Some short preamp tube comparison clips....

[Greazygeo]

Here are 5 different clips using the same amp, guitar and settings. Only the preamp tubes are different. Do you like any one better than another or do they just all sound the same?

Clip 1

Clip 2

Clip 3

Clip 4

Clip 5

See what you think of them....George

 

[jayess]

Can't say I noticed any significant difference in tone between them, but I liked clips 3 and 5 the most. I feel they had a little something above the rest.

 

[Greazygeo]

Originally posted by jayess
Can't say I noticed any significant difference in tone between them, but I liked clips 3 and 5 the most. I feel they had a little something above the rest.

Yeah, there is not as much difference between them as I thought there would be....but the more I listen, the more I hear too. ......

Thanks!

George

 

[fullerplast]

I think what you chose to play may not be the best material to hear any nuances between preamp tubes. You may want to add some single note passages, double stops, and breakup tone in the touch sensitive "transition zone" between clean and mild distortion. I would say your clips were pretty much power chord crunch tones and it was difficult to hear significant differences between tubes. Was there any power tube distortion as well?

 

[Greazygeo]

Originally posted by fullerplast
I think what you chose to play may not be the best material to hear any nuances between preamp tubes. You may want to add some single note passages, double stops, and breakup tone in the touch sensitive "transition zone" between clean and mild distortion. I would say your clips were pretty much power chord crunch tones and it was difficult to hear significant differences between tubes. Was there any power tube distortion as well?

With single note stuff, I rarely hear any difference, thats why I didnt play any on these clips. That transition crunch stuff is more power tube related (IMO). The first section was double stops (ala Blackmore). I hear differences much better with ringing chords (why I picked the middle section) and the last section was to hear the low end with palm muting).

The amp was just under halfway up, micing a GB, and yeah it was loud.....

Thanks for checking them out!

George

 

[Curt]

They all sound the same to me.

 

[6789]

they sound the same to me

 

[Greazygeo]

Hmmm....guess that shows how much tube changes really make.

You dont hear any difference from one to three?

Thanks for checking them out.

george

 

[gulliver]

They sound about the same except for the last one, which may just be because it has a little more output ... maybe a deeper crunch.

Can you tell us what they are?

 

[Greazygeo]

Originally posted by gulliver
They sound about the same except for the last one, which may just be because it has a little more output ... maybe a deeper crunch.

Can you tell us what they are?

Ive been listening alot to these and the differences are there. #4 and #5 are really close, but after listening alot yesterday and some this morning #4 is ithe winner for me.

#5 has a little more gain / saturation at the expense of top end clarity...alittle congested in the mids too and less low end.

#1 was my previous set up of C9 GT-M GT-M

#2 is C9 ECC803 ECC803

#3 is C9 C9 C9

#4 is GT-M C9 C9

#5 is ECC803 C9 C9

My amp has 5 preamp tubes but V4 is the FX loop and V5 is the PI so I didnt change those. I have some new Ruby EL34's that are going in today so I'll play with the PI some today....

George

 

[SQUAREHEAD]

Originally posted by jayess
Can't say I noticed any significant difference in tone between them, but I liked clips 3 and 5 the most. I feel they had a little something above the rest.

I liked #3 best.
What sounds best to you, in the room with the amp, George??

keith

 

[Greazygeo]

Originally posted by SQUAREHEAD
I liked #3 best.
What sounds best to you, in the room with the amp, George??

keith

Keith, I thougth #3 would have been the best one....it sounded the worst in the room....much brighter....#1 was what I liked best previously, but after getting those RUBY C9's in v2 and v3 with the GT-M in V1, I have a new best!

I just got done putting the RUBY EL34 somethings in, they are ALOT bigger bottles than the EH's I have been using. We'll see what they sound like tonite.

BTW, I'll have a few pics for you in a bit.

George

 

[Robotechnology]

Hey was that King Diamond's "Twilight Symphony" at the end of the clips?

I liked clips 3-5

 

[Greazygeo]

Originally posted by Robotechnology
Hey was that King Diamond's "Twilight Symphony" at the end of the clips?

I liked clips 3-5

Why yes I believe so!

King rocks!!!

George

 

[Antero]

Very, very slight differences. Not enough to make me say, "Oh yes that is the tube to have!" Seems like changing technique or pickup settings just slightly would have had more of an effect.

This is, however, recorded clips (mp3 clips at that - not the way to get pristine sound preservation) and there are so many things involved in that that a change which rings out clearly when your hands are on the guitar can get lost in the mixdown.

 

[gulliver]

Adjust a treble control 1/8" and you will get more of a difference than in these tubes.

Recently, I did notice differences in 12AX7 tubes after buying JJs. Biggest difference, high output versus standard, which was calculated well through Eurotubes.com. I ended up mixing one high, one standard in two stage Lee Jackson pre (I think high output is in 1st stage) to get crazy sounding high dynamic super lead. Tone difference in JJ vs old tubes, old tubes were more bright as compared to JJ, but a minor adjustement in tone control may (or may not) have adjusted for this.

Next, I want to try putting duct tape (or substitute) in front of speakers to kill super high tone to adjust for brittle highs. Okay, I lied, next is new speakers, V30s on their way, which are said to be missing harsh high highs.

Blah, blah, blah...

The search for great tone continues, but only so much searching to be done in preamp tubes. I say, get high output or standard of anything, mix and match to get great dynamics and enough overdrive. Minor EQ differences should be able to be fixed in other areas.

 

[kingsxman]

I didnt notice any difference that was real noticable. As someone pointed out...a tweak of the treble control would get you more difference than what the recordings show. However, I know preamp tubes make a difference. I put GT 12ax7m's in P1 and phase inverter of all my amps and in 2 of the 3 it made a big difference.