paddy109 Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 I am looking to buy new tubes for my Orange Terror 500 mk1. So much choice online - can anyone recommend what and where to buy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 I was talking to my amp tech about valve availability recently. He doesn't rate the Chinese replacements but availability of the superior Russian valves has stopped due to the conflict. You may need to hope that back stock is available from places like Bass Direct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paddy109 Posted February 19, 2023 Author Share Posted February 19, 2023 There is so much choice, makes, models and price that it is all confusing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baloney Balderdash Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 (edited) I really like the Electro Harmonix 12AX7EH tube. Use it in all my tube units. The cheap Chinese ones that most cheaper tube units comes with from stock tends to sound thin, shrill and fizzy. Edited February 19, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 (edited) Not from experience, but contact Mark at https://spartanmusic.co.uk/ https://spartanmusic.co.uk/collections/ecc83-12ax7-preamp-tubes Please mention 'Basschat'... Mark helped support my build with a bit of a discount on an Artrec QRP tone switch. 😉 Edited February 19, 2023 by PaulThePlug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunion Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 Somewhere like https://www.ampvalves.co.uk/choose-your-amp/valves-for-orange/ or https://www.watfordvalves.com/products.asp?ID=32&man=222 sell kits for re-tubing, pre-section, power section, full re valve or singles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 i've always bought from Watford Valves, just replaced all the valves in my little Laney LC15 guitar amp, went for the Harma Retro and they sound pretty good, close to the description on the website. on a previous amp i went for the Cryo treated ones, no idea if they were better than the standard but the amp sounded very nice afterwards. Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baloney Balderdash Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 (edited) 18 hours ago, Bunion said: Somewhere like https://www.ampvalves.co.uk/choose-your-amp/valves-for-orange/ or https://www.watfordvalves.com/products.asp?ID=32&man=222 sell kits for re-tubing, pre-section, power section, full re valve or singles Come on in tube lovers! Alright, we got white tubes, black tubes, Spanish tubes, yellow tubes. We got hot tubes, cold tubes. We got wet tubes. We got smelly tubes. We got hairy tubes, bloody tubes. We got snapping tubes. We got silk tubes, velvet tubes, naugahyde tubes. We even got horse tubes, dog tubes, chicken tubes. C'mon, you want tubes, come on in Tube Lovers! If we don’t got it, you don't want it! Edited February 20, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pow_22 Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 Hotrox is my go to place. Cheaper than Watford Valves and dont put their valves in the freezer 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 11 hours ago, Matt P said: i've always bought from Watford Valves, just replaced all the valves in my little Laney LC15 guitar amp, went for the Harma Retro and they sound pretty good, close to the description on the website. on a previous amp i went for the Cryo treated ones, no idea if they were better than the standard but the amp sounded very nice afterwards. Matt I've always used Watford Valves too and know (and really like) the Harma STR's. I've not had a chance to roll the Retros yet, but I will when I have a valve pre again! Derek (I think is the man behind the brand) has always been helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloke_zero Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 On 19/02/2023 at 14:43, Bunion said: https://www.watfordvalves.com/products.asp?ID=32&man=222 Shout out for Watford Valves - been using them for years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paddy109 Posted February 21, 2023 Author Share Posted February 21, 2023 Thanks Basschatters x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thodrik Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 Another happy Watford Valves customer here. My brother uses HotRox and says they are equally as good. I generally find that JJ 12x7 tubes are good, reliable and cost effective. I use them in my Mesa Big Block and Walkabout. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvickey Posted April 4, 2023 Share Posted April 4, 2023 JJs are good... it's what come in the GK D-class + valve preamps from the factory. I've put them into some Marshall guitar heads too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted April 4, 2023 Share Posted April 4, 2023 On 19/02/2023 at 14:29, Baloney Balderdash said: I really like the Electro Harmonix 12AX7EH tube. Use it in all my tube units. The cheap Chinese ones that most cheaper tube units comes with from stock tends to sound thin, shrill and fizzy. Same here, I have them in my 1000w Terror amp and they are spot on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted April 4, 2023 Share Posted April 4, 2023 Can you still get EH valves, and if so are they still the same? IIRC they used to be rebadged Russian-made ones which of course are no longer available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted April 4, 2023 Share Posted April 4, 2023 When I had a valve amp I always used Karltone https://www.karltone.co.uk/ One of the old fretboard / Musicradar / Intermusic forum guys set it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbloke Posted April 30, 2023 Share Posted April 30, 2023 https://www.thetubestore.com/12ax7-tube-reviews?12ax7-tube-reviews=undefined&goto=ts12ax7 I stuck some Tung Sols in my GK MB Fusion 500. I definitely notice more gain and midrange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunderwonder Posted May 1, 2023 Share Posted May 1, 2023 A few years ago I had all JJ tubes in an amp that sounded sweet. JJ are Slovakian and available widely, good enough for Ampegs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted May 1, 2023 Share Posted May 1, 2023 Tube Amp Doctor is the place to look for tubes or valves in the EEC: https://www.tubeampdoctor.com/en/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted May 1, 2023 Share Posted May 1, 2023 (edited) These tubes are (were, since the Ukrainian war) made in Russia at the EHX facility owned by (the American) Mike Matthews (New Sensor) since 1998 and some brands are simply resurrected names: EH (Gold), Electro-Harmonix, Genalex Gold Lion, Mullard, Sovtek, Svetlana, Tung-Sol. There are the two alternatives to these EHX branded tubes: JJ, formerly Tesla (Slovakia), Western Electric (USA). Then there are these very expensive boutique brands: Elrog (Germany), Emission Labs (Czech Republic), KR Audio (Czech Republic), Sophia Electric (USA or China), Takatsuki (Japan). Then come the Chinese brands made by Shuguang, now more specialised in the very lucrative audiophile market: Golden Dragon, Grant Fidelity, Lenlai, Penta, Primaluna, Psvane (PS Vane), Ruby, Shuguang, Sino, TJ Fullmusic, Valve Art. This is to date all the real brands I know still available today (and I'm deeply sure there are no others), the rest being rebadged Chinese tubes, sorry for those pretending the opposite, even if there are stories about new facilities in China that, when further inquiring, are impossible to locate or suddenly destroyed... Edited May 1, 2023 by Hellzero Remembered one more brand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted May 1, 2023 Share Posted May 1, 2023 (edited) i've just realised that since my last post in this thread I have bought and re-valved a Mk 1 Orange terror bass! I went with these NOS Philips valves from Langrex, Linky I went for the 12AT7 as they are lower gain (60 vs 100 for the 12AX7 I think) and the price with postage etc was very good compared to other places and the WA spec ones are supposedly military grade. the amp is now much more usable with a better range to the Gain control, it still gets really dirty when it's cranked but the gain control is far more progressive and usable. there is a great thread by @Happy Jackall about this which is where I got all my info about what spec valves to try. HERE Matt EDIT- just remembered that i also swapped out the screws that hold the top "cage" onto the amp, the original ones are pretty soft and easily damaged, i swapped them for some decent socket head (allen) screws, they're M3 thread, and i think 8mm long (I'm lucky that i work for an engineering company so things like this are easy to get, i think i scrounged these screws from the scrap metal bin after the last workshop clearout) Edited May 1, 2023 by Matt P added bit at the bottom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralf1e Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 Another Watford valves user here. always been happy with the choice and what I recieved Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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