List your Recto's preamp tubes please :)

My Recto came with a Mesa JJ in V1 and Mesa EH's in the rest of the spots.
I tried a Tungsol in V1 and didn't like the amps resulting treble freq. It became a little too thin and buzzy. I changed it for an EH Gold pin in V1 and put the Tungsol in V2 and the buzzy, fizzy treble was reduced.

I know lots of players love the Tungsol in V1 but it just didn't jive with my amp. The JJ sounded nice in V1 but was way too dark in V2.
I'm interested in seeing what mix you guys are going with in your Rectos and the results you're hearing.

Currently my amp has:
V1 - EH Gold pin
V2 - Tungsol
V3 - TAD (JJ)
V4 - Mesa R2 (EH)
V5 - Mesa (JJ)

V1 - EH Gold Pin
V2 - Mesa ECC83 Chinese (1990's)
V3 - Mesa ECC83 Chinese (1990's)
V4 - Shuguang
V5 - Mesa 12ax7-a (NOS)

In my Roaster

V1-Tungsol 12AX7
Everything else is stock. Sounds pretty good to me. But me, being the gear ***** I am, have temptations to buy some new tubes to experiment...

It sounds good, so I better just leave it, or else I'll get sucked into a never ending tube experimentation and spend more time trying to achieve perfect tone rather than playing :lol:

^That's exactly what I did with my previous Roadster, and it was GOLDEN...don't change it!

V1, RFT
V2 -V4, 9th gen chinese, chosen for low noise
V5 JJ ECC803S

Which tubes did you find worked best and worst, and in what spots?
I'm finding a certain tube in a certain spot will make the amp sound bland. Then the same tube in the next spot will really shine. The Recto preamp is proving to be very susceptible to tube changes.

Stock is not always best. So if you haven't experimented yet think about starting. Gain can get clearer, smoother, hotter or colder. The dynamics can increase and the overall "feel" of the amp can improve. All from a couple of preamp tube swaps.

VanWreckto said:

The Recto preamp is proving to be very susceptible to tube changes.

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In my old 3 Channel Recto, I could change out a tube with the same make and gain rating and it would sound like a totally different tube.

I use to run all EHX pre's in my old 3 channel dual. It's a nice, well balanced linear tube. Went to JJ's after that and like those as well but I remeber going back to the Electro Harmonix in a few spots. I tried the whole Tung-Sol thing as well and I didn't care for it much either. It was way to thin and overly treble sounding. I like big, round, warm sounding cleans with just enough clarity on the high end to cut through. The chinese offerings sometimes sound great in V1

I just accquired a mint condition 91' Tremoverb head. It cam with all stock Mesa preamps but was wonderin what works good on these particular amps orshould I approach it the same way as a dual rectifier???

The combo I listed above works very well in the older Rectos for 2 reasons: Clarity and low end.

EH Gold Pin in V1 and since you probably dont have a pile of old Mesa Chinese 12ax7's, the RUBY 12AX7 AC5 High Grade + is very close sonically and highly recommend them for all of the positions except for V1.

That combo will give you a nice tight low end and a nice attack when you hit the strings.

When I had my 2 channel Dual, this was my setup:

V1 - 60's Mullard (don't remember the year)
V2 - NOS 60's RCA
V3 - JJ
V4 - JJ
V5 - Sovtek LPS

I'd ran through all kinds of tubes, and liked this setup the best.

In my Roadster:
V1 = Mullard 12AX7
V2 = RFT 12AX7
V3 = GE 12AX7A Longplate
V4 = Mullard CV-4024
V5 = RCA 12AX7A Longplate
V6 = Mullard CV-4024

Dom

My Tverb currently....

V1 - mullard RI
LPS in the rest.

My fav for the Tverb to date

V1 GE Sylvania
V2 Mullard
V3 Amperex
V4 Mullard
V5 JAN Sylvania

Tubes in my Rev G Triple:

V1: EH Gold Pin 12AX7
V2: J.J Gold Pin ECC83
V3: Shuguang 12AX7 B
V4: Shuguang 12AX7 B
V5: J.J Gold Pin ECC83

This is a great post BTW.

V1 Tungsol
V2 EH
V3 Shuguang A
V4 Shuguang A
V5 Sovtek WB

I have all EH Gold Pin 12ax7's. If I had to replace one, I would pop in another EH 12ax7. Gold Pin or regular. I find that these tubes sound great in all my amps.

fluff191 said:

V1 - EH Gold Pin
V2 - Mesa ECC83 Chinese (1990's)
V3 - Mesa ECC83 Chinese (1990's)
V4 - Shuguang
V5 - Mesa 12ax7-a (NOS)

Click to expand...

Fluff - Which power tubes are you running with this combo? Are you still running the TAD WGC short bottle 6L6s per your post last fall?

Gtr_Pkr said:

I have all EH Gold Pin 12ax7's. If I had to replace one, I would pop in another EH 12ax7. Gold Pin or regular. I find that these tubes sound great in all my amps.

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As I mentioned with Fluff before..

THIS is the Rectifier win. Hands down.


One.

V1 Tungsol
V2 JJ
V3 JJ
V4 JJ
V5 Sovtek LPS

V1 Sovatek 12AX7WB
V2 JAN Phillips NOS 12AT7 1986
V3 JAN Phillips NOS 12AT7 1986
V4 Mesa stock 12AX7
V5 Mesa stock 12AX7

The 12AT7 provide for very creamy cleans. The overdrive is still very crunchy.

Matched GT 6L6 GE large bottle power tubes. Also, have a set of matched Electro-Harmonix EL34s I like to swap in when I want more of a British tone.