Members strtdv Posted August 31, 2008 Members Share Posted August 31, 2008 I've tried out a Mullard in a Laney LC15, and it sounded really great, but I agree that it would probably sound too warm in a 2x12 (the Laney is a 1x10). I'd quite like to try out a cryo Harma tube in V1 of my amp. I hear they're very good indeed, and I could completely retube my amp with them for the cost of a couple of mullard 12ax7's.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members melx Posted August 31, 2008 Members Share Posted August 31, 2008 I've tried out a Mullard in a Laney LC15, and it sounded really great, but I agree that it would probably sound too warm in a 2x12 (the Laney is a 1x10).I'd quite like to try out a cryo Harma tube in V1 of my amp. I hear they're very good indeed, and I could completely retube my amp with them for the cost of a couple of mullard 12ax7's.. Harma's are fantastic, at the moment I have a quad of Harma el84L's in my power stage, a Harma in V1, EHX in V2 (I like it's gain sound) and a Harma cryo in v3....the cryo seemed to work best here, I dunno why but it made everything sound really sweet as a phase inverter...all the harma's are amazing sounding tubes, I'd recommend them big time. (laney VC30 btw) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hecticone Posted August 31, 2008 Members Share Posted August 31, 2008 Aren't harmas just relabeled teslas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members drasp Posted August 31, 2008 Members Share Posted August 31, 2008 Aren't harmas just relabeled teslas? They're relabled various brands, EH, Sovtek, JJs, etc. No changes are made to the tubes except labeling and price, of course. They've gone through Watford's testing & if you pay them even more, have been freeze dried. If NOS seems like silly B.S. to you, then cryo treatment should have you rolling on the floor laughing. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hanglow Posted August 31, 2008 Members Share Posted August 31, 2008 You have to pick and choose. There are plenty of good new production tubes, but you have to be selective. Same with NOS, some might sound like arse depending on your amp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members echodeluxe Posted August 31, 2008 Members Share Posted August 31, 2008 nos tubes are in short supply. and yeah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HeartfeltDawn Posted August 31, 2008 Members Share Posted August 31, 2008 They're relabled various brands, EH, Sovtek, JJs, etc. No changes are made to the tubes except labeling and price, of course. They've gone through Watford's testing & if you pay them even more, have been freeze dried. If NOS seems like silly B.S. to you, then cryo treatment should have you rolling on the floor laughing. . . Have you tried the cryo versions against the non-cryo versions? Any sound difference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members melx Posted August 31, 2008 Members Share Posted August 31, 2008 They're relabled various brands, EH, Sovtek, JJs, etc. No changes are made to the tubes except labeling and price, of course. They've gone through Watford's testing & if you pay them even more, have been freeze dried. If NOS seems like silly B.S. to you, then cryo treatment should have you rolling on the floor laughing. . . That's like saying tung-sol's are re-branded ehx because they are made in the same factory isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members melx Posted August 31, 2008 Members Share Posted August 31, 2008 Have you tried the cryo versions against the non-cryo versions? Any sound difference? I only have one cryo and if I change it's position it changes the sound of my amp, I know that....I didn't like it in V2 at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members echodeluxe Posted August 31, 2008 Members Share Posted August 31, 2008 im sure theres a difference because its a different tube and no two tubes are gonna sound exactly the same. does cry treatment makle a tube sound better? no. why would tempering a tube make it sound good? tubes sound good when they are hot!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HeartfeltDawn Posted August 31, 2008 Members Share Posted August 31, 2008 No tubes will sound the same but there is a difference between the stock Harmas and cryo Harmas that is pretty distinct. I'm not saying I believe the 'science' behind it as babbled on the Watford Valves website but hearing these valves versus conventional valves in a guitar amp and on some valve-powered amplifiers for CD and vinyl playing, you can hear a difference. Like Melx, I prefer the stock Harmas for guitar amp use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members drasp Posted September 1, 2008 Members Share Posted September 1, 2008 All I can say as an uneducated hobbiest is that I haven't seen anyone able to show any real difference in the cryo vs. non-cryo tubes. Someone a while back @ Plexi Palace did some scientific testing of cryo valves and wasn't able to find any difference. On top of that, the whole reasoning behind the thing is bunk on anything that is going to be heat cycled, like a tube. IF you feel that there is a difference between cryo and non-cryo tubes, then it may be worth the $$$ to you as the difference is not huge. For me, I feel it's sillyness and I'm actually quite prone to these sorts of things (I use nice cable, nice valves, boutique gear, cloth covered wire in some of my guitars, etc.) As far as the "Harma" branding, it's actually quite different than just two tubes made in the same place. My understanding is that they're actually just selling you off-the-shelf tubes from a variety of other manufacturers. No values, parts, manufacturing or anything else is different at all. They buy the JJ, put a sticker on it, and sell it to you for more than anyone else would sell a JJ, or EHX, etc. I do not claim to any kind of tube expert, and if I've got this wrong, please, someone correct me. This is simply my understanding from reading a number of guitar nerd forums regularly. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tinwhisker Posted September 1, 2008 Members Share Posted September 1, 2008 Blackburn...they're not for everybody. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members melx Posted September 1, 2008 Members Share Posted September 1, 2008 All I can say as an uneducated hobbiest is that I haven't seen anyone able to show any real difference in the cryo vs. non-cryo tubes. Someone a while back @ Plexi Palace did some scientific testing of cryo valves and wasn't able to find any difference. On top of that, the whole reasoning behind the thing is bunk on anything that is going to be heat cycled, like a tube. IF you feel that there is a difference between cryo and non-cryo tubes, then it may be worth the $$$ to you as the difference is not huge. For me, I feel it's sillyness and I'm actually quite prone to these sorts of things (I use nice cable, nice valves, boutique gear, cloth covered wire in some of my guitars, etc.) As far as the "Harma" branding, it's actually quite different than just two tubes made in the same place. My understanding is that they're actually just selling you off-the-shelf tubes from a variety of other manufacturers. No values, parts, manufacturing or anything else is different at all. They buy the JJ, put a sticker on it, and sell it to you for more than anyone else would sell a JJ, or EHX, etc. I do not claim to any kind of tube expert, and if I've got this wrong, please, someone correct me. This is simply my understanding from reading a number of guitar nerd forums regularly. . . ok, firstly I don't think cryo is worth anything extra, I picked the cryo one up cheap, I wouldn't buy them normally. I have no reason to say it sounds different if it didn't and I wouldn't say they sounded better than stock. well there is no sticker they are printed glass, but whatever, the Harma's I have certainly aren't JJ's or EHX, the filament doesn't look anything like them and they don't sound like them either.... but I'd like to know what they are because they sound great....actually the Valves I bought weren't anymore expensive than most other brands, the Harma ECC83STR's I have in my pre-amp are Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sgt mukuzi Posted September 1, 2008 Members Share Posted September 1, 2008 matched ay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cubistguitar Posted September 1, 2008 Members Share Posted September 1, 2008 Thank god I discovered NOS. It has taken a great amp and helped make it sick! I will never buy new again if I can find a quality NOS replacement. Not all the tubes out there are worth the trouble, but when you find the right combination of tube to amp Whew is it good. I don't really know how this applies to a complex circuit, as I own a couple of simple amp designs that really show off the tubes characteristics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members drasp Posted September 1, 2008 Members Share Posted September 1, 2008 IIRC all the 'STR' Harma valves are JJs. Not trying to cast any doubt on you MelX, just posting what I'd read/heard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hecticone Posted September 1, 2008 Members Share Posted September 1, 2008 ok, firstly I don't think cryo is worth anything extra, I picked the cryo one up cheap, I wouldn't buy them normally. I have no reason to say it sounds different if it didn't and I wouldn't say they sounded better than stock. well there is no sticker they are printed glass, but whatever, the Harma's I have certainly aren't JJ's or EHX, the filament doesn't look anything like them and they don't sound like them either.... but I'd like to know what they are because they sound great....actually the Valves I bought weren't anymore expensive than most other brands, the Harma ECC83STR's I have in my pre-amp are Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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