I'm looking into buying some tunes for my Ampeg. I'm new to the whole tube amp thing and was wondering if anyone could suggest some good tubes without breaking the bank. I found some Electro-Harmonix 6550's for about $180 for 6 of them but then when i looked further into it i found some Valve Art 6550's for $164. Any suggestions would be great!
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.
Tube suggestions for Ampeg SVT-CL
- Thread starter Dearthbass14
- Start date
Budget is an important consideration. But I would urge you to not make your decision solely on the lowest cost. Bottom line, get what you can afford.
There are a lot of sellers out there that claim they match the tubes but don't do it properly. Rejects that other tube sellers pass on are resold to other sellers and show up on ebay at what appears to be good prices. Other sellers offer a warranty and expect you to sort out their problem tubes. They are accommodating if you find an issue but a lot of people don't know that there is a problem and their tubes don't last as long as they should or they are noisy.
My best advice would be to find a reputable tube seller that checks out the tubes carefully. This includes burning them in, matching them properly, and offering a warranty. You get what you pay for. A properly screened tubes will have a long service life.
If you go to tube reseller web sites (tctubes.com, audiotubes.com, thetubestore.com, tubesandmore.com, tube depot.com, there are many others out there) you can compare the cost of matched sextets from different manufacturers. This will allow you to see how the brand names rank. Some tubes are better than others and cost more. Both makes that you mentioned tend to be at the bottom of the price range. I like ones based on the old GE 6550A tube. Ampeg used to use the Winged C (SED) 6550 until they went out of production. They tend to be more expensive these days because they are hard to find.
There are a lot of sellers out there that claim they match the tubes but don't do it properly. Rejects that other tube sellers pass on are resold to other sellers and show up on ebay at what appears to be good prices. Other sellers offer a warranty and expect you to sort out their problem tubes. They are accommodating if you find an issue but a lot of people don't know that there is a problem and their tubes don't last as long as they should or they are noisy.
My best advice would be to find a reputable tube seller that checks out the tubes carefully. This includes burning them in, matching them properly, and offering a warranty. You get what you pay for. A properly screened tubes will have a long service life.
If you go to tube reseller web sites (tctubes.com, audiotubes.com, thetubestore.com, tubesandmore.com, tube depot.com, there are many others out there) you can compare the cost of matched sextets from different manufacturers. This will allow you to see how the brand names rank. Some tubes are better than others and cost more. Both makes that you mentioned tend to be at the bottom of the price range. I like ones based on the old GE 6550A tube. Ampeg used to use the Winged C (SED) 6550 until they went out of production. They tend to be more expensive these days because they are hard to find.
Thanks for the info, ive been looking at TubeDepot.com and AmplifiedParts.com. I might just end up going with the Elector-Harmonix, i can get them through Guitar Center and i work at an electronics service center and i work with someone who will burn them in and bias the head for me. I guess also in the end it's all in how i take care of the tubes/amp on how long the tubes will last me
Like beans says, buy your tubes from a reputable distributor, not ebay! I get all mine from ce distribution(antique electronic supply) and they carry several brands at different price points. I've had issues with both EH and valve art 6550s in the past so I don't touch them these days. Maybe things have changed since then but if you're going to go with a lesser expensive tube I would suggest sovtek or JJ.
I've got some Brand new 6550's I don't need.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f129/lane-poor-prototype-preamp-1-one-kind-more-1058527/#post15577816
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f129/lane-poor-prototype-preamp-1-one-kind-more-1058527/#post15577816
It sounds like you can get a decent price through your connections.
What you say about caring for the tubes helps prolong their life. It is also important that the tubes are matched properly so that you have a good set to start with.
In the CL you have six power tubes that function as a pair of trios. Burning in the tubes is only the beginning of the process. This helps weed out any bad ones. The next step is to eliminate microphonic and noisy tubes. A microphonic tube picks up noise through vibrations. If you give the tube a ping by tapping on it, it shouldn't amplify the ping. If a tube is noisy, they have to be eliminated. Other basic tests are typically performed as well. In a matched set, the tubes will amplify the same amount at the voltage in the amp (what is called B+) (called transconductance, measured in Gm) and the tubes will draw roughly the same current (measured in mA). You will sometimes find matched tube sets with numbers on them. They could be or relate to Gm and mA.
For more details as to what to aim fort, read what is done here. They touch on how to measure the cathode current of a power tube in a CL towards the end Invalid Link Removed. This is some of what you are paying for when you buy a matched set.
What you say about caring for the tubes helps prolong their life. It is also important that the tubes are matched properly so that you have a good set to start with.
In the CL you have six power tubes that function as a pair of trios. Burning in the tubes is only the beginning of the process. This helps weed out any bad ones. The next step is to eliminate microphonic and noisy tubes. A microphonic tube picks up noise through vibrations. If you give the tube a ping by tapping on it, it shouldn't amplify the ping. If a tube is noisy, they have to be eliminated. Other basic tests are typically performed as well. In a matched set, the tubes will amplify the same amount at the voltage in the amp (what is called B+) (called transconductance, measured in Gm) and the tubes will draw roughly the same current (measured in mA). You will sometimes find matched tube sets with numbers on them. They could be or relate to Gm and mA.
For more details as to what to aim fort, read what is done here. They touch on how to measure the cathode current of a power tube in a CL towards the end Invalid Link Removed. This is some of what you are paying for when you buy a matched set.
Thanks for all the info guys! could anyone shed some light on these tubes?
https://tubedepot.com/products/tung-sol-6550-new-production-power-vacuum-tube
https://tubedepot.com/products/sovtek-kt88-power-vacuum-tube
https://tubedepot.com/products/sovtek-6550we-power-vacuum-tube
https://tubedepot.com/products/jj-6550-power-vacuum-tube
https://tubedepot.com/products/tung-sol-6550-new-production-power-vacuum-tube
https://tubedepot.com/products/sovtek-kt88-power-vacuum-tube
https://tubedepot.com/products/sovtek-6550we-power-vacuum-tube
https://tubedepot.com/products/jj-6550-power-vacuum-tube
First of all, I can't say enough good things about that seller. I just bought all new tubes for a new-to-me SVTCL a couple months ago, had a couple hiccups, and they were excellent folks to deal with and made it right fast!
Anyway, newer SVT's come with those Sovteks and that's what was in mine. They sound fine and are a good choice. I only replaced them because I had found a crack forming in one, combined with not knowing the history of my amp having bought it used, decided to go with a whole new sextet.
I went with the JJ 6550's and like them a lot. It could just be that the old Sovteks were wearing out, but the amp sounds noticeably clearer and cleaner, and seems to have more power. It's dead quiet at idle too, but I attribute that more to the fact I also changed the preamp tubes at the same time.
Make sure you order a matched sextet. Opt for the 24-hour burn in. I did not and one of the new tubes failed after about 30 minutes of playing. This is one of the hiccups I mentioned above and they replaced it quickly. Luckily the tube failure didn't take anything else out with it.
A lot of people recommend replacing the driver tubes along with the power tubes. At <$10 each, why not? I did and again I used JJ's (2x ECC82's, 1 ECC83S).
I'd go with the JJ's for the power tubes, but for the preamp tubes, look into some NOS GE or RCA, telefunken, stuff like that will make a difference.
For the power section, I like new and matched.
For the power section, I like new and matched.
I recently had my whole SVT Classic retuned with the best stuff which was expensive but worth it. I put in 6 Winged C power tubes, 3 Mesa 12ax7 and 2 JJ Electronic vacuum tubes. My SVT was made in America and the Sovteks they put in it lasted about 4 years. Go for the better tubes.
i bought some of those tung sol 6550 reissue tubes from TCTubes almost 3 yrs ago. my amp isn't babied and they are still fine. i rebiased it once or twice, it was sounding kinda soft recently so i had my tech check it out, thinking it was time to retube it since everyone (including my tech) has told me how current production 6550 tubes don't last in svt's.
he rebiased it and set the balance and checked current on each of the power tubes. ended up replacing the jj ecc803s in the v1 position with a groove tubes ecc83, i had a jj ecc83 so i just swapped that in there and let him keep his ecc83...
the amp still has the original 12au7 driver tubes, i think the PI is an NOS sylvania from the 60s...i can't even remember now.
well my amp sounds pretty awesome again. i can't complain about the tung sol 6550's, they've been good. i did get a tung sol 12ax7 tube that died about 6mos. after i put it in my amp.
he rebiased it and set the balance and checked current on each of the power tubes. ended up replacing the jj ecc803s in the v1 position with a groove tubes ecc83, i had a jj ecc83 so i just swapped that in there and let him keep his ecc83...
the amp still has the original 12au7 driver tubes, i think the PI is an NOS sylvania from the 60s...i can't even remember now.
well my amp sounds pretty awesome again. i can't complain about the tung sol 6550's, they've been good. i did get a tung sol 12ax7 tube that died about 6mos. after i put it in my amp.
My Heritage SVT-CL came stock with JJ's all around, and I'm digging them in there a lot. Sounds for all intents and purposes identical to my 69 SVT. I tried some different NOS tubes in the preamp and wasn't happy with the results...made the treble a little too tight for my tastes...so I went back to the JJ's and I'm happy again. So now I'm becoming of the opinion that newer amps, being designed around newer tubes, should probably use newer tubes.
For current production tubes:
JJ's are a well rounded power tube company (my favorites of JJ are the ECC803S gold pin, KT-88, and EL84). Not a fan of their ECC83S... always darken and muddy things up...
I've had good luck with Tung Sol RI 6550 and their 12AX7.
I also really like the Sovtek 12AX7LPS (phase inverter section preferred but a nice preamp tube).
I've dealt with Eurotube, Doug Tubes and tubedepot several times and I usually/always use www.tubedepot.com. Their prices are usually the best and free shipping over $99. I've only had one hiccup with them but wasn't that big of a deal. All other problems (damaged tubes or bad tubes in box) tubedepot always sent replacements. Shipping is usually top notch as well.
For pure personality and good guys, Eurotube is the place. Sometimes a little more expensive but they ALWAYS are willing to answer any questions you may have. They are just bias to JJ's
JJ's are a well rounded power tube company (my favorites of JJ are the ECC803S gold pin, KT-88, and EL84). Not a fan of their ECC83S... always darken and muddy things up...
I've had good luck with Tung Sol RI 6550 and their 12AX7.
I also really like the Sovtek 12AX7LPS (phase inverter section preferred but a nice preamp tube).
I've dealt with Eurotube, Doug Tubes and tubedepot several times and I usually/always use www.tubedepot.com. Their prices are usually the best and free shipping over $99. I've only had one hiccup with them but wasn't that big of a deal. All other problems (damaged tubes or bad tubes in box) tubedepot always sent replacements. Shipping is usually top notch as well.
For pure personality and good guys, Eurotube is the place. Sometimes a little more expensive but they ALWAYS are willing to answer any questions you may have. They are just bias to JJ's
For my svt I always preferred sovtek 6550's. They are long lasting and I preferred the growl of them over other tubes in an ampeg. As an added bonus they are one of the lower priced tubes also.
Tubes are such a personal thing. People have different likes and dislikes to get the sound that they are after. You can buy the same make of tubes down the road but due to production changes and differences in how the tubes are matched, they could wind up not sounding the same.
There is often a lack of consistency. If I buy I set that I really like, I try to repurchase more at the time and put them away for later. Unfortunately, you can't count on getting the same performance with another set a couple of years or more in the future.
Another reason for dealing with a good tube reseller. Someone who has good equipment, keeps it calibrated, and uses it in a consistent way. This will eliminate differences in matching. Changes that the tube manufacturer makes that affect their performance are harder to deal with.
There is often a lack of consistency. If I buy I set that I really like, I try to repurchase more at the time and put them away for later. Unfortunately, you can't count on getting the same performance with another set a couple of years or more in the future.
Another reason for dealing with a good tube reseller. Someone who has good equipment, keeps it calibrated, and uses it in a consistent way. This will eliminate differences in matching. Changes that the tube manufacturer makes that affect their performance are harder to deal with.
