5150 III Tube suggestions?

[Harley Barley]

I just picked up a 5150 III 100w for 700$!!!! beyond stoked. Obviously the tubes are a bit fucky and worn out, its an older serial number #543 and hasn't been treated too well. I've replaced a few of them that seemed to be giving me problems with a few spare 12ax7's (sovtek WC) i had lying around and it is definitely better but the spare tubes aren't that great really one of them is microphonic. I believe it still has most of the stock tubes in it

v1 sovtek 12ax7 wc
v2 electro harmonix - replaced with sovtek 12axwc
v3 electro harmonix - replaced with sovtek 12axwc
v4 sovtek 12ax7 wc
v5 sovtek 12ax7 wc? - had a mesa in it replaced with sovtek 12ax7wa
v6 electro harmonix
v7 sovtek 12ax7lps - seem to be in good shape
v8 sovtek 12ax7lps - seem to be in good shape
v9 sovtek 6l6
v10 sovtek 6l6
v11 sovtek 6l6
v12 sovtek 6l6

Just curious what guys are using in theirs to replace the stock tubes, i'm thinking of getting mostly Tung-sol 12ax7 for v1-v6 leaving in v7&8 and i dont know what to get for the powers any suggestions?

I'm not sure if the v2 and v3 electro harmonix where totally fucked but the sovteks seem to have WAY higher head room and transformed the cleans entirely.

 

[Fluffbot]

I'd fully retube it, balanced phase inverter on the input jack preamp tube, JJ tubes or something similar. We were having a ton of problems with my head and finally my tech re-soldered the whole board, no problems since. The heads come wave-soldered from the factory and apparently some of the connections were shitty. If you have the funds maybe get a good tech to give it a once over, better to be sure than to have the damn thing die on the road like mine did! My friend has a 50W version and it had the same problem.

Anyway, I have always recommended a full retube on any used head! See if you can get some low-mid gain preamp tubes to tame the red channel a bit, no one needs that amount of gain! Could also help the clean channel shine a bit more

 

[Rex Rocker]

JJ ECC83S's all throughout the preamp for me. Warm, squishy, tight, and reliable.

Balanced JJ ECC803S or Sovtek 12AX7LPS in whatever the PI position is. JJ is brighter but more compressed. Sovtek LPS is looser and darker, but more open. Depends on your taste. Both are cool.

I would not stick either in too many preamp positions because they have big plates and tend to be sensitive to microphonics.

Maybe Tung Sol 12AX7 in whatever the first gain stage(s?) is if you want a little extra sizzle. I wouldn't stick Tung Sol 12AX7's in all of the preamp positions, though.

I like the Tung Sol 6L6GC, but it may be a bit too smooth and fat for an already smooth and fat-sounding amp. Maybe Sovtek 6L6WXT+?

 

[TheWinterSnow]

JJ's all the way here from me. Haven't been a big fan of sovteks, they tend to be do muddy and nasty in the wrong ways. JJ ECC83S is a great tube, bright, warm, compresses musically and has great note clarity. If you want even brighter tone, a Tung Sol in V1 does nicely. Depending on your style, A balanced ECC803S would do nicely, help bring some more clarity if you want to tame some fizz at the power amp/phase inverter, the gold pin variation will do nicely, really helps warm up the cleans too. Power tubes, My 5150 Mk I has WXT+ and I am not the biggest fan, considering the power amp in the 5150 III is virtually identical, if y ou want a warmer but less tight sound, JJ 6l6s, a tight and powerfull bottom end, Svetlana Wing C. I'll probably go with the Svets my next retube.

 

[sprack]

I'd put something like a Retrovalve or AMT 12AX7WS in the PI position. Never have to worry about the PI being your source of a drop in volume again.