Preamp tubes for smooth fat sound

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Riffmaster

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For my Vh4 i currenty use diezel stock preamp tubes which comes from Ruby. I´ve made a quick sample of my sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI7zIoNd0aA
I think it sounds a bit to hard. Which preamp tubes are recommended for a smooth, warm, fat, maybe dark tone?
Thanks
 
Riffmaster":3earrlkh said:
For my Vh4 i currenty use diezel stock preamp tubes which comes from Ruby. I´ve made a quick sample of my sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI7zIoNd0aA
I think it sounds a bit to hard. Which preamp tubes are recommended for a smooth, warm, fat, maybe dark tone?
Thanks
Click to expand...

Can you not get the sound with EQ changes?

I have a VH4 with the recommended preamp and power tubes and I can get a lot of different tones. Even from just adjusting the volumes differently while leaving the EQ the same it can make the amp feel and sound a bit "different."

I honestly wish I could help you more with trying different tubes, but I am not too experienced with tubes yet :/

I assume that you have tried adjusting the EQ though?

Also, what power tubes do you have?
 
Sigma.Xiria":eun4z87n said:
Riffmaster":eun4z87n said:
For my Vh4 i currenty use diezel stock preamp tubes which comes from Ruby. I´ve made a quick sample of my sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI7zIoNd0aA
I think it sounds a bit to hard. Which preamp tubes are recommended for a smooth, warm, fat, maybe dark tone?
Thanks
Click to expand...

Can you not get the sound with EQ changes?

I have a VH4 with the recommended preamp and power tubes and I can get a lot of different tones. Even from just adjusting the volumes differently while leaving the EQ the same it can make the amp feel and sound a bit "different."

I honestly wish I could help you more with trying different tubes, but I am not too experienced with tubes yet :/

I assume that you have tried adjusting the EQ though?

Also, what power tubes do you have?
Click to expand...

If you havent tried messing with the EQ a shit ton go ahead and do that first. If you still arent getting what you want then pop in some NOS Philips tubes...
 
Just my 2 bits,afte trying numerous brands ,I went with new Tung-Sol.
 
I like the sound too. Is the guitar connected directly into the amp?

But if you are not happy with the sound when you record it, I think that's a different story. I have the same situation with mine. Sounds beautiful in the room and when I record it on camera but not very happy with the mic'd recordings. Of course that's not because of the amp but more of me being new to micing and need to experiment more.
 
Profound":1p9am1z9 said:
Any experiece on Groove tubes? Do they worth their maoney?
Click to expand...
No, they're just rebrands.

JJ's I find harsh and unreliable.

Tung Sols are too bright.

Mullard reissues or a sweetass ECC83 Gold Lion in V1 :D
 
Ventura":29gif244 said:
Profound":29gif244 said:
Any experiece on Groove tubes? Do they worth their maoney?
Click to expand...
No, they're just rebrands.

JJ's I find harsh and unreliable.

Tung Sols are too bright.

Mullard reissues or a sweetass ECC83 Gold Lion in V1 :D
Click to expand...

:thumbsup:
 
the 'older' VH4s simply plays stiff in my experience. what year is yours? i've had a 2007 model that peter 'updated' in late 2011. it sounds smoother and more open now.

changing preamp tubes won't have a dramatic effect on that. I was in your exact situation a few years ago and tested lot's of utbes for that purpose (ruby HG5+, Tung Sol, TAD 7075+, TAD 12AX7C and Groove Tubes). Putting a Groove Tubes '12AX7C' in V1 had the biggest effect in making it sound smoother. I wouldn't use a JJ ECC83 in V1 since they've always been too noisy/microphonic in my experience.
 
Does anyone try JJ ECC803 ( longplate 12ax7) in some positions. I have Herbert and im gonna try some different tubes in it. Chinesee tubes are not bad, but i want to make some experiments to get more dynamics. In my 5150 i choose all JJ's. I try some sovtek ant tungsols - and i find them very woody and non musical.
 
I tried Tung-Sol, JJ ECC83S, Sovtek WB, and the stock Rubys in various positions in my VH4, including all V1-V4 and then just switching from V1, leaving stock in the rest. Always came back to the stock tubes. The Tung-Sols were too bright and thin. The JJs gave a somewhat thicker sound, but I found them dark and less dynamic. The Sovteks initially sounded pretty good - a little more bassy and thick, but less gain. After using them for a little while though, those just started to seem like the amp was being held back.
 
i have yet to find my brand of tube. or experiment with different tubes
 
steve_k":24nr99n6 said:
Find you a nice NOS Mullard and run in V1.
Click to expand...

+1. Longplates are smoother and better than short ones. It amazes me that folks can spend several grand on fine amplifiers but coming off $100 for a decent tube to generate tone is bothersome.

NOS pre's > new pre's, period. Old stuff is NIGHT AND DAY better than new stuff.
 
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