Dub-T-123 Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 So this tube has been problematic for me for a while and it died a few months ago. Yes. My beloved ac30 hasn't worked in months. I'm really itching to get it up and running again but I have a question. What brand tube should I get? My amp has the Russian made Sovteks in it and to be honest I think they sound great. I haven't tried anything else though so I'm wondering what you guys recommend. I don't have enough cash to experiment or get NOS tubes. I see the Sovteks are like $18 at tube depot and JJs are like $13? I thought JJs were better? I'm a little confused by the pricing. I also need help with accessing the tubes on my amp when I get the new tube. I have taken all kinds of panels and covers and stuff off this thing and I cannot figure out how to access the tubes to save my life. Please don't tell me I have to pop the vents off the top and work through those tiny holes. My hands don't really fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman5293 Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 DO NOT BUY THE SOVTEKS OR ANY OTHER RUSSIAN MADE TUBE!!! I bought all new Groove Tubes for my DeVille and now I'm sending them all back! I ended up taking my amp to an amp tech because it was making some very strange noises even after replacing all of the tubes. The amp tech put all of my new tubes on the tube tester. THEY ALL FAILED!!!! Both the power tubes and the preamp tubes. All were Russian made Groove Tubes (which are really just relabeled Sovteks). He put all new Slovakian made JJ's in it and it sounds absolutely spectacular! He then informed me that 50 out of every 100 Russian made tubes go in the trash because of tube failure. He only throws away about 5 out of 100 Slovakian made tubes. They're the best on the market right now. The Russian tubes are, and I quote the guy that worked on my amp, "over priced junk." Get the JJ's. You wont be disappointed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted April 30, 2011 Author Share Posted April 30, 2011 Right on man sounds like I'll be getting the JJ. I was kinda hoping someone would say something like that because the JJ is cheaper anyways. I don't want to break the bank for some BS tube mojo I just want this thing working. Now if I can just figure out how to get to the tubes in this damned thing. By the way is it safe for me to work in there? It has been completely unplugged for at least a month. Hasn't been turned on in like 3 or 4 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riverside Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 A rectifier is a rectifier. Buy one, start playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted May 1, 2011 Author Share Posted May 1, 2011 Sweet. Thanks guys. I'm gonna order one right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted May 1, 2011 Author Share Posted May 1, 2011 So just to be sure.. This one is good to go? http://www.tubedepot.com/jj-gz34.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riverside Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 That will work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazzboy Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 http://www.eurotubes.com/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff-7 Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 So just to be sure.. This one is good to go? http://www.tubedepot.com/jj-gz34.html That's where I buy my JJ's Dub, excellent people and fast shipping. I've only received one bad tube (just a few days ago), quick response and a new 6L6 is on its way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted May 1, 2011 Author Share Posted May 1, 2011 Thanks guys I just ordered that JJ from TubeDepot. I can't wait to get my ac30 rockin again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 The Sovtek 5AR4 did have a questionable reputation when it came out. It was the first new manufacture 5AR4 to be made, and it was the only one available new for a while. Something to keep in mind, not all tubes types have the same failure rates. For example, the JJ kt-88's fail the most of that type, but the el-34's are perhaps the most reliable, as are the 12ax7s. But when it comes to the Sovteks, the 6L6's they make are the most reliable. In other words, just because one type by a brand has a high failure rate doesn't mean they all do. Another thing to know is that there are a lot of venders out there, and they all don't get the same batches, and many of them get rejects from other sources. I can't say who they are or remember, but Groove tubes, Eurotubes, at least are 2 that buy from the manufacturer. Another GREAT source of tubes is Upscale Audio. They get a lot of NOS tubes and actually sell them at good prices, as well as match them. Having said that, there is more to consider than just a brand of tubes failure rate. The sovtek's failure rates for the 12ax7lps was actually pretty high, but for a while they were the BEST sounding. Sometimes it is worth it to to go with the ones that are made to sound the best and mitagate your chances by using a vender that test the tubes more. I am surprised to hear about the Groove tubes ALL going bad. Mr. Pittman sold Groove Tubes to fender a few years ago, and that may eventually become a factor, but I would think they would have got all his equipment and used the same process to test the tubes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riverside Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 Tubes fail. A rectifier is a rectifier. When it fails, buy another one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted May 1, 2011 Author Share Posted May 1, 2011 I'm definately going to keep replacing the GZ34 with a relatively cheap tube because I've read that those are the weak link on my amp and I've experienced it for myself now. As for the other tubes.. I'm not sure. I'll probably just replace them as they die. I always thought the Sovteks sounded great but I admittedly know nothing about tubes. I'm sure as hell not paying $200 for an NOS tube (or remotely near $200). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riverside Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 I'm sure as hell not paying $200 for an NOS tube (or remotely near $200). Until you're earning enough with that amp to be able to sniff corks on a really frequent basis, that's a good idea. There is something to be said for laying in a couple of different brands (at reasonable prices, mind you) so you can learn to hear the differences - and there ARE differences - but before you worry about longevity, you should at least learn how the different ones sound. You'll learn a lot by trying different brands of power tubes and brands/types preamp tubes - but I'd be surprised if you'll hear much difference in a rectifier tube of the same type, regardless of where it came from. One may or may not last longer than another, but you'll only find that out through trial in your own amp, under the circumstances in which you use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman5293 Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 I don't know if anyone has told you this but if you have more than one output tube, ALL OF THEM NEED TO MATCH! They make them in matching sets of 2 and 4. Usually the rule is that if one goes out, you replace em' all. If you have a bunch of different tubes, they're gonna burn out real fast because they all will be at a different bias setting. Also, when you change out the tubes, you need to re bias the amp. However, if you have a bunch of mis matched tubes this wont matter and you'll be burning through tubes like a 70's muscle car goes through gasoline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIANTRobOT42O Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 Tubes are a pain in the *** but they sound rad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted May 1, 2011 Author Share Posted May 1, 2011 Very true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted May 1, 2011 Author Share Posted May 1, 2011 I don't know if anyone has told you this but if you have more than one output tube, ALL OF THEM NEED TO MATCH! They make them in matching sets of 2 and 4. Usually the rule is that if one goes out, you replace em' all. If you have a bunch of different tubes, they're gonna burn out real fast because they all will be at a different bias setting. Also, when you change out the tubes, you need to re bias the amp. However, if you have a bunch of mis matched tubes this wont matter and you'll be burning through tubes like a 70's muscle car goes through gasoline. My amp is cathode biased. If I were to replace a power tube I'd get a new matched set fo sho because my tubes are pretty old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riverside Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 I don't know if anyone has told you this but if you have more than one output tube, ALL OF THEM NEED TO MATCH! They make them in matching sets of 2 and 4. Usually the rule is that if one goes out, you replace em' all. If you have a bunch of different tubes, they're gonna burn out real fast because they all will be at a different bias setting. Also, when you change out the tubes, you need to re bias the amp. However, if you have a bunch of mis matched tubes this wont matter and you'll be burning through tubes like a 70's muscle car goes through gasoline. It's been argued elsewhere, but back in the day when everyone's heros were laying down their iconic recordings, you likely wouldn't have found anyone selling "matched" output tubes. If you needed a tube, you bought a tube. It might be an artifact of our times, sprinkled with a little bit of audio-phoolery and marketing hype, or it might just be the sort of recently-created dogma that you MUST serve if you want to sound "good". Lot's of "iconic" sounds have come from people using really, really abused equipment. Over-voltage, torn speakers, etc. Your sound is out there, and there might be more than one path to be reasonably explored. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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