V1 Tube Gain Comparison

In this TubeTalk, Justin compares the gain differences in preamp tube variants in the V1 position of his Princeton TM clone. Lower gain tubes allow you to crank up amps more before breaking up. We keep the amp settings the same for this video to compare the gain differences that each variant creates.

[@richclayton5785]

To these old ears the 5751 was soft and warm in comparison to the others. So many variables! It’s what makes finding your own voice so much fun.

[@Jennifer_Prentice]

I play Metal music most of the time so depending on how many gain stages the amp has I try to get the first or even second stages on my high gain amp head to have the highest gain rated 12AX7s I can buy at what ever store I get them from. Then my clean head I run medium gain tubes . I have been really lucky with the clean head as its circuits are wired at a pretty low gain on the clean channel using less tubes then my high gain head so I would assume less stages allowing the amp to really keep a nice almost fender clean tone from it when its in its clean channel and then a nice crunchy tone on its distorted channel ... Lots of people will argue that different tubes do not make any difference in tone but I feel they are quite wrong. Each tube has a different gain rating and gain can greatly effect the sound of the tone. I was not aware there was that many version of tubes that shared the exact pinout .. Thanks for the video :)

[@TheJonathanNewton]

Excellent!

[@chucktinsley]

I would rather hear how different preamp tubes sound at a consistent SPL, if you can do that. Anticipating that lower gain preamp tubes will engage more of the power section.

[@model_number_band]

This! If you measured SPL right as the amp starts to overdrive with a 12AX7, then match all subsequent gain-reduced V1 tubes to that specific SPL, you will get the understanding of how these tubes would behave at a consistent "gig type levels". Now, this is still a very useful video so please don't take this as anything other than a grateful critique.
For my '68 drip-edge PR, a volume of "4" is that spot.

[@hadleymanmusic]

Hey guys

[@GarbanotasM]

wassup

[@kierenmoore3236]

Your playing dynamics will change every time you change tubes, so this isn’t a valid comparison.