Dubs

Thanks Steve. Very interesting and informative stuff; It seems crazy that the spec of certain valves has changed over the years which is effectively making them incompatible with some amps, but I guess that improvements in manufacturing technology and a better understanding of the physics of the valves has probably lead to it? So there is definitely a case for the more expensive and vintage valves to sound noticeably different to cheaper newer valves, but they’re not fundamentally ‘better’ or ‘worse’, just subjectively different? Are there valves that you think sound cheap and nasty, or ones that you just don’t like or wouldn’t use? – again, I’m talking more specifically about the ECC83/12AX7 pre valves.

[quote name='BassManKev' post='263523' date='Aug 16 2008, 11:08 AM']no, an impedance buffer wouldn't do anything to make the muff sound better i dont think; rather than boosting your pedulla, have you thought of cutting your warwick?[/quote] i have an 18V Aguilar pre in my SSI and the output it so high that it overloads the input of all my effects - it somehow causes a drop in volume and distorts the input so even with fuzz and OD effects it sounds terrible. To get around it i just have the volume on the bass set quite low, but this is only when I'm using it with effects, and this works really well. When I'm using it for anything clean then I crank the volume back up to full and it sounds amazing :brow:

...he had to get a mention

[quote name='wotnwhy' post='263267' date='Aug 15 2008, 05:28 PM']...especially not 15000 of wowed (i think thats how much it was going for)[/quote]

Jamiroquai - Music Of The Wind

[quote name='jmesa' post='262785' date='Aug 14 2008, 10:35 PM']All I know is I just spent £200 on the f**kin things ![/quote] yeah re-valving can be properly expensive for valve amps, i know that much. Does anyone have [i]any[/i] insight into the reasons why valves sound different?...or any of the other questions?

Does no one know? Or does the question have a really obvious answer? Or…have I posted this in the wrong section?

Looks like one of those pics was taken at the same show that I took my pic at – look at the natural finished 4 next to the green 6 string… Amazing looking basses and such a shame they’ve gone out of business, but I’d be well priced out if they were still around. Incredibly beautiful and unique instruments.

[quote name='BigRedX' post='262655' date='Aug 14 2008, 07:36 PM']...they took custom building and attention to to detail to new (some would say absurd) levels. I believe the starting price was around the £7000 mark and went up from there. Lightwave pickups, individually custom-cast metalwork, tuner built into the neck, hand-tooled leather case...[/quote] No wonder they’re not in business anymore It was funny when I was taking the pic cos the guy on the stand was giving me a dodgy look when I was getting the cam out, then I asked him if I could take a pic and he agreed to it, but joked about saying he wouldn’t charge me a royalty fee or something. I thought he was joking at the time anyway, but maybe not…

I have a few ‘noobish’ type questions about valves, but I’m sure others are wondering similar things: What is it about valves that make them sound different? - from a manufacturing perspective that is. I’m probably talking more specifically about pre amp valves such as the 12AX7/ECC83s rather than power valves, but I’d be interested to hear how this relates to power valves as well. Why does one 12AX7 sound different to another? Also, what do the numbers mean after them – such as “12AX7 WA” or “12AX7A” or “12AX7M” or “12AX7-R” etc… Why are some £7 when others of the same spec (by “spec” I mean model number – 12AX7 etc) are edging on for 30 quid each? Do the more expensive valves sound fundamentally ‘better’ or is it just that they’ve been manufactured to a higher standard so their life span and reliability is improved…or what? – Obviously the quality of the sound is subjective though, but in general do more expensive valves sound ‘better’? And going on from this, is there a case that people might believe that a more expensive valve sounds nicer when in fact it’s pretty damn similar to a cheap one? - Could you clearly hear the difference between a cheap valve and an expensive valve in an amp with a tiny bit of pre amp valve drive? Could you do the Pepsi Challenge on that sh*t? That might be it for now…my main questions are to do with the differences in sound from different manufacturers. I’ve probably made myself look like a right amateur when it comes to valves, but if you don’t know then you don’t know, innit. Thanks

potentially good value for £50 i reckon. i might try one out at hotrox...

Just been fishing through my old pics and I found this – [attachment=12128:DSC02345_1.JPG] I don’t know what it is, but I took the pic in 2003 at the Music Live event at the NEC (I think it was called Music Live…quite possibly something else). Looks pretty cool though, anyone know what it might be?

[quote name='cheddatom' post='260651' date='Aug 12 2008, 10:16 AM']...but I think you'd probably want the barge concepts one.[/quote] you beat me to it