Members Still.ill Posted January 10, 2011 Members Share Posted January 10, 2011 so i've had an xd for about 2 years and recently it will occasionally have a slight volume drop.... so what are good tubes for the XD? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wyatt Posted January 10, 2011 Members Share Posted January 10, 2011 I believe the stock Fender/Groove Tubes 6V6GT is still the horrid Sovtek 6V6GT. A crappy sounding tube that is ...well...looking for an antonym for robust, I found "infirmed" which is as good a word as any. The two best choices for modern production 6V6GT's is the Tung Sol 6V6GT and the JJ 6V6GT. The JJ 6V6GT is actually sort of a small bottle 6L6GC/6V6GT hybrid, people love them because they are a little higher output and can handle 6L6GC-style plate voltages, but they have the 6L6GC's "midrange kink" (scooped mids), so they sound a little different. That leaves the Tung Sol as the only true modern 6V6GT option (the 6V6EH is ok, better than the Sovtek, but pales in comparison to the Tung Sol). The SCXD is adjustable fixed biased. And I bet it was biased cold at the factory to save those Sovteks. So, I would seriously consider biasing or having the amp properly biased with new power tubes. The 12AX7 uses one triode as a post-preamp driver (preamp is all digital and solid-state) and the other triode as the Phase Inverter. The Tung Sol 12AX7 may be a good one, but everyone seems to have a favorite 12AX7. For those interested in biasing the Super Champ XD, while looking for a pick of the bias trim pot, I found this...http://axaholics.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=104 To sum up...I suggest the Tung Sol 6V6Gt's, Tung Sol 12AX7 and biasing to roughly 40mV, but I don't believe in hard numbers on bias, it can be tweaked by ear from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hecticone Posted January 10, 2011 Members Share Posted January 10, 2011 I used the tongsul and mullards for the 12 ax7 sounds great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BAXANDALL Posted January 10, 2011 Members Share Posted January 10, 2011 For my 6V6 amps I've been using the new generation of Tung Sol. They have been great and reliable. For the 12AX7 I'd recommend going to Thetubestore.com and getting one of their Preferred Series 12AX7 tubes. It will be like taking cotton out of your ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Meowy Posted January 11, 2011 Members Share Posted January 11, 2011 I still have the stock powertubes, but I have had great results with NOS RCA, Raytheon, Sylvania and JJ ECC83 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cratz2 Posted January 11, 2011 Members Share Posted January 11, 2011 I've not swapped tubes in the SCXD, but in my 5E3 clone, I'd have to say the new production Tung Sols are pretty damn impressive. I've used Sovteks, JJs and Phillips and RCA old stock tubes (not NOS, but OS) and I prefer the Tung Sols. Also changed out the stock tubes for some JJs in my DRRI. Can't say if it sounded better or worse, but it sounded bigger with the JJs and more at ease. Probably not what folks that want to have the power tubes cooking would be after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Still.ill Posted January 11, 2011 Author Members Share Posted January 11, 2011 I still have the stock powertubes, but I have had great results with NOS RCA, Raytheon, Sylvania and JJ ECC83 is that the first tube i should switch (the 12ax7) if the amp starts acting up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaleH Posted January 11, 2011 Members Share Posted January 11, 2011 is that the first tube i should switch (the 12ax7) if the amp starts acting up? It's the cheapest so ya that's where I would start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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