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As you can see in my profile I have a jcm900 2100slx. I was wondering what pre-amp tubes that would work best in my amp to give a tight distorted sound used in metal or punk. I'm thinking of just getting something just for the v1 slot cause I need to start saving for a new guitar. I don't know what in there right now cause it just says marshall on the pre-amp tubes, but I know they are 12ax7s maybe sovteks from what I heard. I was thinking maybe the SOVTEK 12AX7 LPS from what I read about in the vault.

You could try the LPS, im not a fan of the Sovtek tube but your ears may like them. I'd say a JJ EEC803s tube for your V1, or V2 but some have microphonic issues, i havent come across that as yet. I have had great results with that tube by just placing it in the phase inverter slot. It changes the amp sound quite a bit.... most people over look that postion.
If i were you id buy 2 JJ ECC803s tubes and 3 JJ EC83's and swap em round till you love what you hear!

Also the new JJ EL 34L output tubes would work great for your Marshall as well....

Personally, I don't think there's any tube that can radically re-voice a preamp like the JCM900, which is not known for tight crunch. Ithink you should get a mess of different tubes to try in the V1 slot. I hope you find something you like, tho!

Buy a GT 12AX7C. That's the tightest gain pre tube I know of.....The Sovtek LPS is an equal contender. Don't buy JJ ECC83's if you want gain, I don't care what Bob the JJ salesman tells you. Those are fat sounding and cleaner pre tubes, not what you would consider a highgain tube. I actually compared the JJ to my other pre tubes a couple nights ago, just to see what I'd like the most in my Bassman. The JJ was pure cleanliness! I left a set of EI Gold Elites in that amp for awhile, since they got the preamp cooking pretty good. Still, I like the 9th Gen. Shuguang Chinese pre overall......relabeled by GT, but also available cheaper, unlabeled.

TO, the MkIII 900's can get tight crunch. The SL-X does a decent job as well as long as it's EL34 equipped. The Dual Reverbs are the ones that can't do it very well.

Get a EH 12AX7. It tightened mine right up.


Originally Posted by GearjoneserBuy a GT 12AX7C. That's the tightest gain pre tube I know of.....The Sovtek LPS is an equal contender. Don't buy JJ ECC83's if you want gain, I don't care what Bob the JJ salesman tells you. Those are fat sounding and cleaner pre tubes, not what you would consider a highgain tube. I actually compared the JJ to my other pre tubes a couple nights ago, just to see what I'd like the most in my Bassman. The JJ was pure cleanliness! I left a set of EI Gold Elites in that amp for awhile, since they got the preamp cooking pretty good. Still, I like the 9th Gen. Shuguang Chinese pre overall......relabeled by GT, but also available cheaper, unlabeled.

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Just to clarify my opinion on JJ's......I love JJ power tubes, and JJ does make some higher gain pre tubes....the ECC803s, I believe. I was just saying that the regular JJ ECC83 is best if you're trying to keep your amp clean and fat sounding. That's what JJ's do best.

If you want your preamp section to give up the goods, you're better off with
GT12AX7C's, Sovtek LPS, EH, EI Gold Elites, etc. I still want to try those JJECC803s tubes though. The truth is, that when you A/B the very best pre tubes, the difference in sound is almost unaudible. You can really only hear the difference between good ones and feeble ones.


Originally Posted by GearjoneserJust to clarify my opinion on JJ's......I love JJ power tubes, and JJ does make some higher gain pre tubes....the ECC803s, I believe. I was just saying that the regular JJ ECC83 is best if you're trying to keep your amp clean and fat sounding. That's what JJ's do best.

If you want your preamp section to give up the goods, you're better off with
GT12AX7C's, Sovtek LPS, EH, EI Gold Elites, etc. I still want to try those JJECC803s tubes though. The truth is, that when you A/B the very best pre tubes, the difference in sound is almost unaudible. You can really only hear the difference between good ones and feeble ones.

Yes maybe im just giving him advice on what worked best for my Amp...... GJ if u havent tryed the ECC8O3S yet i suggest u go buy some. I swapped the LPS tube in my Phase invertor slot and it was like light and day. That being said it may not work as quot;muchquot; in differnt amps. I was pleasently surprised!


Originally Posted by GearjoneserBuy a GT 12AX7C. That's the tightest gain pre tube I know of.....The Sovtek LPS is an equal contender. Don't buy JJ ECC83's if you want gain, I don't care what Bob the JJ salesman tells you. Those are fat sounding and cleaner pre tubes, not what you would consider a highgain tube. I actually compared the JJ to my other pre tubes a couple nights ago, just to see what I'd like the most in my Bassman. The JJ was pure cleanliness! I left a set of EI Gold Elites in that amp for awhile, since they got the preamp cooking pretty good. Still, I like the 9th Gen. Shuguang Chinese pre overall......relabeled by GT, but also available cheaper, unlabeled.

I have the GT12ax7C Silver Series (supposedly not as good) from guitar center. I don't have the GT12ax7C (gold, that you talk about). Is there a major difference?

My Two Rock sounded best with the Chinese ones.

My Franklin 15 has all ECC 830S in it and I couldn't be more happy.

Yeah, that's the one tube I'm excited to try out.....the JJECC803S. As soon as Todd, RevolutionMan, has them in stock, I'll get 3 of them from him.

I normally put JJ EL-34's in my Bogner, along with the GT12AX7C's, but I may try a different route this year. I want to buy those Electroharmonix 'real Mullard' EL-34's, and try out the JJ ECC803s pres. I heard that EH made exact copies and bought the Mullard name brand. That means you can buy brand new Mullard EL-34's again!!!


Originally Posted by GearjoneserBuy a GT 12AX7C. Don't buy JJ ECC83's if you want gain, I don't care what Bob the JJ salesman tells you. Those are fat sounding and cleaner pre tubes, not what you would consider a highgain tube.

Amen - its about time I found someone to agree with me. The JJ's RUINED the sound of my Mesa Dual rectifier, it was almost as if I placed a blanket over the speakers. They sounded like crap in other amps too.

A good candidate for this guys JCM900 is the NOS RFT 12ax7 - loads of gain. Otherwise, I like the Chinese C9, (especially the quot;selectedquot; version I get from KCA), or EH's in my Marshalls.

JQ

I did a small test using both of Highgain graded JJ ECC83S and Highgain graded EH12ax7s. Both were excellent, the JJ was lower noise, the EH was higher gain even thought they were both graded at 110mu per side. The EHs were richer with that high-mid type tone (think Marshall crunch) while the JJs were rich with more of the Lower-mid type tone. Both loved to be driven hard and sounded excellent on high levels.

Some people may tell you that the JJ preamp tubes arent highgain enough and they're dark. In a way, yes they are right. But I found that to apply to only the JJ preamp tubes you get off of the shelves without any testing.

if you contact a shop owner like Doug at and ask him for some highgain graded JJ ECC83S, those tubes will provide you with all the gain you'll ever need (specially if your preamp is already highgain) and they're not dark sounding like the off the shelves JJ ECC83s.

Which one is tigther? I found the JJ to sound a tad tighter, but remember, it depends on your preamp's circut also and what kind of power tubes your using. All those factors (and more) do affect how tight your tone will be.

Hope that helpsGood luck


Originally Posted by GearjoneserYeah, that's the one tube I'm excited to try out.....the JJECC803S. As soon as Todd, RevolutionMan, has them in stock, I'll get 3 of them from him.

I normally put JJ EL-34's in my Bogner, along with the GT12AX7C's, but I may try a different route this year. I want to buy those Electroharmonix 'real Mullard' EL-34's, and try out the JJ ECC803s pres. I heard that EH made exact copies and bought the Mullard name brand. That means you can buy brand new Mullard EL-34's again!!!I like the JJ E34Ls better than the JJ EL34s. If you haven't tried them already. I have been getting my tubes at Revolution also. They seem like good people, and I am way happy with there service. Thanks for the info.

Do you guys think just changing the v1 position will make enough change in tone to be noticed by anyone?


Originally Posted by greendy123Do you guys think just changing the v1 position will make enough change in tone to be noticed by anyone?

The 1st position will have the most effect on the preamp sound, but I like to replace all of them, so they wear more evenly, and I don't end up with a bad 2nd or 3rd tube over time.

I went to the Vacuum Tube Expo in Pasadena a few weeks ago and finally picked up a JJECC803S. My first impression was that it's fat, loud, and pretty clean.
I haven't used it in all my amps yet, but it looks to be a pretty nice tube.
I still think that Chinese Shuguang 9th Gen tubes like the GT12AX7C is the best tube for a highgain amp. Most highgain amp companies are putting those in.
I might throw the JJECC803S in the phase inverter position.

GJ, you should try the new Tung Sol 12AX7. Lots of nice tight gain. I'm very pleased with them so far. I do like the jj803S in the PI slot as well.