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It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:44 am
by TurboPablo
What would you guys do?

I'm planning on putting a 12AT7 in the PI spot. Was also thinking of popping one into the V1 socket as well. I have some old Penta Labs 12AX7s that I'll probably put in between them.

Just looking for some other ideas. Payday is Thursday, so if I need to pickup or order something I don't already have, I'll do it then.

I'm going to wait a little while before I try some KT77s' in it.

I see a speaker swap happening first.

Spend my moniezzzz.

Re: It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:45 am
by Dickarms
mine too. the other day amp went silent... i freaked for a sec, started swapping pres around. got it working. so i dont know what that bad pre is NOT doing, everything is working as normal..

Re: It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:46 am
by Dickarms
edit. thread title comprehension fail :facepalm:

Re: It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:47 am
by TurboPablo
HA!!!

Glad you got it back to normal.

I just want to mess with the sound.

Re: It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:54 am
by sleewell
you should contact the valve queen. Laura is very wise.

Re: It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 11:11 am
by NinjaRaf
sleewell wrote:you should contact the valve queen. Laura is very wise.


This.

Re: It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 11:30 am
by gb74
I don't know man.. if the amp is sounding good and working well, don't change anything.

Re: It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 1:15 pm
by TurboPablo
It does sound great. I just feel like trying some different preamp tubes for fun. Stuff I have lying around that I can plug in and play with. The Pentas' made a massive difference in my JCM. So I am curious to see how they fare in the DSL.

My only complaint about the amp is that it does run very bright. I knew that going in and have read that a speaker swap fixes it.

Re: It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 1:48 pm
by flyingskull
Contact Terry Kilgore, aka TubeTramp.
He helped me out with some NOS Amperex and Tungsram for my JMP.
PM for his email.

Re: It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 3:41 pm
by Ostinato Rubato
I know I'm gonna get heckled...

...but Gold Pin JJ ECC803S is my V1 position tube... forever. I'm not deaf, not a total newb, and I don't believe in fairy tales. There's a difference between non gold ECC803S and the gold. I've gone back and forth between these tubes, on many occasion, just to make sure I'm not hallucinating.

Gold Pin JJ ECC803S is the shiznit...... commence lynching

Re: It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 5:08 pm
by Dave
Leave the tubes as-is.


The Celestion 70/80 sucks. Sucks bad, bro. Swap that b and you'll see more difference than any tube swap.

Gotdamn swap that bitch soon. A Celestion G12t75 if you play loud a lot and prefer heavier more modern tones or a Lynchback for more modern.

Good luck!

Re: It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 6:05 pm
by TurboPablo
Ha!!!

Thanks dude. You just saved me from posting a "Which Speaker" thread.

Of course, I did just swap the pres' out and am hearing a difference. V1-12AT7 out of my Twin, V2 and V3-Vintage Penta Labs 12AX7, V4-RCA 12AT7. Seems to have warmed it up.

A new speaker is top priority now.

Re: It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 6:14 pm
by GuitarBilly
Dave is right on the money here.... you will gain A LOT more from a speaker upgrade than from swapping preamp tubes. More expensive too, of course, but totally worth it.

Re: It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 6:23 pm
by TurboPablo
guitarbilly74 wrote:Dave is right on the money here.... you will gain A LOT more from a speaker upgrade than from swapping preamp tubes. More expensive too, of course, but totally worth it.


Oh I hear ya. I just started a rewire on the side today. I now know where a chunk of it is going.

I will say though, with the preamp swap, I am running the treble on the amp up a couple of notches. Instead of having it on zero.

Amp is still too bright.

Re: It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 6:55 pm
by primeholy
guitarbilly wrote:I don't know man.. if the amp is sounding good and working well, don't change anything.


This. Only time my mark v has acted up was when I wanted to "try" new tubes.

Re: It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:00 pm
by TurboPablo
For a $109, I think I'll order the G12T75 next week.

Not as pricey as I had anticipated.

Re: It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:07 pm
by primeholy
I really like the black shadows, but havent tried them with a marshall.

Re: It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:10 pm
by TurboPablo
primeholy wrote:I really like the black shadows, but havent tried them with a marshall.



Now that you mention it, I have a really old Black Shadow at my parents house. Like late '80s early '90s.

I don't want to risk putting it in and having it be already blown out though.

Is there a way to test it? Even just to confirm it's any good.

Re: It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:12 pm
by primeholy
paul88lx wrote:
primeholy wrote:I really like the black shadows, but havent tried them with a marshall.



Now that you mention it, I have a really old Black Shadow at my parents house. Like late '80s early '90s.

I don't want to risk putting it in and having it be already blown out though.

Is there a way to test it? Even just to confirm it's any good.



IDK. Do you have quick connects, or soldered?

Re: It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:16 pm
by TurboPablo
primeholy wrote:
paul88lx wrote:
primeholy wrote:I really like the black shadows, but havent tried them with a marshall.



Now that you mention it, I have a really old Black Shadow at my parents house. Like late '80s early '90s.

I don't want to risk putting it in and having it be already blown out though.

Is there a way to test it? Even just to confirm it's any good.



IDK. Do you have quick connects, or soldered?


On the Black Shadow? I don't know. It's been so long. I have a good iron either way. The DSL has Quick Connects. If I am going to try it on a amp, it'll be my Traynor Bassmaster instead of my brand new DSL.

The Traynor is tough as nails. Plus, I only paid a $100 for it.

Re: It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:17 pm
by Dave
Oh shit just read you're having brightness issues.


The g12t75, while one of my favorite speakers, needs to be LOUD before its eq flattens out and it gives up the goods. Though it's much fuller and deeper sounding than the 70/80, you may even have good luck with the CL80 or K100 which are flatter, more neutral speakers.

Re: It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:20 pm
by TurboPablo
Chuck Nutz wrote:Oh shit just read you're having brightness issues.


The g12t75, while one of my favorite speakers, needs to be LOUD before its eq flattens out and it gives up the goods. Though it's much fuller and deeper sounding than the 70/80, you may even have good luck with the CL80 or K100 which are flatter, more neutral speakers.


Gotcha!! Thanks!!!

A darker speaker is definitely in the very near future.

Re: It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:21 pm
by primeholy
paul88lx wrote:
primeholy wrote:
paul88lx wrote:
primeholy wrote:I really like the black shadows, but havent tried them with a marshall.



Now that you mention it, I have a really old Black Shadow at my parents house. Like late '80s early '90s.

I don't want to risk putting it in and having it be already blown out though.

Is there a way to test it? Even just to confirm it's any good.



IDK. Do you have quick connects, or soldered?


On the Black Shadow? I don't know. It's been so long. I have a good iron either way. The DSL has Quick Connects. If I am going to try it on a amp, it'll be my Traynor Bassmaster instead of my brand new DSL.

The Traynor is tough as nails. Plus, I only paid a $100 for it.



If your dsl has quick connects, it should work with the black shadow. You would figure out if anything is wrong with the speaker in 10 seconds or so. That wouldnt cause any problems with your amp. If you are worried, check the ohms on it with a meter, or just try it on your traynor like you said.

Re: It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:23 pm
by primeholy
paul88lx wrote:
Chuck Nutz wrote:Oh shit just read you're having brightness issues.


The g12t75, while one of my favorite speakers, needs to be LOUD before its eq flattens out and it gives up the goods. Though it's much fuller and deeper sounding than the 70/80, you may even have good luck with the CL80 or K100 which are flatter, more neutral speakers.


Gotcha!! Thanks!!!

A darker speaker is definitely in the very near future.



And cl80 is pretty much the same as black shadow I believe.

Re: It's Time To Change PreAmp Tubes in My DSL40C.....

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 7:25 pm
by TurboPablo
primeholy wrote:
paul88lx wrote:
primeholy wrote:
paul88lx wrote:
primeholy wrote:I really like the black shadows, but havent tried them with a marshall.



Now that you mention it, I have a really old Black Shadow at my parents house. Like late '80s early '90s.

I don't want to risk putting it in and having it be already blown out though.

Is there a way to test it? Even just to confirm it's any good.



IDK. Do you have quick connects, or soldered?


On the Black Shadow? I don't know. It's been so long. I have a good iron either way. The DSL has Quick Connects. If I am going to try it on a amp, it'll be my Traynor Bassmaster instead of my brand new DSL.

The Traynor is tough as nails. Plus, I only paid a $100 for it.



If your dsl has quick connects, it should work with the black shadow. You would figure out if anything is wrong with the speaker in 10 seconds or so. That wouldnt cause any problems with your amp. If you are worried, check the ohms on it with a meter, or just try it on your traynor like you said.


Yeah, I'll grab it tomorrow and ring it out with the meter first. Then scab it into the Traynor. If it's a go, I'll try it in the DSL for fun. Who knows, maybe I can save myself a hundred bucks and achieve what I want.