Art Tube MP sounds dull?

[jelly]

I'm using Art Tube MP with SM58 and try it with Rode NT-1 for a little bit. I think the sounds coming out it dull, I'm not sure if it's the cause of Art Tube MP or not. How can I make sure of that? And is it possible for the MP to act that way?

[Blue Bear Sound]

Run 1 channel of say, a cd player thru the ART pre, and run the other cd player channel directly to your board. If the signal thru the ART sounds very different or obviously duller than the direct signal, then it does point to a problem with the unit.

My guess however, is that mic placement mught be more of a factor than an equipment problem.

[Dom Franco]

I love my ART Tube MP, but I have wondered if the tube will deteriorate over time. I grew up in the gereration that saw the invention of transistors as a blessing.

No more carrying your fragile old tubes down to the Rexall drug store to test them on the big Tube tester. No more waiting for your car radio to warm up.

Oh but now that we love the tube sound for guitars, and for warming up digital recordings; Will those big robotic tube testers make a come back in your local music store?

*Have any of you had to replace a tube in your ART Tube MP?

*How do you know if it is going bad?

*Where do I buy a replacement tube?


Dom Franco

[Dolemite]

See Slack's recent thread in the mic forum, ART Tube MP...consider a tube change. He replaced the stock chinese tube with a Groove Tubes 12AX7A. After the "tube job" Slack said of his Tube MP, "Much more usable gain and the hollow tin can sound seems to be gone." Check the thread for online retailes who sell tubes. Also, I've found that even Musician's Friend [enemy] has a decent selection of tubes at a good price.

Good luck and if you do happen to slap a new tube in there, let us know how it goes!

[regebro]

My Tube MP sounded dull out of the box, so I guess thats just the way they are. It's useful sometimes. Many people recording digital seem to like it that way.

[tlsound]

I had the same problem with my ART and I replaced the 12AX7 tube with an ECC83 out of a mesa boogie and know I get a killer warm tone.

[jelly]

But for me it's too dull, it's like a radio broadcast. I'm still not so sure that it come from the amp or the mic. Have to test it again..

[Hard2Hear]

I actually have one of those tube tester things at me house, about the size of a small suitcase. I wonder if its worth anything to anybody. I know it still works.

Hmmmmmmmmmm

just thinking out loud

H2H

[sjoko2]

anyone considered that it sounds dull because it is not a very good preamp? Because perhaps it is not possible to make one for that amount of money and fill it with good components to boot?

[Dom Franco]

Just purchased a new 12AX7 and I haven't had a chance to install it in the Tube MP, but I will replace the tube and report my results here soon. I am just "warming up" to the Idea of taking the thing apart.

Dom Franco

[Slackmaster2K]

Note that the tube in the MP isn't where the amplification is coming from. It's a solid state preamp that mixes some tube overdrive in for effect (or marketability?). In my case, the tube was producing some yucky sounds, and the more I would turn up, the worse it would sound. After replacing the tube, the weird sound was gone and I could use the ART to its full potential.

Unfortunately, I don't think it sounds that great now that it sounds good...but I don't know yet because it's really the only preamp I've used. It just seems to produce muddy results with all my mics...I guess that's warmth or something.

A new pre is in my near future...something a bit cleaner. If things still sound muddy, then I guess it's my ears

Dom, replacing the tube is simple and takes about 5 minutes. However, be VERY careful when lifting the cover off the MP. The cover contains the gain pots & switches, and they're connected via an all too short ribbon cable. Unfortunately, the tube is mounted horizontally on the same side of the unit as the ribbon cable, so you have to kind of open it up like a "V" just until you've got enough room to yank the tube out (rocking with a side to side motion helped)

Slackmaster 2000

[Tekker]

Originally posted by Slackmaster2K
Note that the tube in the MP isn't where the amplification is coming from. It's a solid state preamp that mixes some tube overdrive in for effect (or marketability?).

Have you tried it without the tube all together? If so, how does it sound? You could then go from solid state pre to tube pre and get lots of variety. Or maybe I'm just being stupid (I tend to do that sometimes).



-tkr

[MrLip]

Hi Jelly,

Did you buy your Rode in Bangkok? How much was it?

[jelly]

mrLip, I didn't buy Rode NT-1 in Thailand. I bid it from ebay :-) I'm not sure how much was it. I guess around $170. But I still havn't try it really..

[Tekker]

Can anyone answer my (stupid) question above?

Just kinda curious as to how it sounds without the tube in it, and if it would be usable as a tube "and" a solid state pre.

-tkr

[MrLip]

and when you shipped to Bangkok you didn't have to pay any tax?

[Slackmaster2K]

Tekker, the tube is fully integrated, and I doubt that the unit would work without it.

...it might even prove dangerous to try...

Slackmaster 2000

[Cave Dweller]

SJOKO!!! i think i would be interested in the tube tester!!! please email me cavedweller@homerecording.net

[Ham On Rye]

it is great for direct bass, for vocals it is very rudimentary.. i havea tube pac, basically the levelar and tube mp in one... and it does me no good on vox.... but i get loud.. so if you sing quiet your fine.

[sjoko2]

Cave .... I think you need to talk to Hard2Hear.........

[Cave Dweller]

sorry!!!
Hard2Hear!!! i would be interested in your tube checker!!!

[Dom Franco]

I installed the new tube (12AX7 Groove tubes) in the Tube MP
and it did make a difference! I am not sure that I like it better, but it seems to go into overdrive and distortion sooner.

The old tube was cleaner, and I found out that there are several different types of 12AX7's. Some have larger grid elements and hence different saturation levels.... all very technical stuff.

I like the new tube's sound for bass and guitars, but I will have to switch back to the old one if I want to use the Tube MP for vocals.

It's been an education, and I may have to buy another 12AX7 to test out!

Sincerely;

Dom Franco

[sjoko2]

LOL - I went back and tried another one, just 'coz you said they were ok - started doubting my previous findings.
I REALLY don't think anything of them, and to make it all worse they present it as a tube pre - it is not. The tube is just there to introduce some "tube sound", it is not really part of the preamp.
Con job - just like their converter claims.

Oh Ed? those links don't work

[sjoko2]

Technology doesn't like me (tried them- they still don't work-for me)

Keep them all, I just need some 528's, Grace's, and the big black box I can cook lunch on..............

[Tekker]

WOW!! Hey Ed I'd love to hear what you used on those guitars (mic & pre) on the first song (I didn't download the second one, do to my incredibly slow puter), man they sounded awesome. The vocals need a little work, but then again you were using a $99 pre.

-tkr