30 de marzo de 2008

50 OF THE GREATEST STOMPBOXES

By Art Thompson March, 2005

http://www.musicplayer.com/article/50-of-the/mar-05/4174

If you want proof that guitarists gleefully cling to the past, just look at their feet. Most likely, their boots are hovering near a bunch of metal boxes that were conceived back in the ’60s and ’70s. The truly addicted collect masses of these things and Velcro them on pedalboards—often employing arcane and complicate


If you want proof that guitarists gleefully cling to the past, just look at their feet. Most likely, their boots are hovering near a bunch of metal boxes that were conceived back in the ’60s and ’70s. The truly addicted collect masses of these things and Velcro them on pedalboards—often employing arcane and complicated routing systems to switch between a series of old-school tonal colors. And even though digital technology has made it possible to inject these classic sounds into sleek, programmable designs, most guitarists still get a little weak in the knees upon discovering a new analog stompbox.

The simple, visceral design of most stompboxes is actually the salvation of the species, as it’s easy and fun to create sonic carnage by mixing and matching pedals. Beginning with the introduction of the Maestro Fuzz-Tone in 1963, the pedal population has grown exponentially to the point where vintage models now commonly share board space with classic reissues, modern boutique units, and mass-produced newbies.

The GP staff decided to pay homage to these bottom-feeding beasts by detailing 50 revolutionary models. Each pedal has either defined a certain tone, pushed the sonic envelope of its time, been adopted by legendary players, and/or graced essential songs and albums. This was far from a simple task. We’re also aware that extraodinary new boutique pedals are produced in garages all over the place—and that an exuberant community endorses each little-known wonderbox—but we focused this list on pedals that have been heard ’round the world.

So spin through this collection of classic blasters and modern masters, and bask in the simple pleasures of these powerful tone machines. We’ll await your letters and e-mails trashing us for not mentioning one of your fave stompboxes. But, hey, arguing over every minute shade of sound is part of the joy of being guitar players. Have fun!

ADA Flanger
Debut: 1977

With its 35-to-1 sweep ratio—which was more than double that of the MXR Auto Flanger and Tycobrahe Pedalflanger—the ADA could sweep an audio signal over the horizon faster than you could say “voltage controlled clock oscillator.” When it comes to extreme flange effects, the ADA is still unbeatable.

Arbiter Fuzz Face
Debut: 1966

You’d have to have been frozen in a glacier for the past 3,000 years to not know about the Fuzz Face or the left-handed Strat player who made it famous. Introduced in 1966 by London’s Arbiter Music, the dynamic-sounding Fuzz Face represents mankind’s best use of two transistors, four resistors, and three capacitors.

Bixonic Expandora=
Debut: 1995

Surfacing at the height of the mid-’90s stompbox boom, the Expandora made friends fast with its rich fuzz sounds and its ability to be optimized for distortion or overdrive via a pair of internal dip switches. Billy Gibbons’ onstage use of multiple Expandoras (most of which weren’t hooked up to anything) helped make the effect an overnight success.

Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble~
Debut: 1976

Famous for its lush analog sound, the stereo CE-1 set the standard by which all chorus pedals are judged. With its dual footswitches (chorus/vibrato and effects bypass), input-level switch, chorus intensity and vibrato depth and speed controls, the CE-1 was also one of the most flexible of the breed.

Boss DM-2 Delay
Debut: 1981

Highly regarded for its tape-flavored tones, this classic analog delay pedal specializes in short echoes (33ms to 330ms), and features echo, intensity, and repeat rate controls. Cranking the intensity knob makes for a pretty rad effect in itself!

Boss DD-3 Digital Delay
Debut: 1986

This ultra-popular digital pedal gave guitarists far greater sonic flexibility than was possible with analog technology. Clear sounding, quiet, and delivering up to 800ms of delay, the DD-3 was an immediate hit. Features include dual outputs and a handy hold function that will loop a delayed part infinitely.

Boss DS-1 Distortion
Debut: 1979

This ultra-classic distortion box is known for its warm, tube-like growl and excellent dynamics and punch. If you could have only one distortion box, you couldn’t go wrong with a DS-1.

Boss MT-2 Metal Zone
Debut: 1991

Packing furious gain and powerful EQ, the MT-2 is well equipped for scorching lead tones and gut-shaking, modern-metal chunk.

Colorsound Overdriver
Debut: 1972

Boosted grind is the forte of this great-sounding, British-made overdrive. Equipped with drive, treble, and bass controls, the Overdriver is ideal for making even clean amps perform very dirty tricks—just ask Jeff Beck.

Demeter Tremulator
Debut: 1982

Designed to deliver soft, amp-style tremolo with no volume losses or unwanted coloration, the compact Tremulator needs only speed and depth controls to yield smooth, Fender-style pulse.

Guyatone Flip Series VT-X Vintage Tremolo
Debut: 1999

The VT-X is a fat-sounding, tube-powered tremolo that offers a wide range of trem speed, as well as a bevy of controls. Along with intensity, speed, and tone knobs, the unit sports a slow/fast range switch and an Emphasis function that adds bite to the tones without taking the warm, amp-like undulations straight to the chopping block. The VT-X features dual outputs and is powered by a 12-volt AC adapter. Put it last in line and dig what it does for your tone!

DigiTech Whammy
Debut: 1991

This 11-year-old audio acrobat is currently performing its digital wang-bar tricks, chorus-like manual detuning, and pedal-controlled interval morphing for a generation of nu-metal players. Even jazzers such as John Scofield and Jim Hall have grooved on this wild pedal. If you’re itching to get down with something spicier than an octave fuzz, but not as diabolic as a ring-modulator, the Whammy is a great middle ground.

Dunlop 535Q Wah
Debut: 2001

The 535Q is like having several wah pedals in one. Its multitude of functions (which include a 6-position wah range switch, a wah fine-tune control, a boost on/off switch, and “Q” and volume trimmers) may invite option anxiety, but they give the 535Q the flexibility and power to field everything from funk to metal.

Electro-Harmonix 16-Second Digital Delay
Debut: 1982

Electro-Harmonix introduced a ton of revolutionary pedals in the ’70s and early ’80s, and one of the most adventurous was the 16-Second Delay. Able to record parts on the fly, and then replay them at the touch of a button, this early digital sampler opened the door to onstage looping, and it would become a key element in the textural styles pioneered by Robert Quine and Bill Frisell.

Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man
Debut: 1976

Famous for its warm, tape-like delays and detailed chorusing (owing to the fact that only the feedback signal was chorused, thus preserving the integrity of the dry signal), this classic chorus/echo/vibrato unit stands out as one of the major reasons so many guitar players still freak at the mere mention of the word “analog.”

Electro-Harmonix Big Muff
Debut: 1971

Though not quite the distortion-free sustainer the original EH ads cracked it up to be, the Big Muff’s soft-clipping and treble-rolloff circuitry yielded smooth, singing tones that were way more tube-like than any fuzzbox could deliver.

Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress
Debut: 1977

The Electric Mistress is a pretty unique sounding animal that’s less of a flange/chorus box and more of a spacy detuning machine that doubles as a portal into the mind of Robert Fripp. Using the Filter Matrix switch to disengage the automatic sweep lets you manually dial in metallic chimes and other strange noises.

Electro-Harmonix LPB-1
Debut: 1968

The LPB-1 wasn’t a stompbox—it plugged right into the input jack of a guitar—but this single-transistor power booster gave guitarists unprecedented powers of distortion. Able to drive even the cleanest amplifier into clipping, this tiny titan not only put Electro-Harmonix on the map, it also paved the way for the advent of high-gain amplifiers.

Electro-Harmonix Small Stone
Debut: 1976

This simple phase shifter needs only a rate knob and a color switch to deliver rich, swooshy, psychedelic swirl. Costing about half as much as the MXR Phase 90, the Small Stone was an immensely popular phaser and a huge hit for Electro-Harmonix.

Foxx Tone Machine
Debut: 1972

One of the hippest octave–fuzzes ever made, the Tone Machine packed tons of output and it tracked well to boot. Obtaining one of these flocked boxes will prove costly nowadays, so it’s worth noting that the Danelectro French Toast mini pedal incorporates the vintage Foxx circuit.

Fulltone Distortion Pro
Debut: 2001

This highly evolved pedal offers thick distortion, potent output, and the ability to precisely tailor the dynamic response to suit your amplifier, playing style, and mood. And it does all this while keeping the sound of your guitar intact. Amazing! Definitely one of the most talented new overdrivers on the market.

Fulltone Full-Drive 2
Debut: 1995

This dual-channel unit features the usual volume, tone, and overdrive controls, but adds a footswitchable boost function with a separate level control. A great-sounding overdrive in its own right, the Full-Drive 2 is particularly hip for its ability to deliver two distinct distortion flavors

Ibanez TS-808 Tube Screamer
Debut: 1980

Made famous by Eric Johnson, this definitive overdrive is a close cousin of the popular TS-9. The TS-808 delivers warm, grainy distortion, plenty of output, and has a strong upper-midrange bump that colors your guitar sound considerably.

Klon Centaur
Debut: 1994

Featuring a beautiful cast-metal enclosure and a retro-cool bronze/oxblood color scheme, the Centaur is a medium-gain pedal noted for its open-sounding distortion and beefy low-end.

Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler
Debut: 1999

One of the first digital-modeling stompboxes, the DL4 provides simulations of 15 classic analog delays and tape-echo units. With its user-friendly interface, and smart features such as tap-tempo, stereo ins and outs, and a 14-second looping function, the DL4 is one-stop-shopping for delay freaks.

Lovetone Meatball
Debut: 1995

Featuring four frequency ranges, multiple filter types (with depth and resonance controls), attack and decay knobs, a trigger section, and a handy effects loop, the British-made Meatball can do the funky-filter thing as readily as it dishes up animal snorts, bird whistles, insect mating calls, and endless iterations of lower-tract distress.

Maestro Fuzz-Tone
Debut: 1963

As the first commercially available fuzzbox, this wedge-shaped device added signature buzz to hundreds of ’60s-era country, pop, and rock recordings. Based on a transistor circuit cooked up by a Nashville studio engineer, the Fuzz-Tone kicked off the beginning of the stompbox revolution.

Morley Power Wah Boost
Debut: 1973

Morley broke with the wah pack by introducing a model that used a photo resistor in place of the standard potentiometer. The PWB doubled as a volume pedal, and it also featured a footswitchable, variable boost function. With its wide, smooth sweep and quiet operation, the PWB was a revolutionary design that opened the door for a slew of ever more elaborate Morley pedals.

Musitronics Mu-Tron III
Debut: 1972

Developed for Musitronics by electronics designer Mike Biegle, the Mu-Tron III envelope follower/voltage-controlled filter produced automatic wah effects that changed timbre in response to your playing dynamics. Made famous by Stevie Wonder—who plugged one into a clavinet for the hit “Higher Ground”—the Mu-Tron III was a key element in ’70s funk, and it was also favored by Larry Coryell and Jerry Garcia.

MXR Distortion +
Debut: 1973

This early buzz box—a favorite of Randy Rhoads—used a simple op-amp circuit that provided both insane gain and tube-sounding distortion textures (provided that you made sure to roll off the treble on your guitar and amp). The + was also one of MXR’s most popular effects, selling in excess of 20,000 units per year at its peak.

MXR Dyna Comp
Debut: 1973

Putting the pop in country licks and helping slide parts sound silky smooth has long been a specialty of this king of stompbox compressors. The Dyna Comp was quickly adopted by ace Nashville session players such as Reggie Young and Jerry Reed—who used the script-logo versions on hundreds of hit recordings—and it was also a key tool of slide master Lowell George.

MXR Flanger
Debut: 1980

The moment Eddie Van Halen kicked on this baby for “Unchained” in 1981, the MXR Flanger was guaranteed a place in the stompbox Hall of Fame. Besides delivering deep, powerful swoosh, this AC-powered analog box could delve into chorusing, steel-drum simulations, and other shades of lo-fi lusciousness.

MXR Phase 90
Debut: 1973

This orange box needs just a speed knob to yield complex swirl and cool, rotary-speaker simulations. Another essential ingredient in Van Halen’s classic setup (he set it for a very slow sweep), the Phase 90 is the one to get if you can only have one phaser.

Prescription Electronics Experience Pedal
Debut: 1993

This boutique octave-fuzz offers intense sustain, loads of output, and a unique swell circuit that can simulate the effect of playing backwards. The Experience’s soft, wooly octave sound is one of the attributes that makes this pedal a standout.

Pro Co Rat
Debut: 1978

The Rat’s distortion and wide-ranging filter controls yield tones that are straight from the Tube Screamer quadrant, but with considerably more gain and bass. Plug into this thing and you’ll understand why Rats infested so many pedalboards in the ’70s and ’80s.

Roger Mayer Octavia
Debut: 1966

If Roger Mayer wasn’t the first boutique stompbox builder, he certainly was the most famous. His biggest hit was the Octavia, which delivers a ringing second-octave effect. Mayer recalls that within a few days of hearing the effect, Jimi Hendrix took the Octavia to the studio and plugged it straight into a Marshall for his solos on “Purple Haze” and “Fire.”

Roland AP-7 Jet Phaser
Debut: 1975

Best known for creating the swirling, nasally fuzz sound on the Isley Brothers hit, “Who’s that Lady,” the Jet Phaser combined a multi-setting phase shifter with a fuzz circuit that was probably lifted from Roland’s Bee Baa pedal. The rarely-seen AP-7 packs a bunch of controls and specializes in psychedelic colors that no combination of fuzz and phaser can quite duplicate.

Snarling Dogs Mold Spore Psycho-Scumatic Wah
Debut: 1999

It’s easy to believe that a pedal packing wah and ring modulation would be pretty extreme. But even those who think they’ve heard everything will likely be blown away once they start messing with this baby’s Freakwincy, Psychoscumation, and Straightjacket controls—not to mention the Freak Sweep button, which allows for foot control of the ring modulation center-point. Bottom line: If you want to show you’re nuts, this is the pedal to do it with.

T.C. Electronic Stereo Chorus + Pitch Modulator & Flanger
Debut: 1982

Lots of players consider this Danish-made unit to be the ultimate chorus pedal—and it’s great for Leslie-style tones, too. Thanks to a beautifully designed analog circuit that delivers a 20Hz-20kHz bandwidth and imposes a noise-gate on the wet signal, the T.C. is one of the clearest and quietest chorus boxes ever made.

Tech 21 SansAmp
Debut: 1989

This brainy D.I. device uses analog circuitry to simulate the sounds of different amplifiers in clean and distorted configurations. The SansAmp’s eight character switches—which can be used individually or in combination to do such things as boost mids, alter the treble response, and enhance the lows—are at the heart of this studio-oriented device’s chameleon-like powers. Kurt Cobain used a SansAmp onstage.

Tube Works Tube Driver
Debut: 1979

The Tube Driver has at least three distinctions: It was the first distortion pedal to use a real tube, it was designed by a keyboard player (Brent Butler), and it was made famous by Eric Johnson (who used one straight into a Marshall for his lead sound). Several versions of this box were made, and the four-knob models built by Butler for Chandler are generally considered the best.

Tycobrahe Octavia
Debut: 1970

In the beginning, there were only two ways to get an Octavia: You could become a rock star and get it directly from Roger Mayer, or you could purchase a Tycobrahe clone. The tale of two Octavias began when bassist Noel Redding brought one of Jimi Hendrix’s broken units to the Tycobrahe folks to be repaired. The rest, as they say, is history.=

Univox Uni-Vibe
Debut: 1969

Another stompbox made famous by Hendrix is the Uni-Vibe—an early rotary-speaker simulator that used a pulsating light source and four photo resistors to modulate its four-stage phase-shifting circuit. It’s primitive technology, but what would Band of Gypsys be without the Uni-Vibe’s thick, smoky swirl? Or, for that matter, Robin Trower?

Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive
Debut: 2000

What makes this distortion/overdrive pedal special is its ability to simulate the layering effect of two amplifiers. The Sparkle Drive’s key feature is its clean knob, which lets you add boosted clean signal to the distortion sound to enhance clarity and detail.

Vox CryBaby
Debut: 1967

Hendrix was the first and most famous to jump on this essential effect—which was invented by a Thomas Organ engineer named Brad Plunkett. The CryBaby’s distinctly vocal inflections are irresistible to humans, who have used the device with impunity on practically every style of music ever since.

Vox Tone Bender
Debut: 1967

This classic British fuzz was Vox’s answer to the Maestro Fuzz-Tone. Listen to Jeff Beck’s exotic-sounding guitar work on “Over Under Sideways Down,” and you’ll get a pretty good idea of why the Tone Bender is legendary.

Way Huge Blue Hippo
Debut: 1998

Broad, rich chorusing and the ability to preserve the tonality of your guitar make the Blue Hippo a heavyweight of the analog jungle. This is one chorus you can really lay into without feeling like you’ve dunked your tone in a muddy Muzak watering hole

Way Huge Swollen Pickle
Debut: 1996

Though one of the most corpulent-sounding fuzzes, this herkin’ gherkin can also deliver explosive treble bite.

Z.Vex Fuzz Factory
Debut: 1995

Featuring volume, gate, comp, drive, and stab controls, the Fuzz Factory produces everything from classic, Beck/Clapton-style buzz to animal squeals, garbled spacecraft chatter, and dying-transistor sputters. This is one of the widest-ranging fuzzes of all time.

Z.Vex Seek Wah
Debut: 1996

Packing eight individually tunable, sequentially driven wah circuits (which can be set to fire in four-, six-, or eight-voice patterns), the Seek Wah is well equipped to produce such trippy effects as modulated-wah tremolo, oddball-sounding arpeggios, and myriad dialects of robot speak.

Pink Floyd, animals in the Battersea Power Station

un link ...

para ver el escenario del Animals ... (Google Earth)

http://carlosrojasarancibia.googlepages.com/Animals.kmz


Rz

Mi cadena de efectos ...

Hoy:

Guitarra > Wha-Wha > Dynacomp > TS-9 > Large Beaver "Triangle" > Tube Driver (como Overdrive) > Uni-Vibe > Phaser 90 > CE-2 > TremoloSaurio > Amplificador > Send/return Quadraverb GT

Mañana:
Guitarra > Wha-Wha > Dynacomp > TS-9 > Tube Driver DSM (como Booster) > Large Beaver "Triangle" > BK Butler Tube Driver (como Overdrive) > Uni-Vibe > Phaser 90 > CE-2 > TremoloSaurio > Amplificador > Send/return Quadraverb GT









Rz

27 de marzo de 2008

Redz F.M.

mi amigo Raul esta preparando una radio con lo que he grabado.
espero que este disponible lo antes posible...

Rz

21 de marzo de 2008

DSM Tube Driver ACTUALIZADO

Ya ha llegado a casa.
es de alta calidad, muy cálido. aporta al tono de la guitarras ... viene a mi mente Shine on your crazy diamond.

un overdrive delicioso.

Rz



Efectivamente el tubo estaba "bleeding" voltaje ... Daniel lo esta revisando, según el es porque el PCB es rasca ... en fin, ojala lo tenga luego ...

Rz




bueno, el tube driver quedo bueno, sin embargo no tiene el Gain necesario ni normal.
segun Daniel, podria estarse filrtando voltaje.

ojala que esta semana (fin de semana) Daniel lo arregle...
creo que necesito un BK Butler Tube Driver ...


Rz

14 de marzo de 2008

Llegó mi pedal nuevo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

el big muff "triangle" está conectado.

LA CAGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
suena INCREIBLE ... creo que captura el sonido de la strato en toda su magnitud ..
sin histeria, cálido, .... redondo ... (cuando la onda es cuadrada) ...

chao ... me voy a tocar ..... me refiero a tocar guitarra !!!


Rz

8 de marzo de 2008

"el" tubo del Tube Driver: JJ ECC803S, comentarios y descripcion .. no muy bien, parece.

Description:
Classic long plate European design with special grid plated by gold to reduce microphonic interaction and noise. The JJ ECC803s is a hi-gain 12AX7 that has a spiral wound filament to reduce noise and hum. The construction is different from the JJ ECC83s in that the plates are more conventional, but have a special heat dissipating fin that serves to improve efficiency and gain. If you want that great JJ tone in a hi-gain package, then these are for you. For hi-gain amps, stick with the JJ ECC83S.


Comments:
Bad. Very quiet but just didn't seem to work very well. Almost everything had a metallic "ring" to it and it may have been marginally damped or marginally stable, or maybe it was microphonic (although a "tap test" didn't show that). Gain was noticeably lower than others. Might require circuit changes to work best but it didn't work in a Super PAS.

Rz

ECC83,12AX7 Test Report from Watford Valves in the U.K.

OBJECT OF THE TEST
To establish the best sounding ECC83/12AX7 of both New Old Stock and current production variety.

EQUIPMENT USED

The amplifiers used were:
  • 70 's Fender twin reverb fitted with J.B.L's.
  • A 70's Fender twin reverb fitted with original Fender blue back speakers.
  • A Mesa/Boogie mark 4 combo.
  • Marshall 100 super lead into 4 x 12 cab.
  • Fender Princeton reverb 2.
  • Vox AC10 with Elac speakers.

Guitars used where a:
  • 1973 Fender Stratocaster
  • 1980 Yamaha SA 2000S semi acoustic
  • 1980 Gibson Les Paul Standard

Audio tests were carried out using a Croft Micro Audiophile pre amp. A Leak stereo 20 power amp trough Tannoy 15' super reds. The source was Thorens TD150 Grace & Supex & A.R. Legend, Linn arm & Denon Cartridge.

The tests were carried out to provide in real working and playing situations how the valves performed. The test rig use to select the valves prior to evaluation was our own custom designed unit click here for picture.Valves were selected for low microphony, low noise and gain rated Click for more infoMullard ECC83 & Mullard M8137 Box anode, R.C.A 7025 & Telefunken ECC83 Where used as the reference.

The test reports have been updated on 1st September 2000. We used the same equipment with the addition of a Fender pro junior and the same reference valves for evaluation. All the valves tested where selected to the same specification as our original test samples. The new valves tested where, The French Mazda 12AX7 military grey plates, The French Mazda 12AX7 military silver plates, The Tesla N.O.S E83CC/ECC803S Telefunken replica new old stock valves. The only new current production item being the Sovtek 12AX7LPS.

ECC83/12AX7LPS SOVTEK
The new Sovtek 12AX7LPS valve is now in full scale production in Russia. The valve is of medium to high gain and has a special spiral filament. This filament greatly reduces hum when operated in amplifiers with AC heaters. This is certainly the best 12AX7 that Sovtek have come up with. On the plus side in audio you get more detail in the treble register. The valve is open and has very balanced presentation and importantly the valve has life and sparkle not muddy like the WA or WB. Over long periods the valve was easy on the ear again unlike the other Sovteks we have listened too. Bass response was fine, not as deep or thundering as the Mullard , Brimar or JJ/tesla but one could easily pick out the bass line. The minus points were on vocals as they were not as refined as the new old stock tubes.In Guitar amps we noticed that the level of microphonics were higher than the WB, This would be also be consistent with the higher gain of the tube. The valve gave a bright and clean sound but not as sharpe as the G.E. When the valve distorted it retained it's control and sounded sweet. Overall this is a very good sounding valve that provided a good choice for audio or guitar.

ECC83/12AX7 MAZDA GREY PLATE
A French military valve that is noted for it's Mullard Tone. In audio application these valves were detailed , lively and very balanced. Plenty of bass slam in these babies. In guitar amps these rocked. The valves are very high gain, yes more gain than the famous Mullard ECC83. The distorted tone was rich and fat . Treble response was clear even when really distorted. The valves were supremely quiet, however due to the immense gain special selected version would be needed if your amp has a cascading gain pre amp section.

ECC83/12AX7 MAZDA SILVER ANODE
A French military valve with special silver plates made for special application military use.In audio amps the valve displayed a slight treble forwardness. This gave the impression of less bottom end thump when compared to the Mazda grey plates. A Fantastic detailed performer the sound stage was big . The valve was again very quiet which shows how well made they are. The gain on these valves are somewhat less than the grey plates but still in the medium to high gain bracket. This valve was amazing in Fenders. That sweet rich out of phase sound with a strat just jumped out of the speakers. The valve was more percussive than the siemens E83CC and with a sweet alnico speaker the guitar sung. It's compression was quite late giving bags of clean headroom. For that sweet Fender tone these have no equal.

ECC83/E83CC/ECC803S TESLA
This valve was the Czech replica of the famous Telefunken ECC803S. The valve has the large "A" frame getter and thick grade glass which eliminates microphony. The valve also retains the gold pins and plate structure of the Telefunken. This valve is not the same as the new JJ/Tesla E83CC. The first thing that strikes you is that it is very quiet and the valve displayed no microphonics whatsoever. Beautiful on female vocal as it has a super midband, very fast and dynamic. We dug out our private stash of real Telefunken ECC803S and noticed that these were identical in every way including the sound ( except for the diamond mark). The valve is not as high gain as the Mazda Grey or the RFT. Sonically this was excellent. Rich bottom end silky smooth treble and nice balanced. In Guitar amps the sound stage was big, no rings, no pops just your guitar. This valve seemed very neutral not colouring the sound in any way. When pushed into distortion the valve sounded rich with super late compression. This valve is super it just does what it is supposed to do nothing more nothing less.

ECC83/12AX7WA SOVTEK
Low to medium gain double triode with the same sound quality and less gain than the WB. When distorted did not have the detail or balance of n.o.s valves. The valve seemed to be pushing everything through the mid band. When pushed hard the sound compressed very early. Good for general repairs.

ECC83/12AX7WB SOVTEK
Low to medium gain double triode with low microphonics. Clear bright sound earlier distortion than WA. The valve lacked clarity and definition of new old stock valves. Same sound as WA however far better than the Chinese 12AX7. No snap crackle and pop.

ECC83/12AX7WB SILVER ANODE SOVTEK
This is the early silver anode WB as used by Groove tubes. Many of our customers tell us these have a better sound than the current production type. We found that they sounded identical to the current WB but we found generally that they had higher gain than the modern item. This resulted in the distortion happening a little earlier, therefore we found these to be a good choice for guitarist on a budget.

ECC83/12AX7 Sylvania
Classic American valve which was fitted by all the great 60's amplifier companies such as Ampeg, Fender & Gibson. This valve produces a rich warm sound with excellent balance. When distorted produces a fat sound with plenty of drive without loss in top end clarity. In the Fender amps the valve produced a clean bright response which was great for finger picking. Single coils sounded full with no harshness and plenty of detail. In the Boogie a sweet clean sound was easily attained which was crisp and clear. Once you rocked the Boogie the Sylvania valves produced a classic rock sound with a little mid forwardness which I liked. In the Boogie we found that due to the high gain nature of the amp low microphony selected valves produced the best results. Early 1960's production ideal choice for all vintage Fenders.

ECC83/12AX7WA Philips-JAN
American military low noise valve made in the famous Sylvania plant in emporium. It retains the classic warm solid sound of the early Sylvania but has less drive. This proved useful in the Boogie as the lower gain of the valve gave less microphonics. Mid range was very musical with all the clarity of the Sylvania.the bottom end was superb and in comparison to the Sylvania sounded a little tighter and better defined which was welcomed in the Marshall amps. The bass was not as deep as the Mullard but the Philips did have that instant British style tone. In the Fender amps all the tone that you would expect was there. This is a superb valve and an instant upgrade for all modern amps.

ECC83/12AX7WA G.E-JAN
This is a rugged American military spec valve of immense quality. This is the same valve that was standard in 70's Fenders. The G.E valve is famous for it's big crisp sound stage and bright top end response which breathes life into Fenders. This valve really supplied that authentic Fender twang. The valve was brighter than the other American valves and also worked really well in the vox by giving it a clearer top end response. When the valve distorts it has a rich harmonic feel and chime. Even under heavy Boogie distortion the bass and mid range detail was also superb. Thoroughly recommended.

ECC83/Mullard
The legendary British valve which is the most sought after ECC83/12ax7 type of all time. The key is the way the valve distorts. It reproduces exactly what is driven into it with great musicality. It combines smooth drive with balanced low microphonics. The Mullard reproduces every subtle detail with a rich sound stage. When overdriven the valve had a 3 d effect which made the valve really sing. This sounded amazing in the Boogie. The noise level even at full saturation were very low. The bass response has great kick without loss of definition. We came to the conclusion that this was going to be a hard act to follow.

ECC83/M8137 Mullard BOX ANODE
The special military grade Mullard is one of the lowest noise and distortion types ever built with a superb box style anode plate. Raved about by vacuum tube valley and quite rightly so. The sound stage is detailed and relaxed and it handles complex music with ease. If you want the best audio valve then this is it as it has less distortion than the standard ECC83 Mullard. The mid band is superb with vocal rich and clear. Now very rare and sought after. For audio, stamps on the Telefunken ECC83 and leaves it for dead.

ECC83/E83CC Siemens
Original German valve with extra mica support at the top of the valve and ribbed anode plate. Well balanced with large sound stage with low distortion. Relaxed and very detailed. The valve had a real percussive ability which was great for Fender style picking. Bass & treble where in correct proportion. The valve also had a superb mid band response which was not as detailed as the Mullard but crisper than the U.S valves. Superb in audio applications on acoustic or Spanish guitar as this gave the impression that the guitar was being played in the same room. Super in the noise department and was as quiet as the box anode Mullard. This valve can be highly recommended for audio or guitar.

ECC83/TELEFUNKEN
The classic German low noise ECC83 which provided a superb rich sound stage. The valve was electrically well balanced but did not have mid range honk or bite of the Mullard ECC83. The midrange detail of the m8137 also left the tele in the shade when we used it in an audio test. The valve shares all the Siemens strong points and does everything exceptionally well. Clarity is perfect with no fuzz or bass distortion. This is an all-time classic valve and has a very high regard in audio circles.

ECC83/R.F.T
German valve that I have seen also branded Brimar, Siemens & Telefunken. This tube was also used for a long period by Marshall. The valve has a rich bass response with great drive. Very low in microphonics due to thick glass envelope. The valve also distorts earlier than the U.S.A types. The valve does show less treble response than the U.S.A types which lends the valve to be used in a more rock style set up. The rich harmonic distortion make this a great valve in Marshall. Boogie and Vox amps. It showed rich sustain with plenty of bass crunch. Mid range was clear and detailed. Defiantly for the rockers and blues players.

ECC83/CV4004 Brimar
British military spec with half flange anode. Instant British rock sound. Exceptional balance and sound staging with great drive. Has not good the rich harmonic distortion or the unique 3d effect of the Mullard and under full distortion does not appear to have the same bite. The presentation is relaxed and musical which all the new ECC83 types do not match. It does everything it should do excellently.

ECC83/TUNGSRAM
Hungarian valve which is identical in construction to the Mullard. It has additional internal supports which greatly reduces microphonics. Good balance with clean top end response. The valve sounded vibrant in the Fenders and was low in noise. This is very important in old Marshall if you want to make the amp cut through by increasing the presence control setting without all that hiss. The Tungstram does need around 48 hours run in to get the best out of it. The valve had more headroom than the R.F.T. and was as quiet as the Mullards.

ECC83/12AX7 CHINESE
This valve tended to be fitted by all the major amp manufactures when it was in production. On the plus side the valves have good gain and low microphonics, which suited the Boogie and the Marshall amps . The drawback is its complete lack of tone. This gave the wasp in a jam jar trade mark sounds. The treble was fizzy and the bass response gave a hazy distortion. The music sounded like a vale was placed in front of the speaker. The valves also after small amounts of gigging tended to sound harsh and brittle. Therefore we do not recommend this type. (The latest Chinese 12AX7C made on new tooling is currently under test and has shown some positive results at Westwood Music.)

ECC83/E.I YUGOSLAVIA
This valve closely resembles the Telefunken ECC83 due to its' smooth anode plate design. This , however is where the comparison ends as the valve sounds nothing like the tele. The valve is far too microphonic for use in guitar amps. We have even tried so called selected versions from other dealers and even Boogie branded items all of which are in our opinion unusable except as phase splitters. The valve does have plenty of gain and have a rich rock sound. The downside is that even ones which are low in microphonics seem to go microphonic within a few months. Therefore we don't recommend its' use in guitar amplifiers.

ECC83/E83CC JJ TESLA
We re-evaluated this valve as early production items seemed to produce excessive hum which rendered them useless. The valves gain characteristics place it in the medium to high gain range. The bottom end response is clean and clear. The valve has a solid structure which makes it free from adverse microphonics. Tonally these are great. The mid range has a slight blurring which seems to increase the harder you push it. Great for rock sounds but not ideal for clean. The top end is sweet clear and has nice sustain.

ECC83/5751 G.E.-JAN
This is a low gain valve which produced all the classic G.E sound stage and performance as described with the 12AX7WA. The valve was very low in distortion and very difficult to clip. This is an excellent valve for use in Fenders or any clean stage application. The sound was bright and vibrant with plenty of detail. The valve was very well balanced indeed it was very easy to get identically matched valves. This valve is far better than any currently produced valve for clean pure Fender style twang.

ECC83,12AX7 Test Conclusion
The first thing I will say is that under these tests the unanimous conclusion was that the new old stock valves offer better sound quality than the current production types. The second thing is that tonality is in the ears of the listener and you may find that a current production item has exactly what you are looking for. So try as many valves as you can until you find the sound you are looking for.

Guitar valves
The Mullard ECC83 was the clear winner as its own superb character shone through. Detail, sustain and perfect balance where second to none but what won the day was its' superb 3 d distortion character which not even the Mazda grey plate could match.The runner up was a very close race.

The RFT had a great rock tone and Mullard style gain. The valve could be made to distort very easily and was really at home in the Marshall and Boogie amps. This is ideal for the rock player as bass crunch is there in abundance.

The Tungstram was also close. This valve had detail, balance and large sound staging. this was a good all round valve with less balls than the Mullard or the R.F.T. The R.F.T & Tungstram are exceptional valves and will work well in any situation.

The Siemens E83CC was the runner up in our last test report up by virtue of its percussive nature in the top register. Some people thought this was due to its treble forwardness. The silver anode Mazda was definitely better for finger picking as it seemed to jump out of the Fender amp and demand attention. The Siemens still retains that position as it was a better balanced valve for audio use.

The Tesla E83CC/ECC803S was the best all rounder as it is very well made and it will let the music sing through with no additions. The valve had detail, balance and finesse. The valve is are rare as the Telefunken and for use in valve microphones is a dream as super low noise.

The Mazda 12AX7 grey plate are Mullards on hyper drive. Mass gain, this is the most powerful valve in terms of output we have ever measured. It is a great rock valve but just does not have the Mullards unique distortion character or freedom from microphonics. Superb in vintage amps were you need a little more bite.

The G.E where considered to the most American sounding due to its bright nature. I love the sound stage and crisp distortion of this valve and it is certainly a great all round valve with low microphony.

The Sylvania and Philips valves all showed a similar sound quality. The Sylvania valves where of higher gain and higher drive than the Philips. This would led to if the valves where unselected to microphony in critical driver positions.

The Philips seemed to be tighter in the bass area but retains the classic mid band warmth. This I love and I must say it really sounds good in Fender amp.

The Brimar CV4004 is a classic British sounding valve. Refined and well balanced and does every thing it should very well. The valve is not aggressive as the Mullard, G.E. or the R.F.T.The current production items in terms or pure sound quality the Tesla JJ and the New Sovtek 12AX7 LPS are top of the bunch.

The E.I valves also sound good but are just so appalling in the microphony department that in our opinion it is unusable in guitar amp. Many dealers advertise these as tested and low noise. They may be low noise compared to each other but I have never found any that are true low noise low microphony when compared to a Mullard, Siemens, Telefunken & Brimar.

The current Tesla JJ valves are higher gain than the early production years and are used heavily by Groove tubes & Mesa Boogie. The valve generally has a good rich sound with a forward presentation. When pushed really hard the valve can sound a little rough around the edges. The valve has less top end sparkle than some of the new old stock tubes but has plenty of bite. The audio boys may look for a brighter top but this is the best sounding current production ECC83/12AX7 for rock guitar around.The Sovtek valves are certainly low on microphonics. This is why they are used by more o.e.m than any other valve.

The WB and LPS are the best for guitar. The LPS seems to be cleaner and sharper than the other Sovteks. What you lose in low microphonics you get back double in terms of gain. This provides more crunch , more dive and more musical than any other Sovtek before.

The Sovteks do tend to suffer from a little mid range fuzz when pushed and lack the mid range detail of N.O.S valves.

The LPS goes a long way to redress the balance. They offer exception valve for money and are available in quantity.Audio valvesHere we are looking for the ultimate detail, fast dynamics and musical involvement. One valve has it all.

The winner is the Mullard M8137 box anode. This simply sounded more involving and musical than the Telefunken or the Siemens. The Mullard ECC83 was also close and is a testament to how well made the Mullards are.T

he Mullard just had the most detailed mid band with close mic work easily heard through the speakers. The German valves were all very neutral as was the Tesla E83CC/ECC803S New old stock. The R.F.T just lacking the top end richness and sharpness and bottom end clarity of its' West German cousins. The M8137 showed less distortion than The Mullard ECC83. Both these valves had that bit more detail in the midrange which makes them stand out from the pack.Two dark horses both of which made late claims to get into the ratings.

The G.E 5751 is simply a superb valve which showed all the G.E character but with lower distortion levels than the G.E 12AX7.This I feel is next audio valve which a few years from now will get more and more sought after and more expensive. The valve was specially balanced for identical triode section and has a lower amplification factor (70 mu) when compared to a ECC83/12AX7 (100 mu). The valve had a musical and pleasing sound.

The Mazda grey anode and silver anode are fantastic sounding audio valves. The silver plate is a more musical more detailed G.E type sound. It also seems to handle any music with authority. The grey plate is The Mullard ECC83 before they came of age. Not Quite the Mullard but very close.The Tungstram is a superbly rich and musical valve . The valve is low noise and has a very sweet treble. Which is full of depth and definition.

The simple rule to remember is that all the valves do sound different and it may the least expensive valve that meets your needs. Once you have found your preference always get some spares because in life three things are certain, death, taxes and N.O.S valves will dry up.These tubes are currently available on the net from http://www.watfordvalves.com/

Ahora un poco de aprendizaje respecto de los "Tubos"

12AX7 types at a glance:

Preamp tubes .... a few bits of info:
I received a question from one of the folks on a forum in late 2007 who wanted to retube his whole amp. For his objective I felt it was not necessary to replace every tube. He was making some classic mistakes and after giving him some guidelines and suggestions I felt that some of what I wrote might be beneficial for others.On preamp tubes ... this is all personal preference but you DO NOT need to change them all. Experiment with V1 ... the tube most close to the input jack. This is 85% of the tone and gain in your amp and has the most effect. Again ... this is personal taste but a little guideline here is:

12AX7R - lowest gain and darkest. Generally better in current driver spots such as effects loops or reverb circuits rather than in the front end. This tube is also known as the Sovtek 12AX7WA and Sovtek 12AX7WC. The gain of the WA is lower than any other 12AX7 type. The gain of the WC is about average compared with other 12AX7 types.

12AX7R2 - smooth but not bright, sort of mid range in response. Average gain. Great in phase inverter positions too. Also known as the Sovtek 12AX7LPS. How a phase inverter breaks down and passes signal to the output section can affect the tone and feel of your amp. I know some say the phase inverter has no effect. I disagree and am happy to demo this to others and let them decide. In any case, my personal preference in many cases in a longer plate tube for the phase inverter in amps that use 12AX7 phase inverters. This is also a great front end tube.

12AX7R3 - bright and articulate. Average gain. Can sound a bit thin to some ears in some amps. This tube is also known as the 12AX7EH (Electro Harmonix) and with a slightly different internal structure also known as the Tung Sol Reissue. These tubes are all over the map on specs so if you buy a EH or Tung Sol version get them from a trusted vendor that tests them well. If you get these in the GT Gold Series they are already tested for noise, output, etc. and will be within a good spec range.

12AX7C - Chinese 12AX7. The most smooth and linear of the 12AX7 family. A lot of Marshall folks swear by these and in Fender type front ends are really nice. Make sure you use generation 9 only. Generation 7 and 8 are not as nice. Some early generation 4 tubes are prized by some high gain amp folks. There are a lot of "Chinese" 12AX7s on the market and lots are Gen 7-8. There are also a lot of Chinese tube companies and co-ops such as Sino. The only Gen 9 folks I know of at the moment are GT and Ruby. These are a great all around tube. These are also the tube I select for tube preamps or amps with tube front ends and solid state power sections. This is also my pick for bass amps with tube front ends.

ECC83S - This is the JJ produced tube and has a short plate design that is very free of physical microphonics. These have a different mid range response than other 12AX7 types. They are the most gainy of any of the 12AX7 family and the tubes that have the highest percentage of ones that fall in the 85+ actual gain spec. The gain of a 12AX7 should be 100 at 250 plate volts with a 2 volt bias but most tubes made today are 75-80 or so. Many of the ECC83S tubes exceed a gain of 90. Just a five point drop in gain in the front end of many amps will turn the amp into an OK amp rather than a great amp as this is the main tone and gain stage in many amps. These have a classic British response; Vox, Marshall, Selmer etc. These are what I use to build the SAG-MHG kits after hand selecting for gain, current output, transconductance and plate resistance.

Ei 7025 long smooth plate - Not available at the moment from GT or perhaps anybody else as Ei is getting back on it's feet but ... if you can find any of these out there they are the highest gain 12AX7 tube around but tend to be physically microphonic in many amps and if they are working nice today it is no guarantee that they will work that way tomorrow.

12AX7M - We have re-tooled this tube almost a dozen times in the four or so years since it's release to make it more consistent, more stable, and just better in every way. They were out of stock for a long time and will be back in December of 2007 with any luck. The gain is now on par with the ECC83S. They are smooth and in Fender tolex era amps are just terrific and with a Tele will tame the brightness. There is a following of Marshall and 5150 folks that love these in their amps in the past and they look to be much more stable now. This is the tube that I use most often in the SAG-MHG kit as the phase inverter, the third tube in that three tube set. This is a GT exclusive tube.

5751M - Think of this as a lower gain (about 70) 12AX7. This is a tube to use in V1 when you want more clean headroom and a smoother response. This was one of SRV's tricks in the first gain stage of some of his Fender amps. This is a GT exclusive tube.

fuente: http://www.guitaramplifierblueprinting.com/12ax7.html

Rz

RedZ On Line