Favorite Preamp tube?

[kojdogg]

any NOS telefunken, or an RCA

anything you purchase now is either chinese or russian AFAIK

i don't know that i'd put a $75 tube in a $120 preamp.

yeah most stuff is chinese or russian, but the jj tubes are made in yugoslavia and are quite good for the money. ei supposedly bought up telefunken's old equipment to start their line, though i don't think they are made anymore.

there are lots of slightly cheaper alternatives to tele's-- including amperex, adzam, mazda, valvo, bugle boy (might be more expensive actually), etc.

 

[travelin travis]

why can't someone make killer tubes today? what the hell is the dill man?

 

[hungovermorning]

why can't someone make killer tubes today? what the hell is the dill man?

Actually the EI 12ax7s are wonderful, they are as close to Telefunkens as you can get new.
Also, there's really no harm in swapping around preamp tubes even in a cheap toob preamp, worst comes to worst, you yank teh tube when you sell it and put it in a better pre.

 

[kojdogg]

Actually the EI 12ax7s are wonderful, they are as close to Telefunkens as you can get new.
Also, there's really no harm in swapping around preamp tubes even in a cheap toob preamp, worst comes to worst, you yank teh tube when you sell it and put it in a better pre.

hey hungovermorning-- do you happen to know the difference between the ei elites and the regular ei's?

 

[jmorris]

There's a big range. Tube preamps run from about $400 to $1,800 per channel, depending on brand, features, etc. Tube mics run from $250 or so to over $5,000. I'm not including vintage gear in these ranges.

In reality those prices are for some vintage items all day long. V72 preamp 750.00 bucks unracked, U67 4000.00,tube mic. For 1800 bucks I can get a pair of V72 's racked from Vintage King almost.

 

[jmorris]

Thinking about buying one of those studio projects VTB1 preamps and I wanna swap the stock tube with something... Looking for suggestions. It's a 12ax7 tube...

I would try it beforing swaping the tube first. See what it can do. Why assume it needs to be changed? Maybe it will fit your needs.

 

[hungovermorning]

hey hungovermorning-- do you happen to know the difference between the ei elites and the regular ei's?

None first-hand, but if I had to bet they'd be like Sylvania JANs vs regular old yellow labeled guys. Lower noise, but more importantly, probably an extremely low failure rate especially due to microphonics. If the difference was only a coupla bucks a tube, I'd go for it.

 

[kojdogg]

thanks man. i got a ei elite gold 12ax7 for a valve junior, which i promptly sold (the combo), and then got a carvin vintage16, so i got some jj 12ax7's and el84's for that. i might want to get another valve junior soon though (the head this time), and i am seeing deals on the ei 12ax7's-- both the elites (not the gold pins) and the regs and i'm just kind of wondering what the difference is.

 

[junplugged]

i have a berry tube ultra-q para eq that has tube dial-in. that's the most dial-in tube i've ever heard on anything, probably also low voltage, but i don't use it much, i'ts a sizzle that i just don't have a need for, it's weird....

 

[Mountainmirrors]

I tried two different Mullards and a JJ gold pin in my Sebatron VMP-1000e. And I actually prefer the JJ gold pin at the moment. Would love to try a Telefunken, though.