Tube recommendations for my ac30

[Dub-T-123]

Well I think it's about time I upgrade the toobz.

 

What would you guys recommend for my ac30?

 

I'm gonna at least replace the power tubes because one is going bad.

[chase1410]

Well I think it's about time I upgrade the toobz.

 

What would you guys recommend for my ac30?

 

I'm gonna at least replace the power tubes because one is going bad.

 

My amp tech who I guess is referred to as the "Pro" in town highly recommended JJ El84's then JJ 12ax7's for my Night-Train and it really made a great difference...I'm pretty sure it's the same exact tubes for the AC30 just double the tubes..

[L5Larry]

I'll tell you what I tell everyone who asks me this. DO NOT BUY CHINESE TUBES, avoid them like the plague. They are generally identifiable by a "C" suffix on the tube number (or by "Made In China" on the tube or packaging), or simply by the cheapest price on the shelf.

 

In most cases there is also no reason to buy the most expensive tubes either. What is most important to me is testing and quality control performed by the packager, and for this reason I buy only Groove Tubes. The extra cost is worth the peace of mind of knowing that every tube is "amplifier" tested before the GT paint goes on the bottle. You can buy the exact same tubes GT sells with other names on them for less money, but GT has pretty much perfected the testing and rating system.

 

GT also gives you price bracket choices on most tube types, staying in the middle is usually safe.

[Dub-T-123]

Thanks. I have done a little research online and I've heard that JJs are great.

 

I guess I should add that I'm looking for a lot of clean headroom (which my amp already has even with crappy Chinese tubes). Not sure if tubes make much of a difference in that respect.

 

Two more things.. Where do you guys buy your tubes? Would I need to take my amp to a tech to get the tubes biased? My brother has a good multimeter and he went to a technical school and studied electronics. I was thinking maybe he could do it if I showed him a good instructional video off YouTube.

[chase1410]

Thanks. I have done a little research online and I've heard that JJs are great.

 

I guess I should add that I'm looking for a lot of clean headroom (which my amp already has even with crappy Chinese tubes). Not sure if tubes make much of a difference in that respect.

 

Two more things.. Where do you guys buy your tubes? Would I need to take my amp to a tech to get the tubes biased? My brother has a good multimeter and he went to a technical school and studied electronics. I was thinking maybe he could do it if I showed him a good instructional video off YouTube.

 

It did provide noticable headroom to my Night-Train..I did not bias before replacing them..he said it wasnt necessary...My tubes do glow brighter then the old ones though...idk if that's because there better tubes or what but I love the sight of glowing tubes..

[Dub-T-123]

My amp runs 4 x EL84/6BQ5 --- 3 x 12AX7/ECC83 --- 1 x GZ34 by the way.

 

Thanks again!

[surfpup]

Many of my amps use EL84s. I have had fine results with JJs. They are sorta middle of the road as far as

the tone - and that's sometimes a good thing. There are others that are more compressed, more dirty, or

more spanky. I avoid the Sovteks, but some people love them. Here's a great review of a slew of EL84s

from the place I generally buy from. In fact I just ordered a pair of the reissue Mullard EL84s for my

18 watt Marshall clone.

 

http://thetubestore.com/el84review.html

[surfpup]

... Would I need to take my amp to a tech to get the tubes biased? My brother has a good multimeter and he went to a technical school and studied electronics. I was thinking maybe he could do it if I showed him a good instructional video off YouTube.

 

The AC30 is cathode biased, unlike Fenders. You won't need to bias it. In fact you really can't. Just plug in a

good quartet of matched EL84s and let 'er rip.

[Dub-T-123]

You are the man surfpup. Thanks!

 

I'm trying not to spend TOO much. Enough to get the good stuff but not crazy NOS prices.

 

I found an add on craigslist a couple weeks ago for a big box of NOS tubes for $50. It would have been a long drive to pick them up and I don't know enough to know if they're in good working order or anything.

[surfpup]

If you do buy NOS tubes, I'd buy them from someone you trust (or who has a great eBay feedback rating) and

someone who has tested them and has the test data available in the auction. A lot of tube sellers on eBay

do this. I'd buy new tubes. I have a couple of the coveted old Telefunken 12AX7s and to be honest I don't

really hear what all the hype is about.

[vourot]

http://thetubestore.com/vox-ac30heritage.html

 

http://thetubestore.com/vox-ac30cc.html

 

I have bought tubes from these guys before. They arrived in 4 days. Hope this gives you some ideas.

[Bender 4 Life]

if you want CLEAN headroom why not replace the 12ax7's (ecc83's) with ecc82's? which are the lowgain version of the same tube?

82's will hold a clean tone to a much higher volume than 83's w/o breaking up.

you can even "mix-n-match" 82's & 83's to get the amp to go into overdrive at the exact volume level you want it to.

[DiamondJig]

http://thetubestore.com/vox-ac30heritage.html

 

http://thetubestore.com/vox-ac30cc.html

 

I have bought tubes from these guys before. They arrived in 4 days. Hope this gives you some ideas.

 

+1 yes sir good people lots of info on the site like this http://thetubestore.com/el84review.html

 

also good http://www.tubedepot.com/index.html

 

and this http://www.eurotubes.com/index.htm

 

AC30s do not require biasing. They are Cathode biased, the amp does it by it's self. Just get a matching QUAD set so all power tubes are balance and match. If you want max head room email the sites above and ask what tube rate do they give to them, usualy the higher the number the greater the head room and the lower the number the quicker they are to break up.

 

https://ssl.eurotubes.com/cart/index.php?page=view_products&category_id=130&sub_category_id=131

[surfpup]

if you want CLEAN headroom why not replace the 12ax7's (ecc83's) with ecc82's? which are the lowgain version of the same tube?

 

Or if you don't want to cut the gain quite that much, a 5751 will reduce it a little. Generally only the V1 and/or the phase inverter tube need to be changed.

[Murph]

I don't like JJ's, had bad luck with Eurotubes. I got some bad ones and argue that they even test them.

 

Some people love em' though. I stocked up on the Russian Mesa EL84's and have had very good luck with them for many years. I'm convinced Mesa really does test their tubes, and it's worth a few extra bucks to me. When I was gigging 49 weekends a year a tube failure was a major pain, and the Blue Angel is not an easy amp to change tubes in......

 

I didn't care for the JAN 5751 in V1 on my Mesa, but I like it to snarl a little.

 

Tubes are a very personal thing.

 

Best of luck.

[surfpup]

I stocked up on the Russian Mesa EL84's and have had very good luck with them for many years....

 

The pair of EL84s that I have had (and used) the longest is a pair of Mesas that I put in an old Epiphone

tube combo almost 20 years ago. It's hasn't been gigged much (one week I believe) but still you can't argue

with that kind of longevity.

[flyingarmadillo]

I have JJs in my AC15H1TV - I tried Groove Tubes and wasn't happy with them - lots of noise - even more than the stock tubes.

[LarryUK]

I like the glass ones with the pretty orange light inside. :-)

[Dub-T-123]

Well I think I'm gonna go with some JJs. I still have some Christmas shopping to do so it will have to wait but not long because I need my amp back up to 100%. it's driving me crazy..

 

Flyingarmadillo- ac15H1TV is a nice amp. I'm definately a fan of the ac15 and that's a sweet model.

 

Sorry Murph. I definately value your input. Especially on the subject of tubes because I know you're a big tube guy. But I've heard that the JJs are great so I'll give them a try. At the very least they'll be a step up from my Chinese tubes and my amp will be up and running again. I plan to get a nice stash of tubes in the future