Tube recommendations for 5150

[Downtuned]

Can anyone recommend some good quality names of tubes that I can get for my 5150. It sounds good but somehow I think it could sound much better so I was thinking of changing the tubes. I bought it second hand and I'm not techy at all so I wouldn't know what to go for, all I know is that it says RU 6L6GCM on the tubes in the amp already.

It may just be that I haven't had it cranked due to it being in my flat and not owning an attenuator yet but it'd be nice to know a bit more about tubes and valves.

Thanks

 

[Downtuned]

Sorry I should have done a search first! There's millions of recommendations in other threads! Just delete this one if you can, was just a bit over zealous!

 

[guitarguru777]

Those are Rubys. I like JJ Gold Pins in the pre amp and Sovtek 6L6GC + in the power section on mine.

 

[sprack]

Just don't run a Tung Sol in the phase inverter (V4). JJ is recommended for that socket. I like the Tung Sols for everything else.

 

[guitarguru1969]

Ruby for me in the power section. JJ was a tad dark. I liked the Winged "C" for power also, ruby just seems a bit tighter. Just my .02

 

[pipaguapique]

Winged C's are the best ones i have ever heard. ask lasse.

i have the JJ's Match Quad's (kt88 and 6l6) in mine and it sounds pretty killer.

 

[Tercero]

I'm really liking a Tung-Sol in V-1, Shuguang's in V-2, V-3, and V-5 and a Mesa 12AT7 in the phase inverter with Mesa 6L6-STR440's in the power section.

 

[Cheesebone]

Winged C's sound fucking great in these amps, as long as you're willing to get them biased properly and don't mind the price tag (last I checked it was like $130 for a quad of SED's).

The preamp section is really where all the tone shaping is done, so recommendations in this are depend a lot on the kind of sound you're looking for. If you're looking to "tame" it a bit (we all know that a stock 5150's pregain knob is useless past 2:00 anyway) then I'd suggest something like a 5751 in the V1 - it'll still provide enough gain to really crank out the heavy shit but it also adds a lot of clarity and makes the "clean channel" much nicer too if that matters at all.

Believe it or not, if you want brutal heavy shit, those cheap Chinese Sino 12ax7's sound unholy in these things. Just keep a good balanced JJ or a Sovtek LPS in the inverter slot.

 

[bryan_kilco]

Off topic....but we have 2 guitarguru's?!?!!!

 

[ESPJL5150]

I like the rubys. Never tried JJ tubes maybe i should!