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  • August 5, 2009 at 5:50 am #78722
    rlff2
    Member

    I needed to change the tubes in my amp. This was my first time using EH.

    I bought two 6V6’s, 12AT7 and four others. One of the tubes in the amp was going bad so I changed one at a time. The first 6V6 I put in I got no glow and no sound. I tried the second 6V6 and it worked. I took the non working 6V6 back to the store; they did not have any more so I got a refund and had them order one. When I replaced the 12AT7 the new EH did not glow and the reverb did not work. I took it back and exchanged it. The replacement 12AT worked fine. Three days later no sound from the amp. As I suspected it was the new EH 6V6 that went bad. I now had both of the old 6V6’s back in the amp but it didn’t sound right and still made crackling noises so now I new it had to be one of the 6V6’s that was going bad in the first place. I found another store that happened to have two Mesa 6V6’s in stock. I bought them, put them in and bingo, the amp sounded amazing with no crackling.

    What are the chances of getting three brand new tubes that did not work. As I said this is my first experience with EH and it was not a good one.

    August 5, 2009 at 12:35 pm #100308
    electro-melx
    Moderator
    Quote:
    What are the chances of getting three brand new tubes that did not work. As I said this is my first experience with EH and it was not a good one.

    It really depends where you buy them from, valves by nature are pretty fragile. If you buy them from somewhere that tests, matches and looks after them properly then you shouldn’t have a problem with any brand.

    If I was getting a run of bad valves I would be pointing the finger at the place I bought them from rather than the brand (whatever brand that was) because it’s pretty unacceptable. I buy mine from Watford Valves usually

    http://www.watfordvalves.com/aboutus.asp

    You can read there about all the tests they put them though before selling them… including simulating ‘real working conditions’ so yeah the chances of getting one bad valve from them would be almost impossible. This is only my opinion but I don’t see valves as ‘off the shelf’ products and if you buy from a valve specialist who knows what they are doing you shouldn’t ever have a problem with any brand.

    …..considering EHX make almost every vavle in production under one name or another, I think currently their quality and experience is second to none.

    August 5, 2009 at 12:56 pm #100309
    electro-melx
    Moderator

    p.s. mesa don’t make valves. They are either re-branded russian valves (more than likely made by new sensor ‘ehx’) or re-branded chinese made.

    …..these 12ax7’s made in the russian reflector factory and have been used by Mesa as the standard stock 12AX7 in all Mesa produced over the last 7 years.

    http://www.watfordvalves.com/product_detail.asp?id=1826

    Guess who owns the factory? ;) :D

    ;)

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