Change Your Tubes!

- Harmony Central
Amp sounding weak? Is it making funny noises? Maybe it's time for new tubes
By Phil O'Keefe
It happens gradually over time as the amp is used, but the sound of even the best tube
eventually deteriorates. The next time you're struggling with your tone and wondering why
it's just not quite "right" anymore, or why it doesn't seem as cool as you remember from days
gone by, ask yourself this - when was the last time I changed my tubes?
THREE TYPES OF TUBES
There are three main types of tubes. Not all "tube" amps use all three types; often, solid state
components are substituted for one or two of them, depending on the amplifier design. True
tube amps generally have both tube preamp and tube power amp sections, and may have a
tube power rectifier, or a solid state rectifier. Hybrid amplifiers utilize a tube or tubes in either
the preamp or power amp section, with the other section of the amp being solid state. The vast
majority of hybrid amps use a solid state rectifier instead of a tube. Let's take a closer look at
each tube type, and some of the symptoms to watch out for.
Preamp Tubes
These are found in the vast majority of tube amps. Even the majority of "hybrid" amps use a
preamp tube, although occasionally you'll find a hybrid amp that flips that paradigm and uses a
solid state preamp and tubes in the output or power amp section of the amplifier. Examples
include some of the old Music Man amplifiers from the 1970s and early 1980s, as well as the
Fender Super Champ X2.
Preamp tubes are often used for other functions within the amp, such as for the tremolo
(mislabeled as "vibrato" on many Fender amps), and sometimes for the reverb driver and
recovery circuits too. If the reverb or tremolo on your Fender amp is dead, the repair might be
as simple as a quick tube replacement. Occasionally a preamp tube will be used as a phase
splitter (often called a phase inverter), which splits the signal into two, with one positive and
one negative polarity to feed the two halves of a push/pull (Class AB) tube power amp.
Some common preamp tubes include the 12AX7 / ECC83, 7025, EF86 / 6267, 12AY7 /
6072A, 12AU7, 12AT7 and 5751. A few examples are shown below. (Fig. 1) Preamp tubes
are occasionally covered with metal shields. They help protect the tubes and provide electronic
shielding that helps reduce noise, so if your amp is so equipped, make sure you replace the
shields after you test or replace the tubes.
Figure 1: A few examples of preamp tubes, including the 12AX7, 6072 / 12AY7, and EF86
Power Tubes
These tubes are generally larger than preamp tubes; taller and (with the exception of the EL84)
fatter in diameter than their preamp tube cousins. They can be found in the power amp section
of the amplifier, and along with the output transformer, they provide the final amplification
"oomph" that drives your speakers.
Power amp tubes wear gradually. Unlike preamp tubes, if you've been using the same set of
power amp tubes for quite a while, you could very easily notice a dramatic improvement in
tone by replacing them - especially if you've been driving the amp hard on a regular basis.
Unlike preamp tubes, which can usually be replaced without having to consult a tech, some
amps need to be biased after replacing the power amp tubes for best results. When in doubt,
check your amp's manual, or ask on the Harmony Central forums.
Common power tubes include the 6L6, 6V6, 6550, EL34, and EL84. (Fig. 2) Unlike preamp
tubes, they are almost never covered with metal shields, but they may have retainers to help
hold them in place that you may need to remove before taking the tube out of its socket.
Figure 2: Common power amp (or output) tubes include the EL84, 6V6, 6550, and EL34
Rectifier Tube
This tube converts the incoming AC mains power from the wall outlet into the DC current that
the amp needs to run. Without a rectifier, the amp won't even turn on. No sound, no pilot light
- nada. If your tube amp fails to power up, check the fuse and the rectifier tube, if it has one. In
most cases, one or the other is blown and needs replacement. The rectifier is a large tube,
similar in size to many power amp tubes. When looking at the back of the amp, if it has a
rectifier tube, it is generally on the far left hand side of the amp, right next to the power amp
tubes.
A tube rectifier is more commonly found on lower-wattage amps (under 50W), while high-
power amps tend to use a solid state rectifier instead of a tube. A tube rectifier doesn't make as
big a difference to the sound of the amp as much as it does to the feel of it. With a tube
rectifier, note attacks can "sag" a bit, and they don't punch out as immediately or as forcefully
as you'll normally get with a solid state rectifier - the attack transients of notes are a bit more
compressed, especially when you really dig in and hit a note forcefully, and when the amp is
being run loud and hard.
As long as the amp powers up, the rectifier tube is doing its job, and normally there is no real
benefit to be gained from replacing it prior to it failing. Some common rectifier tubes include
the 5U4 / GZ32, 5Y3 / GZ30, 6CA4 / EZ-81, and 5AR4 / GZ34. )LJ Since rectifier tubes
generally run until they fail, it's normally not something you need to worry about, but if you
gig or tour frequently, it wouldn't hurt to keep a spare on hand - just in case.

Figure 3: Common rectifier tubes include the 5AR4, 5Y3, and 6CA4
DIAGNOSING TUBE PROBLEMS
Rectifiers are easy. When they fail, it's usually pretty obvious, but what about preamp tubes
and power amp tubes? Both can show signs of wear or have problems that can affect your
tone even before they fail completely.
On preamp tubes, you can generally use them until they start to cause noise (such as crackling,
hissing, or hum) or other audible issues, or barring that, until they fail completely. Swapping
out a suspect tube for a known good tube of the same type is a time-honored way of
troubleshooting preamp tube issues. Just make sure you power off the amp and unplug it
before changing any tubes, and remember that tubes get HOT! Always wait until the amp has
cooled, or use a oven mitt to grasp the tubes with. Another way to test preamp tubes is to
power up the amp, turn it up to a moderate level, and then gently tap on the preamp tubes, one
at a time, with the eraser end of a pencil. If the tube is microphonic - if it makes a hollow
sound that you can hear through the amp's speaker, or if it pings, or makes any kind of
objectionable noise, it's probably time to replace it. Individual preamp tubes can be replaced
one by one - there's usually no need to replace them all at once.
Like tires on your car or strings on your guitar, power amp tubes start wearing the moment you
put them in your amp and fire it up. The more you use the amp, and the harder you push it, the
less time you can expect them to last. How long will they last? It's impossible to say. I've had
old vintage amps that still sounded fine, even though they had the factory-installed original
tubes in them. I've had other amps that needed to have the power amp tubes replaced after a
year of heavy use. If your amp seems listless, lacks punch or feels flabby or weak in the bass,
then it's probably time for a fresh set of power amp tubes. Since they wear out gradually over
time, you might not notice that their sound has deteriorated, but when you replace a worn set
of power amp tubes with a fresh set, the dramatic difference in tone can often be easily heard.
THE BEST INSURANCE
If you play a lot, you might want to consider buying a full replacement set for your amp. Test
them when you first get them to make sure they're all working properly, then store them
somewhere safe. A padded tube carrier / case is a good investment, especially if you tour. If
you do gig, make sure you bring those spare tubes along with you. And since it's not at all
uncommon for the fuse to blow when a tube fails, make sure you also carry a few spares of the
ones used in your amp - you never know when they might save the day!
Phil O'Keefe is a multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer / producer and
the Senior Editor of Harmony Central. He has engineered, produced and
performed on countless recording sessions in a diverse range of styles, with
artists such as Alien Ant Farm, Jules Day, Voodoo Glow Skulls, John
McGill, Michael Knott and Alexa's Wish. He is a former featured monthly
columnist for EQ magazine, and his articles and product reviews have also
appeared in Keyboard, Electronic Musician and Guitar Player magazine

Overall Rating: What can I say? It's considerably cheaper than getting a (also excellent) Brent
Averill or Dave Marquette racked Neve 1272 stereo pair, and to my ears I can hear no
difference in the tone. It sounds as much like a Neve 1272 as any oth...
Overall Rating: What can I say? It's considerably cheaper than getting a (also excellent) Brent
Averill or Dave Marquette racked Neve 1272 stereo pair, and to my ears I can hear no
difference in the tone. It sounds as much like a Neve 1272 as any other 1272 does. The build
quality is excellent, and so far it's been as reliable as a brick. Add this to their outstanding
customer support and you really can't go wrong. I have no connection to this company
whatsoever, other than owning one of their products.
I make my living with my tools and my ears, and I recommend the Vintech preamps without
hesitation or reservation. Definitely a "best buy"!
Sound Quality: I've got a fairly extensive mic collection, and have used this preamp with
everything from vintage Telefunken ELA M 251's to RCA ribbon mics, Rode NTK's, AKG
C-414's (including a Stephen Paul modified pre P48 EB) and low cost dynamics like the Shure
SM57's, on sources as diverse as drums (kicks, snares and overheads), electric guitars, bass
(mic'ed and DI through the line input), lead and backing vocals, etc. and in every case the
1272 has given me that "classic Neve" tone.
The "sound" of a Neve preamp isn't transparent by any means. There's a saying about them
that "the sound is in the iron", and the Vintech uses the original St. Ives transformers, and gets
that classic thick, warm and fat tone. If you're looking for absolute faithfullness, look
elsewhere (Great River, Grace Designs, etc.), but if you're looking for a preamp with great
tone, vibe and attitude, this is a great device to check out!
Reliability/Durability: I've had mine in a rack in the studio for the past few months and it's not
had a single problem to date. I use it daily in a commercial recording studio environment, so it
has seen a lot of use, but it's only been a few months. Still, on something like this, if it was
going to die, it probably would have happened by now.
Ease of Use: It's very easy to use this preamp. Plug it in, plug in a mic, and plug the output into
your fave recording device's line in... Apply phantom (48V) if needed. Adjust gain as needed.
There's only one complaint in this regard... while you have a single meter for gain, there's no
clipping indicator. Still, there isn't one on a vintage 1272 either, so I guess you can't complain
too much.
Customer Support: This is one of the few companies you can call and get the "head dude" on
the phone, and he (Dallass at Vintech) is not only very knowledgeable, he's quite friendly and
helpful. I have called him a few times, and in each case (before and after the sale) he has been
great.
One more item you may want to know: The "stock" Vintech 1272 ships without a capacitor
on the input leg of the transformer. The original Neve 1272's had this capacitor, and Dallas
told me he feels that removing it allows the p[reamp to sound a tad more open on the very top
end. If you are looking for the exact same circuit as the original 1272, you can request that
they add this cap to your Vintech, which they will gladly do at no additional charge. For the
record, I have it on mine.
Price: $1300.00 USD

Excerpted from Change Your Tubes! - Harmony Central

http://www.harmonycentral.com/t5/Guitars-and-Amps/Change-Your-Tubes/ba-p/35604025
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