Changing tubes, lower gain?

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Chadd

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Tried this in the recto section, without luck. Apologies for the double post.

I'm looking to re-tube my single rectifier and looking for some specific advice. Currently, it has JJs across the board, as that's how it was when I bought it. I'm looking to reduce the overall gain on the lead channel a bit, but I'm fine with how the clean channel sounds. As far as tonal changes, I wouldn't complain if it had a little more sparkle, especially on the lead channel. I'm not looking to neuter it completely, just make the gain knob a little more useful for various rock tones.
Thanks
 
As far as 12AX7s, I find that New Sensor tubes, especially TungSol, to be a bit brighter and conservative on the gain side of things. EH are also great tubes. Just don't put them in the cathode follower position (don't know which one that is in a Recto), they weren't designed for voltages that high. Works fine everywhere else though.

You could also put a lower gain tube in the cathode follower position or other position like the PI, 12AU7 or 12AT7 for instance, but I have zero experience with this, just saying what I saw folks do when they wanted to lower gain on amps in general.
 
I'd agree that the Tungsol RI and EH 12ax7 will brighten things up and lower gain. If you really want to significantly lower the gain you probably need to start looking into 12at7s etc. The 5751 could be good too, but I have not tried the New Sovtec version to know.
 
Do NOT put a 12AT7 in the cathode follower position. That tube has a 90V max cathode to filament voltage, which a cathode follower exceed. It will broke the tube.

Try a 5751 or 12AT7 in V1, it will lower the gain a bit and probably give a more articulate sound. JJ 12AT7 fit well as they don't remove bass like other 12AT7.
 
Anyone have a list of what V1-V5 do in a recto? I'm sure it has been posted, but I haven't seen it.
 
i'll say it, cuz i always do.

give the mullard cv4024 a shot as a lower gain tube in v1 or v2.
 
I found some old sovteks in an amp I cleaned up and then put in a corner three houses and 18 years ago. Huge difference in the amp, it just sounds so much more musical. Smoother and lower gain right off the bat. I will check into the CV4024 and I already have a couple 5751s on order for this and another amp.
Thanks guys
 
You can find that Mullard under CV4024 or 12AT7WA. It's really a good tube, and if you didn't like it in V1, try it in the PI position : it will remove less gain but really add some clarity.
 
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