New preamp tube needed for amp, Suggestions?

[mrjones200x]

Hey guys think my laney is in need of a new preamp tube. Well im not sure. It sounds the same as always just the volume seems to be less than before. i usually play it on volume 3 but now need to play on 5 to get same volume?

 

Unless im going def i cant find anything else wrong. I would swap it with my VJ one to try but i think that that needs a new set now.

 

Basically looking for recommendations really. The amp is a laney lv200 hybrid amp with only a preamp section. It has a ecc83 (12ax7) tube in already not sure of make really.

 

Will a different brand/type of tube make much differece to the overal sound as its not a full tube amp??

 

I play blues/classic rock/hard rock/metal. Cheers guys

[JesusOfSuburbia]

Usually when you have a volume loss like that on a tube amp it's related to the power tubes going but it could be the preamps and since it's a hybrid amp it has to be. It's my understanding that preamp tubes just get noisy, poppy or microphonic when they go bad.

 

But I have a hybrid Fender Cyber Twin and found after extensive testing that the Electro-Harmonix 12AX7's sound the best in it.

Second best was the Tung Sol reissues but the EH's are cheaper and more available so try them first.

 

Some people may think the tubes on the Cyber Twin are a gimmick since it's just a modeling amp but I found differant companys tubes DID affect the sound of the amp. The Mullards re-issues were too dark, the JJ ECC83 were WAY too grainy, GT 12AX7C's sounded great for gain but lousy for the clean settings and an NOS RCA 5751 was good but didn't give me enough headroom on my clean channel. I went back to the EH's as they sound the fullest and had the best response overall in that amp.

 

And my one friend with an all tube Laney amp swears by Sovtek tubes, I don't prefer them but they are the same factory that makes the EH & Tung Sol re-issues, I just think they are better quality &/or screened better than the regular Sovtek tubes.

 

Good luck and if you try the EH's let me know!!!

 

peace & tone,

JoS