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Best preamp for testing tubes

#101
lo-freq said:
While on the topic of optimizing tubes to units, I don't know if you'd have the time, but I would take a wild guess that probably the most different preamp circuit from the Kern, might be the Navigator.
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I have tried a wide variety of tubes in the Navigator, and I have reached the (personal) conclusion that swapping tubes in a Navigator just does not impact the tone in a meaningful manner. I don't know why, but different tubes don't make any difference that I can hear in how the Navigator sounds.

lo-freq said:
The Dem 201S has a similar tone stack to the Kern, but a fairly dissimilar overall sound. It might be a good candidate for a similar mini-check (if you leave the cover off while testing, just make sure there's no children around -- there are some high voltages in there).
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Good point, there.

Tom.
 
#102
tombowlus said:
I have tried a wide variety of tubes in the Navigator, and I have reached the (personal) conclusion that swapping tubes in a Navigator just does not impact the tone in a meaningful manner. I don't know why, but different tubes don't make any difference that I can hear in how the Navigator sounds.
...
Tom.
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Seems like I remember one or two TBers who liked some variety of 5751 (forget which specific one) in them.

But (now that you mention it) I think I do remember several people saying they are not much affected by tube changes.

BTW (OT), have you been gigging much lately?
 
#105
#108
cheezewiz said:
Oh man Tom, I'm even sorrier now I'm missing your gig tomorrow night. Good luck with new bass man! Taking the V8?
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No, I think I am going to run my Kern into a Stewart World 2.1 (both of my CA9's are in my PA rack right now), powering two ACME Low B-2's.

Tom.
 
#111
tombowlus said:
No, I think I am going to run my Kern into a Stewart World 2.1 (both of my CA9's are in my PA rack right now), powering two ACME Low B-2's.

Tom.
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Actually, this ended up being too much of a good thing with the huge low end of that chambered MTD. The tone was pretty impressive, but I kept running the Stewart out of juice. I think a CA9 would have been the better choice (and I knew that going in, but I was lazy, and didn't feel like yanking one of the CA9's out of my PA rack). It would sound like my drivers were either blown or getting there, but it turns out I was clipping the Stewart. :hmm:

Tom.
 

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