Mini Rec tube replacement, do i need a certain range?

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Nick79

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Hi guys, i'm going to replace the el34's in my Mini Rec, they are the ones it left the factory with back in 2012 and i've been cranking the thing in the 6 months i've had it.

I've heard that JJ's work pretty well in these, i know Boogies are fixed bias, i need a matched pair etc etc, but do i need to get some within a certain range? If so does anyone know what that range is?
I could go for Boogie branded tubes but they are twice the price and if JJ's work well it makes sense.
Thanks
 
What kind of tubes will you be replacing? I've had mixed results with JJ Tubes.

My experience has always been that you get what you pay for. The pins on JJ power tubes seem to be made of not the best metal, and the plating comes right off, way too easily. Their preamp tubes are rugged but not as harmonically rich as some others.

Sadly I didn't stock up on SED (St Petersburg Svetlana) power tubes when they were still in production, as they were among the best current production. Of course you could always go find some NOS Mullard EL34/6CA7 tubes. They only run around $400 a tube.
 
If I am not mistaken, The Mini Rec uses EL84 tubes, this is also true with the Recto Verb. I would double check to ensure your amp is actually using the EL34 as I am uncertain if there were changes to the model line over the years.

If they are the EL84 tubes, I am not sure which brand they are before they get the Mesa branding. You can replace with the same tube from Mesa if you like them. If opting for something different, you should specify the amp they are used in when you order them. Some places select the tubes that will perform within the same range of the Mesa tubes. I have always had good luck with the tube store for most brands. You can always opt to get Mesa replacement tubes from Sweetwater or other vendors that carry Mesa products. Sweetwater has done good for me when I request a specific color code for the Mesa tubes.
 
Cheers guys, yep they are el84's - Typo on my part.
I went ahead and got a pair of JJ's from a local shop, really good price so i thought it worth a go.
 
The Mesa tubes are most likely rebranded JJ, so they should line up fine. If you buy from decent tube resellers like Doug's they will ship tubes with the correct bias for Mesa on request.
 
Just an update, i used the Mini in anger last night with the new JJ's in. The first thing i noticed was it sounded a lot punchier, especially on channel 2. It also seems to be a bit louder, i didn't have the volume up as much as i usually do - Although that could have been because is sounds like it's got more punch.

So overall a success, and well worth the £20 it cost me.
I'm now thinking about trying new pre amp tubes, although i am aware they tend to last a lot longer than power tubes.
Thanks for the advice guys.
 
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