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12ax7 tube comparo

downneck

downneck

Sep 23, 2006
347
1
east village, manhattan, nyc
fsaadd.com
#1
having recently gotten ahold of an svt-2p preamp (it takes 3 12ax7 tubes) and having a couple different sets of tubes around, i decided to try each set with the same exact settings, record myself making some noise, and post the results.

setup is as follows...
bass: musicman sterling 4, knobs set to flat middle, coil selector set to middle with a set of well-played DR lo-riders
preamp: ampeg svt-2p, all knobs set to 12:00 middle, midrange frequency set to 3, no graphic eq, no hi/lo boost, volume set to about 4.5
loop pedal: boss rc-2, volume at about 2/3
recording hardware: presonus inspire, 1/4" input
recording software: sonar, no effects

i recorded a couple snippets from one of my projects on the loop pedal so that i could use it as input into the preamp to ensure as consistent a recording as possible across the tube sets. i let the tubes warm up for about 5 minutes and then ran the music snippets through it for a further 5 before starting the recording. i also tried to use varying styles and dynamics to try and give a fuller range of sounds/tones/attack.

please excuse the poor playing :)

without further ado, here are the first three sound files:

1st up are the stock sovtek 12ax7WAs that originally lived in my svt4-pro: Link Removed

next are a gorgeous set of NOS GE 12ax7s i scored offa ebay: Link Removed

finally a set of used, but strong-testing, RCA 12ax7s also off fleabay: Link Removed

as i acquire new tubes, i'll post the resulting files for everyone's enjoyment and, hopefully, edification :) if anyone has any sort of tube i haven't tested that they wouldn't mind letting me test with, i'd love to have you over for a quick recording session


update:
completed my set of three telefunkens: Link Removed
 
#2
Dude, I'll be honest, I couldn't tell a lick of difference between any of those tubes. Could have told me that the Sovteks were the GE's and I'd have believed you.

Still, I can't blame you for wanting to get NOS. At least you know what you're getting with them. Some of these Eastern bloc tubes can be pretty dodgy. Sovteks are generally good buys, though. I can't complain about any I've used.

Anyway, IMHO this is just one more confirmation in my mind that if you get a good tube with some juice in it, it really doesn't matter.

I liked the playing, BTW. Maybe you're not ready to go toe to toe with Jaco, but you sound like you know what you're doing. Keep at it.
 
#4
the differences are very very subtle and i wouldn't say they'd make a huge difference in your sound, especially in a live setting

differences i hear:
-the sovteks sound a bit brittle and extremely gainy, with a distinctive ringing high mid/top end. my tube of choice for gigging and daily duties
-GEs are quite a bit less gainy than the sovteks, with a fuller/broader sound, a creamier low end and a less distinct top end. my current tube of choice for recording
-RCAs sound gainier than the GEs but not as much as the sovteks, with more mid-range honk than the other tubes. sound like they'd be great in jazz applications
 
#5
JimmyM said:
Dude, I'll be honest, I couldn't tell a lick of difference between any of those tubes. Could have told me that the Sovteks were the GE's and I'd have believed you.

Still, I can't blame you for wanting to get NOS. At least you know what you're getting with them. Some of these Eastern bloc tubes can be pretty dodgy. Sovteks are generally good buys, though. I can't complain about any I've used.

Anyway, IMHO this is just one more confirmation in my mind that if you get a good tube with some juice in it, it really doesn't matter.

I liked the playing, BTW. Maybe you're not ready to go toe to toe with Jaco, but you sound like you know what you're doing. Keep at it.
Click to expand...
+1 Gotta agree on this one, they all sound pretty much the same to me too.
 
#6
downneck said:
the differences are very very subtle and i wouldn't say they'd make a huge difference in your sound, especially in a live setting

differences i hear:
-the sovteks sound a bit brittle and extremely gainy, with a distinctive ringing high mid/top end. my tube of choice for gigging and daily duties
-GEs are quite a bit less gainy than the sovteks, with a fuller/broader sound, a creamier low end and a less distinct top end. my current tube of choice for recording
-RCAs sound gainier than the GEs but not as much as the sovteks, with more mid-range honk than the other tubes. sound like they'd be great in jazz applications
Click to expand...
Well maybe it's your rig making the differences more obvious as opposed to us listening to WAV files. Not being familiar with the gain structure in your amp, it's hard for us to tell that. Or maybe you just have dog hearing ;) I just listened again and I still couldn't tell a difference.

But I love stuff like this, so please make more recordings as you get new tubes.
 
#9
Interesting. For the first time ever, I think I heard a difference in tone between the Sovteks and the Telefunkens (sorry but that's all I listened to). The Telefunkens had a slightly warmer bottom and an overall less cardboardy sound than the Sovteks. Not by much but enough to where I actually noticed it.
 
#10
first of all, i think that they are sound pretty similar and good. personally i liked the telefunkens the best. they seemed to have a fuller, and smoother low end with a bigger sound stage. the RCA's are my second choice- more midrangy but clear and somewhat vintage fender sounding. to me the GE's are clear (nice top end) but they have that GE 'tightness' sound that i really don't care for. the Sovteks came in fourth for me, as they just didn't 'feel' as dynamic. of course, YMMV...

2 1/2 cents............
 

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