pre amp tube recommendation.

[Holliwood]

KK

Any tube gurus, please help.

I love my amp(nice growl when gain is turned up) but I find it breaks up a bit too quick when I turn up the gain.

Any recs on a pre tube that will retain my crunch but break up a lil slower( I start to get break up at about 2 on gain. Would like to have it go to like 4 or 5 before i get significant growl.

Thoughts any one?

[RickenBoogie]

what amp?

[mofeezy]

What is the amp? I'd need to know what kind of tubes were in the pre-amp in order to make any recommendations.

[Holliwood]

Yorkville BM400

I think the tube is a 12AX7A.

[scottbass]

Originally Posted by Holliwood

Yorkville BM400

I think the tube is a 12AX7A.

OK...now we need to know the manufacturer of the tubes you currently have.

Of course, any advice you get on this - or any other - forum will still just be a shot in the dark. The difference between any two 12AX7's from the same manufacturer can be as much or more than the difference between two 12AX7's from different manufacturers! There are only two ways to get tubes that perform the way you want:

1. Trial and error. You will probably buy several tubes before you get what you want.

2. Take your amp to a tube amp specialist (in my neighborhood it's Savage Audio in Savage, MN) and describe what you want. They test and characterize tubes and can help you narrow down your selection. You can stand right there and pop different tubes in and out of your amp until you get what you want.

[jungleheat]

12AU7s and 12AT7s have generally less gain than a 12AX7.

[Bassoballs]

Originally Posted by scottbass

OK...now we need to know the manufacturer of the tubes you currently have.

Of course, any advice you get on this - or any other - forum will still just be a shot in the dark. The difference between any two 12AX7's from the same manufacturer can be as much or more than the difference between two 12AX7's from different manufacturers! There are only two ways to get tubes that perform the way you want:

1. Trial and error. You will probably buy several tubes before you get what you want.

2. Take your amp to a tube amp specialist (in my neighborhood it's Savage Audio in Savage, MN) and describe what you want. They test and characterize tubes and can help you narrow down your selection. You can stand right there and pop different tubes in and out of your amp until you get what you want.

+1 I have spent hour swapping tubes in and out. When your amp finds the one it likes, you will know.