Best sounding was the Sovtek. But with low notes the amp gave whispering hissing sound and with chop stick method the problem appeared to be the Sovtek
The Haltron seems to be faulty.
I experienced the same thing, Mat. I tried China, JJ, EH, Mullard RI, and Tung Sol...huge difference in plate readings on each. The closest voltage readings I got to the "ideal" were with the EH's.
ECC81 (12AT7) tubes draw much more current, hence the 150v plates. Seems the Haltron is really a 12at7??
If the Sovtek sounds best, something is still wrong with the build!
Yes, I know the ECC81 takes more juice but I didn't know it affects that much to the plate voltage (always learning).
I got today the KT77's and new Sovtek (high gain) and one goldpin Tungsol which is the favourite tube on V1 now for me. The JJKT77's give fuller sound than EL34's but I think when I get the amp running properly all the tubes will play bigger role on the sound of the amp. This is starting to be a bit frustrated not to know where I have made an error
Normster wrote:I experienced the same thing, Mat. I tried China, JJ, EH, Mullard RI, and Tung Sol...huge difference in plate readings on each. The closest voltage readings I got to the "ideal" were with the EH's.
Ok. Seems like Bob-I prefers the EH also on V1&V2. Would anyone else like to tell their favourite tubes on V1&V2 ?
Would be nice to know if HAD had an favourite tubes for the V1 and V2. Or did he choose them individually depending of the player. I just talked with someone who has built and serviced alot of amps and has been selling tubes for a long time that the plate voltages can differ quite a lot between the same type tubes also..
Normster wrote:I experienced the same thing, Mat. I tried China, JJ, EH, Mullard RI, and Tung Sol...huge difference in plate readings on each. The closest voltage readings I got to the "ideal" were with the EH's.
Ok. Seems like Bob-I prefers the EH also on V1&V2. Would anyone else like to tell their favourite tubes on V1&V2 ?
Although I am still "whoring" around my D'Lite (ala Bogen) trying to figure out what speaker(s) and speaker configuration works the best for me, I have "played" around with the following 12AX7 types in V1 and V2:
In all cases, the same type occupied V1 and V2 (e.g., have not crossed brand/types as of yet). A new EH was in V3 for all. I was plugged into a MB DC-3 1X12 cab with Celestion Vintage 30 (which I know isn't "optimum"). I was just trying to find the best arrangement for the speaker/cab that I had on my work bench before going out and trying others.
So far, the Telefunkens sounded the best to my ear with NOS Tung-Sol 5881's in the output section while playing my '72 Les Paul Deluxe (mini HB).
The sonic character amongst those "tested" varied significantly in some cases and very little in others. However, none sounded bad.
This was all done in a "wham-bam-thank you mam" fashion so I don't have any voltages or subjective tone descriptions to report. And...it may very well change once the final speaker type and arrangement is decided upon.
Shouldn't try to be too fancy with the language that is not the one of my mothers 
