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Jule Amps Monique Part III

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#402
I started with an old late 40's Nos/jan RCA blackplate in V1 but it want bad quickly. I've had a Sylvania in that place that I haven't loved... Just too reserved and clinical for me. I have a GE grayplate 12AU7 and a GE branded Blackburn Mullard for the rectifier. Tonight I ran the Tung Sol and it made a big difference in V1. Bigger, deeper, more gain and I also tweaked my mids down a bit on the Monique.
 
#404
JimmyM said:
Interesting that the Sylvania isn't working out for you. Sounds good in a B-15.
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Eh. Different amps, different ears. I've tried Sylvanias in other amps (12ax7, 12au7) and felt the same way. It's just a clean precise sounding tube to my ear and to me isn't as rich, but maybe more detailed. It's all subjectively when talking tubes. The most revealing tube test I've had was my old 65Vibrochamp and a big box of 12a-7 tubes with few sets of ears. Most everyone loved the old RCA black plates the best, with greyplates second and the GE's of the same era being close. I also liked older Telefunkens. I didn't like the vaunted Mullards. I also didn't like the Sylvania, Ratheon or even the Tung Sol 12a-7's. we re-ran the tubes in a Deluxe and had the same results.
 
#405
bassdoubler said:
I have a set of early 60s GE 6SL7s, a late 50s Tesla EZ81, and a late 60s-early 70s RCA 12AU7 in there and I definitely notice a difference from the stock tubes!
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What is the difference you hear ? If you could describe the difference that would be great.

My Tardis is supposed to ship in few weeks so I am curious.

I used a Hughes and Kettner BATT preamp for quite some time and did a fair amount of tube rolling there.

Thanks
 
#407
jibreel said:
What is the difference you hear ? If you could describe the difference that would be great.

My Tardis is supposed to ship in few weeks so I am curious.

I used a Hughes and Kettner BATT preamp for quite some time and did a fair amount of tube rolling there.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Honestly, hard to describe with words. Overall, just more depth and I notice more out of the EQ when I dial it in. Specifically in the mids, which I noticed immediately, are a tad thicker but still cut through beautifully, and the bass sounds a bit warmer as well. Nothing wrong with the stock tubes at all, I just wanted to try it out with some vintage tubes and it certainly didn't sound worse!
 
#408
bassdoubler said:
Honestly, hard to describe with words. Overall, just more depth and I notice more out of the EQ when I dial it in. Specifically in the mids, which I noticed immediately, are a tad thicker but still cut through beautifully, and the bass sounds a bit warmer as well. Nothing wrong with the stock tubes at all, I just wanted to try it out with some vintage tubes and it certainly didn't sound worse!
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Thanks ! I will probably need to try a few different ones. Just my nature :cool:
 
#409
nostatic said:
I'm a dangerous combination of superstitious and lazy. I love the way Monique sounds - I'm not touching any of the tubes unless something breaks. :D
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Nothing wrong with that.

Ask Ronan at VenetoWest Studios there in your fair city how long tubes can last. He has a studio amp I built for him about 8 or 9 years ago. He will not let anyone touch it - 'cause it is what he wants. Not even me. He wants nothing changed. He also swears his amp must warm up several hours before it is "ready" for his recordings. If he didn't make some magical music I'd begin to wonder. . .

:)
 
#410
BurningSkies said:
Eh. Different amps, different ears. I've tried Sylvanias in other amps (12ax7, 12au7) and felt the same way. It's just a clean precise sounding tube to my ear and to me isn't as rich, but maybe more detailed. It's all subjectively when talking tubes. The most revealing tube test I've had was my old 65Vibrochamp and a big box of 12a-7 tubes with few sets of ears. Most everyone loved the old RCA black plates the best, with greyplates second and the GE's of the same era being close. I also liked older Telefunkens. I didn't like the vaunted Mullards. I also didn't like the Sylvania, Ratheon or even the Tung Sol 12a-7's. we re-ran the tubes in a Deluxe and had the same results.
Click to expand...

I'm still playing that quick sample. Still love it. Are you going to do another recording of "Taxman"?
 
#411
Let me go through our recent roughshod, Jule... I should send you the link to the full set...if you don't mind lots of rough edges. I have a feeling that Taxman may end up on the cutting room floor... The singer is our drummer, and he's transitioning to Boston. The good news is that we have 3 or 4 new tracks that are really promising and real down low grooves.
 
#413
chadds said:
I remember saying the same thing. ;)
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I am the same.

Not for fear of electrocution or potentially breaking something... i am just lazy and maybe too easy to please.:D

I hate to admit it but my amps have always sounded good with basic tubes like Mesa, JJ or GT. Add a loud drummer and 2 distorted guitars.... I don't see the need for expensive NOS for my gigging amps. If I did a ton of studio work, I might feel different.:hiding:
 
#414
Baird6869 said:
I am the same.

Not for fear of electrocution or potentially breaking something... i am just lazy and maybe too easy to please.:D

I hate to admit it but my amps have always sounded good with basic tubes like Mesa, JJ or GT. Add a loud drummer and 2 distorted guitars.... I don't see the need for expensive NOS for my gigging amps. If I did a ton of studio work, I might feel different.:hiding:
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I initially got new tubes because my unit had a tube problem. I think the Monique sounds great the way it comes, but that doesn't stop me from trying a few other things. I have a number of other tube amps and have had others over the years, so its not much to me to switch stuff out.
 
#416
As a result of this I looked at a few tube pages. Hard to know where to start though - lots of somewhat seemingly random choices.

If anyone has suggestions on how I can spend small amounts of money in interesting ways, I'm all eyes :D
 
#417
nostatic said:
As a result of this I looked at a few tube pages. Hard to know where to start though - lots of somewhat seemingly random choices.

If anyone has suggestions on how I can spend small amounts of money in interesting ways, I'm all eyes :D
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I forget which one of those tube sites it is, but they do like a $15.95 random NOS tube bin where you pay a flat fee and pick your model and they just blindly pick one out. You can get a great vintage NOS tube or some chinese made piece o crap. Last time I did it I got a sweet NOS RCA 12AU7 which should cost way more....
 
#420
nostatic said:
As a result of this I looked at a few tube pages. Hard to know where to start though - lots of somewhat seemingly random choices.

If anyone has suggestions on how I can spend small amounts of money in interesting ways, I'm all eyes :D
Click to expand...

Check out www.dougstubes.com. Then, give Doug Preston a call and tell him what tonal qualities you are after. Ask him if he has any cool stuff that is not listed on the page.

When I first started dealing with him 10 or so years ago, he hadn't really worked with many bass players, but he's work with a lot of low enders since, and he knows his stuff. Good guy, too.
 
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