factory equiptment and materials too. pretty nice.

 

[Gar B]

Scott,

are you no longer suggesting el34 types in the Glaswerks?

gb

 

[dspblues]

not enough to make me want to spend $400. i think spending the extra money on preamp tubes would be money better spent. but $400? i've seen them for 250 a pair nos and matched too! and used even less.

Agree, I just got a pair for my 64... I think it was $250-ish.

 

[tybone]

I have been through a boat load of different tubes in my Opal. Right now I have RCA Blackplates, and Mullards for 12ax7's and an EH for the 12at7 reverb driver. The power tubes are Jan 7581A's.

Cheers
Larry

 

[lv]

not enough to make me want to spend $400. i think spending the extra money on preamp tubes would be money better spent. but $400? i've seen them for 250 a pair nos and matched too! and used even less.

I was quoting the KCA website, though it doesn't look like they have any in stock. Even at $250 a pair....I'd need a quad so I'm gonna stick with the tad tubes, maybe I'll try the GT/Ges next time.

 

[kendog]

Most of the the 80s 6L6 Dumbles that I've seen had the Sylvania 6L6 GC STRs. The 80s EL34 versions did not use Siemans, just the 90s version.
I've also seen NOS Chinese 12ax7s and American NOS 12ax7s in most of them.