Dual Rec: TAD 6L6 vs JJ's?

[tomprs]

I'm about to change the powertubes in my dual recto and I wanted to hear a bit more about these two brands before buying I mostly play heavy dropped C stuffs ala A Day to Remember etc...and I boost my signal with a Maxon OD808. I REALLY want to avoid the shrill highs I've been fighting against since I bought my dual rec. It's been three years now that I'm satisfied with my sound (5881 powertubes, Mesa traditional 4x12 cab) but I would like maybe a bit more of low end-punch-oomph than what the 5881 give me. I'm also not looking for the most agressive combination. I like to have a fat-warm sound that I can boost with a pedal to go over the top.

Thanks for your advice!

Tom.

 

[DR5Guy]

As far as I know the TAD are selected tubes made in China; JJ's are made in Slovakia. I have used Chinese tubes before (but not TAD); the JJ's are smoother/less harsh in my limited experience.

 

[Shemham]

As far as I know, TAD offers relabeled Svetlana Winged C tubes in addition to some other RCA 6L6 based model.

Winged C tubes are quite bright, articulate and very lively in mids. Compared to 5881 I think they'd be more aggressive and brighter. I don't have any experience with the RCA based tubes, but TAD seems to compare them to Mesa 6L6GC-STR415.

In my view, JJ's 6L6GC are tonally quite close to Winged C, but a little less aggressive and less complex/lively.

You could also give a try to TungSol re-issues 6L6GC STR. They could be right up your alley as they're little darker than the above mentioned models with a tad earlier break up.

 

[nismofreakish]

I tried both in my Roadster.

I replaced the stock Mesa 6L6 by Rubys 6L6 and they seem pretty familiar, if not identical, sounded fine.

I tried a quad of TAD 6L6 and hated them because they sounded really too marshally for my tastes, I mean, too smooth and not agressive enough, too "polished", but kinda the perfect tone for punk rock, if you will.

Finally, I bought a quad of 6L6 JJs and they are those I like the most, articulate and agressive, but according to the reviews I read, their lifetime is shorter.

Hope this could help!