Members xfactor27 Posted June 13, 2009 Members Share Posted June 13, 2009 Mornin' All.... Trying to find people to give their thoughts/ opinions on this brand of tubes. The JJ 12ax7 I'm currently using in my Hot Rod are OK, but am looking for a better performer as these can be dark and muddy depending on what music I'm playing and the pedal I'm using. Especially have a terrible "mud" sound with my Russian Big Muff. So.....was thinking about giving these a try with some Sovtek 6l6 wxt that I've been able to locate. Anyone use the Rubies before??? What should I expect tone wise and are they a reliable decent lasting tube??? Any insight would be appreciated.Take 'er easy and thnx.DJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members colejustesen Posted June 13, 2009 Members Share Posted June 13, 2009 DJ, They are re-branded Chinese tubes that sound really good. I have two in my DSL right now along with two Tung-Sol Reissues. I have it set up Ruby, Tung, Ruby, Tung and it sounds really good. The Tung-Sol have a nice top end that can be too sizzling for some, the Ruby tubes that I have a nice low end that isn't too muddy like the JJs are known for. I know the JJ tubes work well in Peavey amps, since the dullness of the JJs counteract the harsher sound of those amps (or so I have heard). I honestly don't know if I like the Rubys over the Tung-Sols, but they both sound good to me and blend well with one another in my DSL. Cole Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sinnerx96 Posted June 13, 2009 Members Share Posted June 13, 2009 http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/yea.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Slunderfungus Posted June 13, 2009 Members Share Posted June 13, 2009 I've been having a lot of luck with Electro Harmonics in my amps. nice and warm and articultae. They are fairly high gain but not fizzy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Giga Posted June 13, 2009 Members Share Posted June 13, 2009 Make sure you know what you get before ordering; I ordered a few of their ultra, extra, super blah blah 12AX7's thinking I was going to get Chinese tubes. It turned out they were HG JJ's.... Not that there is anything wrong with them but only as a heads up for ya. Giga. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BluesMan60 Posted June 13, 2009 Members Share Posted June 13, 2009 Ruby, like Groove Tubes, doesn't make tubes. They buy from the few manufacturers today, test them, label them, and sell them. Each tube has an alphabetic suffix which denotes what country the tube is from. R=Russia=Sovtek or Svetlana, C=China, CZ= Czech Republic, etc. Mike K KCA NOS and New Production Tubes www.kcanostubes.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Les-Zombie Posted June 13, 2009 Members Share Posted June 13, 2009 I love chinese pre tubes, i have alot of pre tubes but i always seem to use the c9. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members monto Posted June 13, 2009 Members Share Posted June 13, 2009 get tungsol. tungsol. tungsol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members solarburn Posted June 13, 2009 Members Share Posted June 13, 2009 Get the 9th generation Chinese. Ac5's sound good too. Doug's has them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ChristianRock Posted June 13, 2009 Members Share Posted June 13, 2009 I have Rubys on my Triamp and they sound absolutely brilliant.I also have them on one of my VL1002s and they don't sound good at all - too harsh. My other VL1002 has Groove Tubes (Russian) and it sounds a lot better.You'll have to experiment... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stephan1980 Posted June 13, 2009 Members Share Posted June 13, 2009 Yeah Ruby 12ax7R are good... so are the new Tung Sols and Electroharmonix... I agree, the JJs sound muddy and I find very inconsistent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members getglockd Posted June 13, 2009 Members Share Posted June 13, 2009 i have rubys in my thermion(from the factory) the effect loop tube is insanely noisy. i bought a couple JJs to swap them out with just to see what's up. i'm gunna try tung sols next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ed Storer Posted June 22, 2009 Members Share Posted June 22, 2009 I just picked up a new boutique amp (Anderson Amplifiers) with specifications similar to a Princeton Reverb (1 channel with 2x6V6 power tubes). The builder installed Ruby 12AX7's in all of the preamp tubes except the reverb driver (NOS 12AT7). The amp sounds wonderful - very musical with breakup at just past mid-volume. I'm delighted with the sound. I've got an Allen Amps Sweet Spot that I assembled myself - again, similar to a Princeton Reverb. David Allen supplied Tung Sol 12AX7 reissues for all 4 preamp tubes. I replaced the reverb driver with a JAN-Phillips 12AT7 because I felt that the reverb was ringing a little too much. This little amp is a bit on the rowdy side - still sounds great, but not as smooth as the Anderson. Perfect for Redneck Rock or Texas Blues. Then there's the Deluxe Reverb RI with stock Fender-branded Groove Tubes 12AX7's (Sovtek 7025). It sounds exactly like a Deluxe Reverb should. Not as smooth as the Anderson, but not as rowdy as the Sweet Spot. Baby Bear's porridge. All 3 of these amps are running JJ 6V6 power tubes with various rectifiers. I have a 69 Super Reverb running EH 12AX7's in the preamp (V1, V2) positions and various new and vintage tubes in the rest of the preamp section. It sounds great as well, but comparing a Super Reverb to a Princeton or a Deluxe isn't a realistic comparison. I tried a (pre-Fender)Groove Tubes set of 7025's and 12AX7's (following the amp's tube chart) and threw the 7025's away because they were incredibly microphonic. There you are. No conclusion. It's a matter of how your amp is set up, its tone stack, and what you want to hear. I think the Fender Groove Tubes 12AX7 is a safe bet, but you and your amp may want a different flavor. I think the EH 12AX7 is another "middle of the road" selection. If you want a little more "in your face" sound, the Tung-Sols have the gain. If you've already got more "face" then you want, then you'll probably find that the Ruby's sweeten the amp a little. Power tubes make a significant difference as well and you will find opinions all over the map. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarman967 Posted June 22, 2009 Members Share Posted June 22, 2009 I've tried most tube brands in my Soldano Hot Rod 100+ and the JJ's sound the best actually.The Chinese didnt work that well at all to my surprise. The Russian Sovtek or Electro Harmonix are a better choice if you're looking for a different tone that isnt as rounded or "muddy" as you say.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.