Oh no! Another Herbert Preamp Tube Thread!

[Me]

So, noisy crap preamp = tubes. Time to buy more.

So I normally have got tubes from Watford Valves as I trust their big test rig which does burn in and monitors all the valves for faults. They do some sets recommended for Diezels: a Standard Gain cryo JJ/Tesla set, a standard gain cryo EH set, and a "higher gain" version of both of those. These sets come in at just shy of £100. Or I can buy a set of Rubys from Diezel UK for £120.

These sets from Watford got discussed vaguely with no conclusion or anyone on the forum actually trying them previously, with some people just saying the cryo process is all probably BS (although Guitarist magazine reviewed them and said they could hear the difference in Watfords cryo tubes), and others making general disparaging remarks. Has anyone on the forum actually tried them yet?

I emailed Derek from Watford and asked if he'd personally tried them in a Herbert, and that some people had misgivings and said JJs were too fizzy in their Herbie. He hadn't but basically said (I hope he doesn't mind me posting this, but)...

Firstly in my experience the stock Chinese high gain 12ax7 are fizzy and have more back ground noise.
The 12ax7 EH has the same gain structure but has less hiss, less microphonic rattle and sounds less fizzy.
Diezel as a manufactures has to use what is available, so Peter has 3 factory choices Russian, Chinese and Slovakia
So the Russian Sovtek EH, Tung-sol etc items, The Chinese 12ax7 which are also branded as Ruby, Tad GT brands and the JJ

So in answer to your question yes I have tried all these and many more valves in virtually every amplifier and circuit type made in over 30 years as a musician.

So the Chinese 12ax7 B, which is the valve that Ruby, Gt and TAD buy from the factory and rebrand and the item that I have seen in Diezel amplifiers
I feel the Russian reflector made 12ax7 Eh out performs this valve sonically, has less background hiss and is lower in microphonics.
More importantly less prone the annoying rattle that sounds like a ball bearing is loose inside the valve which is cause by the loose mica vibrating.
This is a common fault with this valve, if it does not happen straight away then can happen after a few months of you using the valve and something that GT,Ruby and TAD seem to ignore in their selection process.

So as I feel that Peters amplifiers is one of the best amplifiers on the market if feel on balance these valves are a upgrade and therefore offer these as a kit.
In the years that I have offered these kits I have had no complaints from Diezel owners, as many are like you do not wish to pay a lot of money for a set of pre amp valves.

So to summarize: They *should* sound better, the JJs *should* sound less fizzy than the Rubys, they *should* last better/be more reliable if that info is true, and he's never had any complaints from Diezel owners he's sold them to (so he obviously has sold them to some Diezel owners who may/may not come on this forum). And he thinks Diezel amps are some of the nicest available! Even if they sound no better at all then it still doesn't matter if it costs me 20% less regardless.

So, firstly has anyone tried them yet? If not what is your take on Herberts with JJ/Tesla in, or EH tubes (although these supposedly sound marginally improved due to the cryo process if you believe that or not, but various magazine reviews do)?

If the price was the same then just getting the Diezel set could be classed as a no-brainer answer, but unless there's a good reason they'll sound inferior then I save money.

Discuss!...

 

[Me]

Fixed the main noise problem swapping out v3 with a JJ I had kicking about. Would still like any opinions on using all JJ's or EHs instead of Rubys in the Herbie Preamp though as I may retune the lot...