12AX7/ECC83: Mullard, T'funk, and ARS

[E.rOk.stA]

If any of you are interested in this type of thing, I posted a thread in the "so much gear..." forum about these tubes and how they sound in my TLA-100A on mainly rap vox. If enough people bite, I'll post the sound files to listen to. I would suggest checking it out as a NOS tube swap may really help some of your gear for minimal cost.

[phillysoulman]

Originally Posted by the Set Surgeon

If any of you are interested in this type of thing, I posted a thread in the "so much gear..." forum about these tubes and how they sound in my TLA-100A on mainly rap vox. If enough people bite, I'll post the sound files to listen to. I would suggest checking it out as a NOS tube swap may really help some of your gear for minimal cost.

Please post the examples as I am mos def an afficianado of this kind of stuff and I know several more peeps here who would love it as well.

[E.rOk.stA]

Here's the main post from the other forum:

Originally Posted by the Set Surgeon

A while back, I decided to swap out the stock tube in my TLA-100A for fun and hear what gives with the NOS hype. I aquired a NOS Mullard from '61. I noticed a change in sound immediately. Now in the Summit, the stock tube is an ARS. Since I track mostly vox with it, I usually only reduce gain by about 3-5db and with the ARS, things stayed pretty open, even with the GR.

BTW, What I am NOT doing is knocking the ARS. It is the noisiest of the 3 even though that noise will not cause a problem with most normal operation.

So, I've been using the Mullard for the past 6 months and because of the high-end rolloff and the thicker midrange, I started to only reduce gain by 1-3db. You may know that the Summit uses the tube in the gain reduction circuit, so the more gain reduction, the more the tube saturates. I can see where this may be desirable for bass but for my application, I was not retaining enough of the high-end.

About a month ago, I started to think about Telefunkens. I got the Mullard from Bowie and when I did that, he dropped some knowledge on me about different tubes and their general characteristics. Well, the Mullard sounded exactly how he had explained that it would so drawing from that, I thought that the T'funk, based on his and other descriptions, would fit the bill for what I'm doing.

It came today so I decided to do a test. It wasn't scientific, I just took the 3 tubes and did a vocal take with an average of -3 reduction and -7 on each. I matched them as close as possible, enough to be able to tell a distict difference between them.

My results were this (and I record mostly Rap/Hip Hop/some singing):

The ARS has a more even response to my ears but is the dirtiest of the 3. It has a cool sound though, definitely not a throwaway.

The Mullard is darker and has a very rich, mid range harmonic thing going on. It's awesome. I may put it in a mic specifically for certain voices, I'm definitely not getting rid of it.

The Telefunken is more detailed in the lows AND highs and I can see why folks prefer them. They also have very good transient response. This is the one I'll keep in the Summit. Even under more GR, it still doesn't lose the high end.

If anyone is interested, I'll post all 6 .wavs so you can hear what I'm talkin' about. It's just my voice rappin', but you can get a good idea tonally what's going on. I don't think that this kind of test needs to be scientific to give the listener a good idea of what each one offers.

Let me know. Peace.

EDIT: Here's a link to the files 'cause they were just a little to big to attach here. Tube Test.zip - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

Click on the link above, the files are 24/44.1. The files labelled with a 1 are -3GR, 2 is -7GR (average)

[phillysoulman]

Originally Posted by the Set Surgeon

Here's the main post from the other forum:



Click on the link above, the files are 24/44.1. The files labelled with a 1 are -3GR, 2 is -7GR (average)

Thanks bro.
Good stuff.

[illacov]

Originally Posted by the Set Surgeon

If any of you are interested in this type of thing, I posted a thread in the "so much gear..." forum about these tubes and how they sound in my TLA-100A on mainly rap vox. If enough people bite, I'll post the sound files to listen to. I would suggest checking it out as a NOS tube swap may really help some of your gear for minimal cost.

I'm suprised Bowie didn't recommend a Siemens tube. They're supposed to be pretty hi'fi, might be just what the doctor ordered. I may be thinking of the 12AT7/ECC81 though.

Peace
Illumination

[phillysoulman]

Originally Posted by illacov

I'm suprised Bowie didn't recommend a Siemens tube. They're supposed to be pretty hi'fi, might be just what the doctor ordered. I may be thinking of the 12AT7/ECC81 though.

Peace
Illumination

Hey LM, You da man fo'real fo' real.
Cant wait for that purple and gold joint!!

[illacov]

Originally Posted by phillysoulman

Hey LM, You da man fo'real fo' real.
Cant wait for that purple and gold joint!!

Shhhhh!!

You'll let the cat out of the bag!

MERRY XMAS!!

Peace
Illumination

[phillysoulman]

Originally Posted by illacov

Shhhhh!!

You'll let the cat out of the bag!

MERRY XMAS!!

Peace
Illumination

Dang..I gotta silence the pu$$y..