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Post subject: Re: Best tubes for Blackface and Silverface amps-your opinio
Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 11:19 pm
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aclempoppi wrote:
Yeah Beemer, about 19 watts or less. I'd have to look up my last notes on this guy, for the ma. But, as a rule, I don't run my guys hot. We're in it for the long run and solid tone!!! And that definately goes for the RCA's. Most folks might think they're running cold. But it's about, only enough for strong tone, and no more. You know what I mean? Art


+1

I push my blackplate RCA's vigorously, but certainly not into the "danger zone". The quartet in my TRRI are biased at 38 mA and they've played beautifully and without anomaly since January of 2001.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


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Post subject: Re: Best tubes for Blackface and Silverface amps-your opinio
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 8:50 am
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The bias balanced amps seem to run the tubes around 55% at idle and they sound great. I do the same on blackface amps-better definition, sweeter tone.
I started this thread because lately the Russian tubes do not have the "otk2" stamp. I use Genalex KT66's in a boutique amp. They always had the stamp and sounded great. I bought a pair recently without the stamp and the tubes were 'skep', as my kids would say. The components inside the tube were different, the bottle was so large that they would not fit into the clamps. They biased really hot, 35 ma with the bias pot fully counter-clockwise-normally around 25 ma on that amp-and they sounded like s##t. I ordered another pair-same thing. This is from a reputable dealer whom you all know. He said none of the Russian tubes had the stamp. He had to send back 100 EH 6CA7's because half were bad. I'm hesitant to buy any Russian tubes. My early 70's BMR has GE 12ax7's and 12at7's that still sound awesome, so much better than current prodution stuph. What the Hellmans? What the Helsinki is up with the Russian tubes?


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Post subject: Re: Best tubes for Blackface and Silverface amps-your opinio
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 9:09 am
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Krankster wrote:
What the Helsinki is up with the Russian tubes?


Recent drop in local vodka prices?

:shock:

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


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Post subject: Re: Best tubes for Blackface and Silverface amps-your opinio
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 9:49 am
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Krankster, the best Russian made tubes are from the pre-Gorbachev era (pre late 1980s). This is because many of the better tubes of that era were earmarked for military use.

The USSR military would cull the best OTK approved tubes for their use. Since the dissolution of the USSR and reduciton of military forces. The need for truly mil spec tubes has declined.

Non OTK approved tubes were never considered for military use.

But, even at the height of USSR made tubes in the 1960-80's --- their QA never approached the big US & Western European tube manufacturers of the 1940-1970's.

BTW.. since we are talking about this QA issue, the best way to help increase useful output tube life, is to first burn them in. How long you run-in a new set of tubes, depends on how much contaminates need to be burned off, before the tube finally stabilizes to a steady current draw. Some tubes, like many Chinese made ones, can take 12-18 hours. Some NOS US made ones take 1 hour or less. Really, you are doing your own end-user QA.

This process prior to use, will help you select the best match for your amp. And a more steady bias setting.

http://forums.qrz.com/archive/index.php/t-97695.html


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Post subject: Re: Best tubes for Blackface and Silverface amps-your opinio
Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 5:45 pm
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post removed. boo-boo.

:oops:


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Post subject: Re: Best tubes for Blackface and Silverface amps-your opinio
Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 11:59 am
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BMW, did you write something inappropriate again?


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Post subject: Re: Best tubes for Blackface and Silverface amps-your opinio
Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 5:13 pm
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You mean post another one of those non-PC correct but very yummy photos?

Nope. Just replied to wrong thread.

"What a drag it is getting old."


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Post subject: Re: Best tubes for Blackface and Silverface amps-your opinio
Posted: Wed May 08, 2013 7:17 am
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My '55 Deluxe has NOS GE tubes but my Silverface (Super Reverb) and Blackface reissue (Twin Reverb) both have Winged C SED tubes for the power section, and JJs for the preamp section. I like the slightly rounder tone of the SED vs JJ in the power amp section. Not quite as sparkley, but more meaty. My Silverface Vibro Champ has it's original tubes.

I just got some old Sylvania 6V6GTs for free that I'll be hopefully having tested soon and try out in my Deluxe. Both of my big amps (TR and SR) don't use them but my Deluxe and VIbro Champ would.


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Post subject: Re: Best tubes for Blackface and Silverface amps-your opinio
Posted: Wed May 08, 2013 5:24 pm
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I recently bought some NOS 12at7's (RCA Greyplates) and 12ax7's (various RCA and GE) from a well known tube dealer, not Mike at KCA. Even though represented as NOS, they had many miles on them. Luckily, I returned them for a refund, I hope. The NOS market is skep. Any kind of s*#t American tubes are called NOS. Who sells NOS preamp tubes that are really NOS at a fair price?


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