Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
best 12AX7 for SWR 550x
- Thread starter lownote54
- Start date
The Tung-Sols that MF sells are very clean. Go for about $15, too. Good deal.
JJs are good if you like darker sounds. Usually for guitars, though.
Telefunkens are the holy grail, but it's hard to find a good one for under $50, even if you look hard. You can get them NOS, but it'll set you back around $100.
I'd go for the Tung-Sol.
AVOID: Groove Tubes (They are rebranded Sovteks) and Sovteks. They are cheap, but you get what you pay for. Mesa and Ruby also rebrand.
JJs are good if you like darker sounds. Usually for guitars, though.
Telefunkens are the holy grail, but it's hard to find a good one for under $50, even if you look hard. You can get them NOS, but it'll set you back around $100.
I'd go for the Tung-Sol.
AVOID: Groove Tubes (They are rebranded Sovteks) and Sovteks. They are cheap, but you get what you pay for. Mesa and Ruby also rebrand.
I've really enjoyed the JJs in my amp. I put the long plates in there, even though some say there are stability concerns. No problems for me and it sounds thick and bassy- just the way i like it!
JJ's are great!
Tung Sols dont last long enough for me.
My favorite, (what I have in my SWR) two 1955 NOS Mullard ECC83 Long Plates. Yummy.
Tung Sols dont last long enough for me.
My favorite, (what I have in my SWR) two 1955 NOS Mullard ECC83 Long Plates. Yummy.
I think it's totally a matter of personal preference. It's like asking which is best; Chocolate or Vanilla?
The NOS European and American tubes are generally considered superior by the majority of tube-o-philes, but some of the current tubes aren't bad either.
Have some fun, experiment until you find one (or more likely several) that you like!
Barring factory defective ones, pre amp tubes, particularly the above described NOS ones, generally have a very long (often decades) service life.
The NOS European and American tubes are generally considered superior by the majority of tube-o-philes, but some of the current tubes aren't bad either.
Have some fun, experiment until you find one (or more likely several) that you like!
Barring factory defective ones, pre amp tubes, particularly the above described NOS ones, generally have a very long (often decades) service life.
'used old stock' are most often great, a lot of that those had easy lives, if they test good they are most often good. I've got a 'pile' of used tubes, they all sound great. I'd go for used old stock over new chinese or soviet any day. Check your local area for Ham radio fest/swapmeets, last year I saw real tungsols for $8 (my friend bought those), all kinds of USA stuff for less than $15.
I like a 5751 instead of a 12AX7... a common swap for bass players and sounds really nice... it smooths the amp out a little and makes it more musical. I believe mine's a Phillips, and has been used in all my SWR amps.
Here's some info on several open-amp comparisons I've done over the years- that is, the cab in one place, same bass, same cable, but the amp opened up and swapping tubes, after the power cord is out, of course....
Mesa 12AX7A- rich bottom, good mids, highs good but a bit stiff, really doesn't enhance the harmonics and overtones, but a good tube for straight-ahead rock or metal
Philips JAN-spec 12AX7A- thick, almost muddy bottom, great mids, and a rolled-off top end- think Jaco tone. if i was doing exclusively fretless work, i'd have these in my amps
Sovtek anything- give 'em to your guitar player. These shouldn't be used for bass, just a weak tone with no bottom end depth, a brittle top end, and boring mids.
GT 7025- hard to find, but has a tight bottom, big mids like the Philips, and a smooth top end with nice harmonics. Can make even an SWR sound a bit SVT-ish. Sounded good in a red-fgaced 350 and 750 non-X.
Ruby ECC83- don't tell anyone, but this is what Trace Elliot was using at the factory for the original SMX series, and for good reason, they sound good, almost into the range of JJ's. Downside to the Ruby is they don't last as long, and the Chinese stigma. Good tube.
JJ ECC83S- big tight bottom that won't frazz with a low B, rich mids, and singing highs. This tube will bring out all the detail in your bass. Winner.
As far a re-branded, GT's ECC83 is a JJ- just look at them, it's obvious, BUT- if you have a Stingray, this IS your tube. E-H are Sovtek's- same thing. The total package for any all-tube amp would be JJ's in the front end, and either JJ's or Winged C's in the back. A friend of mine has this set-up in both his Marshall Superbass and Marshall Major, and using either of his amps with a G&L El Toro is mind-blowing. FWIW, i use a JJ ECC83S in my Shuttle 6.0. Total amp GAS killer.
Mesa 12AX7A- rich bottom, good mids, highs good but a bit stiff, really doesn't enhance the harmonics and overtones, but a good tube for straight-ahead rock or metal
Philips JAN-spec 12AX7A- thick, almost muddy bottom, great mids, and a rolled-off top end- think Jaco tone. if i was doing exclusively fretless work, i'd have these in my amps
Sovtek anything- give 'em to your guitar player. These shouldn't be used for bass, just a weak tone with no bottom end depth, a brittle top end, and boring mids.
GT 7025- hard to find, but has a tight bottom, big mids like the Philips, and a smooth top end with nice harmonics. Can make even an SWR sound a bit SVT-ish. Sounded good in a red-fgaced 350 and 750 non-X.
Ruby ECC83- don't tell anyone, but this is what Trace Elliot was using at the factory for the original SMX series, and for good reason, they sound good, almost into the range of JJ's. Downside to the Ruby is they don't last as long, and the Chinese stigma. Good tube.
JJ ECC83S- big tight bottom that won't frazz with a low B, rich mids, and singing highs. This tube will bring out all the detail in your bass. Winner.
As far a re-branded, GT's ECC83 is a JJ- just look at them, it's obvious, BUT- if you have a Stingray, this IS your tube. E-H are Sovtek's- same thing. The total package for any all-tube amp would be JJ's in the front end, and either JJ's or Winged C's in the back. A friend of mine has this set-up in both his Marshall Superbass and Marshall Major, and using either of his amps with a G&L El Toro is mind-blowing. FWIW, i use a JJ ECC83S in my Shuttle 6.0. Total amp GAS killer.
Have any of you guys actually tried rolling tubes in an SWR?
I have in both a SM400 and a SM500.
Everything from original Telefunkens, Mullards, Amperex, JAN, Sylvania, Mesa, and JJ tubes.
These amps are not at all sensitive to the single 12AX7 used IMO/IME.
I have in both a SM400 and a SM500.
Everything from original Telefunkens, Mullards, Amperex, JAN, Sylvania, Mesa, and JJ tubes.
These amps are not at all sensitive to the single 12AX7 used IMO/IME.
I have and the differences are subtle but they are there. The biggest jump in tone that I noticed was when going from an EHX 12ax7 to Sovtek LPS. The former was more compressed and didn't have as much bandwidth in the lows.
Half of the tube in the SWR pre is used for the first gain stage (via one half of the 12ax7) so its transfer characteristics affect the tone. The Aural Enhancer uses the other half of the tube so it can also add more of the tube's "flavor". It's subtle though, like I said. Is it worth the time and money? That's up to you.
Yes, all 12ax7 variants should fit in the 550x.
Half of the tube in the SWR pre is used for the first gain stage (via one half of the 12ax7) so its transfer characteristics affect the tone. The Aural Enhancer uses the other half of the tube so it can also add more of the tube's "flavor". It's subtle though, like I said. Is it worth the time and money? That's up to you.
Yes, all 12ax7 variants should fit in the 550x.
I tried a few new and old, but my Baby Blue II doesn't seem to care much what tube it runs. Just pick a reliable one (I like Tung Sol for instance) and find your extra drive with a good pedal.
