Visit China

Question:

Just picked up a new Traynor YCV40A amp w/Celestion 30 speaker.  I would like to upgrade the tubes on this amp to something that will provide a warmer, fuller, creamier sound.  My budget is $75-150 dollars a pair. I think the current tubes are Sovtek 12AX7WA dual triode preamps and the power/output tubes are Sovtek 5881WXT’s. All input is appreciated! bradesp

Response:

>Just picked up a new Traynor YCV40A amp w/Celestion 30 speaker.  I >would like to upgrade the tubes on this amp to something that will >provide a warmer, fuller, creamier sound.  My budget is $75-150 >dollars a pair. >I think the current tubes are Sovtek 12AX7WA dual triode preamps and >the power/output tubes are Sovtek 5881WXT’s. >All input is appreciated! >bradesp

I haven’t used that amp, but as far as those 5881WXT tubes go, almost any tube ever made would give you a sweeter sound than those.  My admittedly limited experience with them was that they  have no headroom at all, and a generally unpleasant tone to make it worse But I have had very good luck with the sound of Shuguang 6L6 tubes in my Bassman head.  They don’t cost much, and they seem to be very tough too.  They’d be a direct replacement for 5881WXT tubes, with a bias adjustment. I haven’t had very good luck with the sound of Sovtek preamp tubes. Something by Ei/Yugo, or JJ/Tesla, or maybe something from China would probably give you better tone.  Or NOS.   But Sovteks tend to sound a bit hard. fwiw, in my SF Bassman right now, I have a Mullard 12AT7 tube in the 1st tube (3rd tube from the right), an Ei/Yugo 12AX7 as the second tube (2nd tube from the right) and a JJ/Tesla 12AU7 as the phase inverter (4th tube from the right) and the Shuguang 6L6 power tunes. Sort of a collection of tubes from all over the place.  Seems to sound good. Pete — He got lucky this time, but that crazy chimp could still destroy history –I. M. Weasel

Response:

Pete, you didn’t happen to pick up the Mullard 12at7 from LV did you? I just

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Just picked up a new Traynor YCV40A amp w/Celestion 30 speaker.  I >would like to upgrade the tubes on this amp to something that will >provide a warmer, fuller, creamier sound.  My budget is $75-150 >dollars a pair. >I think the current tubes are Sovtek 12AX7WA dual triode preamps and >the power/output tubes are Sovtek 5881WXT’s. >All input is appreciated! >bradesp > I haven’t used that amp, but as far as those 5881WXT tubes go, almost > any tube ever made would give you a sweeter sound than those.  My > admittedly limited experience with them was that they  have no > headroom at all, and a generally unpleasant tone to make it worse > But I have had very good luck with the sound of Shuguang 6L6 tubes in > my Bassman head.  They don’t cost much, and they seem to be very tough > too.  They’d be a direct replacement for 5881WXT tubes, with a bias > adjustment. > I haven’t had very good luck with the sound of Sovtek preamp tubes. > Something by Ei/Yugo, or JJ/Tesla, or maybe something from China would > probably give you better tone.  Or NOS.   But Sovteks tend to sound a > bit hard. > fwiw, in my SF Bassman right now, I have a Mullard 12AT7 tube in the > 1st tube (3rd tube from the right), an Ei/Yugo 12AX7 as the second > tube (2nd tube from the right) and a JJ/Tesla 12AU7 as the phase > inverter (4th tube from the right) and the Shuguang 6L6 power tunes. > Sort of a collection of tubes from all over the place.  Seems to sound > good. > Pete > — > He got lucky this time, but that crazy chimp > could still destroy history –I. M. Weasel

Response:

>Pete, you didn’t happen to pick up the Mullard 12at7 from LV did you?

Yep. >I just

I got a few from him.  At first, I just ordered one, and when got here, and I popped it into my Tremolux combo, and went, holy shit, this sounds good!  So I called back right away and ordered a few more. I forget how many. But they do have a very pleasant tone to them.  And so I lose a little bit of gain by them not being 12ax7s, but since I’m using OD pedals these days, it’s hard to quivel about a little gain. Pete – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> >Just picked up a new Traynor YCV40A amp w/Celestion 30 speaker.  I > >would like to upgrade the tubes on this amp to something that will > >provide a warmer, fuller, creamier sound.  My budget is $75-150 > >dollars a pair. > >I think the current tubes are Sovtek 12AX7WA dual triode preamps and > >the power/output tubes are Sovtek 5881WXT’s. > >All input is appreciated! > >bradesp > I haven’t used that amp, but as far as those 5881WXT tubes go, almost > any tube ever made would give you a sweeter sound than those.  My > admittedly limited experience with them was that they  have no > headroom at all, and a generally unpleasant tone to make it worse > But I have had very good luck with the sound of Shuguang 6L6 tubes in > my Bassman head.  They don’t cost much, and they seem to be very tough > too.  They’d be a direct replacement for 5881WXT tubes, with a bias > adjustment. > I haven’t had very good luck with the sound of Sovtek preamp tubes. > Something by Ei/Yugo, or JJ/Tesla, or maybe something from China would > probably give you better tone.  Or NOS.   But Sovteks tend to sound a > bit hard. > fwiw, in my SF Bassman right now, I have a Mullard 12AT7 tube in the > 1st tube (3rd tube from the right), an Ei/Yugo 12AX7 as the second > tube (2nd tube from the right) and a JJ/Tesla 12AU7 as the phase > inverter (4th tube from the right) and the Shuguang 6L6 power tunes. > Sort of a collection of tubes from all over the place.  Seems to sound > good. > Pete > — > He got lucky this time, but that crazy chimp > could still destroy history –I. M. Weasel

– He got lucky this time, but that crazy chimp could still destroy history –I. M. Weasel

Response: