HT-40 Clean Channel Tube Shootout

Discussion - HT Venue amplifiers. Inspiration from Studio to Stage.
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darthchadius
Posts: 27
Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2015 7:40 am
Location: BC, Canada

Tue Dec 29, 2015 3:11 am

Here is one more "which preamp tube sounds better better" discussion. I had some free time over the holidays to try a few different tubes in the clean channel. I took some audio samples from the line out on the amp so I could do a better comparison with fresh ears later on. And... I thought I would share :)

I have samples of both the clean class A/B voicing and the crunch class A voicing.

The tubes:
The stock Sovtek 12AX7WA vs. JJ ECC83-S, Tung-Sol 12AX7, JJ ECC81

I am not sure the differences come through as clearly in the audio as they did coming through my cab (Trayner TYCS412A2 - it has Vintage 30's in it). That and me not being able to play the exact same way every time adds to the wonder of which sounds best.

I settled on the Tung-Sol for now but may give the JJ ECC83-S another try later on.

The links to the audio file are below (I hope they work): They are recorded from the amps line out, no processing or effects used. Tracks have been normalized though.

Blackstar HT Club 40 clean channel class A/B (clean) voice setting.
Amp volume at 1 o'clock, tone at 2 o'clock.
Guitar pickup: Seymour Duncan JB SH-4, Guitar volume at 6, Guitar tone at 10
https://soundcloud.com/darthchadius/cleanmixmono
Tube sound sample order Sovtek 12AX7WA (stock), JJ ECC83-S, Tung-Sol 12AX7, JJ ECC81
https://soundcloud.com/darthchadius/cleanmixstereo
Tube sound sample order Sovtek 12AX7WA (stock) on the left as reference for the rest on the right, JJ ECC83-S, Tung-Sol 12AX7, JJ ECC81

Blackstar HT Club 40 clean channel class A (crunch) voice setting.
Amp volume at 1 o'clock, tone at 2 o'clock.
Guitar pickup: Seymour Duncan JB SH-4, Guitar volume at 10, Guitar tone at 10
https://soundcloud.com/darthchadius/crunchmixnormmono
Tube sound sample order Sovtek 12AX7WA (stock), JJ ECC83-S, Tung-Sol 12AX7, JJ ECC81
https://soundcloud.com/darthchadius/crunchmixnormstereo
Tube sound sample order Sovtek 12AX7WA (stock) on the left as a reference and the rest on the right, JJ ECC83-S, Tung-Sol 12AX7, JJ ECC81. Then the JJ ECC83-S on the left and the Tung-Sol 12AX7 on the right

darthchadius
Posts: 27
Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2015 7:40 am
Location: BC, Canada

Fri Jan 15, 2016 2:25 am

Ok, I switched to the JJ ECC83-S for the clean preamp tube. It just has something the Tung-Sol doesn't. I was't happy with the sound from the Tung-Sol with lower output pickups. Now I am loving the JJ with the high and lower output pups :D

I went back and played though the stock 70/80 speaker and it sounded great with that too.

nick_s
Posts: 18
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2016 3:56 pm
Location: Stoke

Fri Jan 15, 2016 9:23 am

Some really nice tones there, especially in stereo versions 8-)

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