Do Power Tubes Have a Particular Sound???

eSGEe said:
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This was a particularly interesting video, thanks for posting.

It clearly shows differences in the frequency sound spectrum. &, all the tubes clearly sound different, but of course that's subjective as we all seem to hear quite differently.

I liked the 6L6 for cleans. The EL84 was miles above the others in crunch for me. &, again, I liked the 6LS for distortion, nice and tight. The 6550 and KT88 seemed q bit fuzzy in crunch and especially for distortion, to my ears - nice when you want it, but I wouldn't want that in a foundational sound.

Right, I'm happy with my EL84 amp (I think it sounds a lot better than the one in the clip (although to be fair that may have been his recording method, speaker, anything...). I probably need to get meself a 6L^ amp now, I'm sure the wife won't mind. :D
 
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This amp sounds fantastic in the 'clean' and lower breakup areas to my ears. It obviously does distortion pretty well too, but the tones between 3:50 and 4:20 are wonderful - this is the amp head I ordered up a few weeks ago, but the seller decided not to send to Korea... They are tricky to get because I can only really buy from Europe due to the power needs here in Korea.


6V6 have really nice cleans and tight OD/distortion too, imho (yes, it's the overall amp design...).
 
Each one of those tubes, especially NOS sound/feel so different that each one is not even close to another's parameters, while modern production can all sound lack luster while not lasting very long!
 
Vox AC30 said:
Each one of those tubes, especially NOS sound/feel so different that each one is not even close to another's parameters, while modern production can all sound lack luster while not lasting very long!
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Most people are tone deaf. What has changed in tube construction Metallurgy same with steel and copper it's all substandard now
Back in the day people took pride in their work no such thing as a 10,000 hour life tube now days
In my life a few life changing moments 1962 watching Joe Morello drum solo live next Stratovarious violin live Russian master the brilliance just cut
through the mix I was a child prodigy and had the honor to play it. 1988 Albert King used my 1966 Fender Pro Reverb in a show ran chills up my spine
Now power tubes real single ended home stereo amp 300B Western Electric engraved base power tubes I rebuilt I can't explain the experience
When I built my first guitar amp I tried 164 12AX7 tubes to get the sound I had great power tubes and I had no clue what I was doing at that time.
I put the money tube in the Phase Inverter that would be a Siemens 12AX7 1957-1962 smoke glass NOS they test off the charts 1.6Ma 2300GM both sections on the average thing of the past now so much for my rant. My most used tube tester is a Hickok TV7 D/U
I always wanted a AVO MK4 tube tester OH well.
 
I know Plex , ya preaching to the choir. The 300B is very pricey, I thought Quads w/GEC KT66's couldn't get any better but the 300B's were over the top, and they last forever too. I have a few old 50's HiFi amps and right now and presently I'm playing the Leaks! It think the tube hifi units sound much better than most SS stuff they sell now lest you spend big bucks. Ken had spoken many times about how tone deaf many he came in contact with actually were. Said some of the greatest players he's heard were tone deaf regardless of their talent or fame! The best I could do is an AVO 160 ... but I wanted the MK4 badly. To me it was amazing I could test tubes with real use voltages and with it know everything possible about the tube being tested. avo2.jpg


The old tubes were made with so much pride I feel that most didn't need to be matched since they were made to tighter tolerances when American and British manufacturing was the best in the world! Well except for the Lucas wiring the British put in a few Jaguar XKE's that I had in my 20's … that sucked and still does.
 
ivan H said:
Spelt Wagga Wagga, but pronounced Wogga Wogga. It's in South eastern(ish) New South Wales. Most Aussies from other states have probably never heard of it either, I've heard some weird pronunciations of it.
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Our old vocalist left because his girlfriend got a post-doc in Wagga Wagga. The place made the news recently due to panic buying of ‘personal lubricant’ during this corona virus shut down.
 
Vox AC30 said:
I have a few old 50's HiFi amps and right now and presently I'm playing the Leaks!
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The Leak "point one" series are great sounding ultra linear amps. Several years ago I had my Leak Stereo 60 amplifier & Varislope 2 pre amp stolen when I was burgled. While the stereo 60 isn't the best Leak design (low end response isn't the best when pushed hard), I'm still pissed at loosing it. Damn thieves most likely didn't even know what they had. I'd like to someday get another, but units in even ok condition are getting expensive. Here's a couple of pics (taken from online) for those who haven't seen an example of these 60's era British audio amplifiers. Stereo 60 amplifier15855206779954553072868625738622.png
Varislope pre amp
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Speaking of old British & USA made tubes, no current product types come even close to being in the league of the British made EF86's that the varislope 2 pre amp was loaded with. Cheers
 
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