JJ 12AX7 VS TUNG SOL 12AX7 Tubes In My EVH Stealth 50 Watt

[@darkfrost1901]

Excellent video. Yes the difference is subtle, but the extra punch and clarity of the Tung Sol wins it for me.

[@andrewfleig]

Great stuff! To my ear the Tung Sols are far more open and detailed even on iPhone speakers. Thanks for doing this.

[@DemonKingOFFICIAL]

I personally like to mix it up and put something like a Tung Sol for V1 and then the JJ on V2. It’ll end up giving you a mix of both characteristics, more or less.

[@acidbath3226]

try tung sol + mullard, or a genalex gold lion if you can afford

[@jamesmiller9823]

They both sound great, every good quality amp you demo sounds awesome when you push it with a OD pedal.

[@abhiruproy919]

I felt the tung sol had more presence and better string separation, say 20% more....

[@toblessedtobestressed9107]

I've tried the same tube swap. In the end I took the tung sol tubes out and put the jjs back in. Yeah the tung sols are clearer and brighter, but the brightness has a certain frequency that makes it almost djenty on the palm mutes. They also take away some of the aggression like you mentioned.

[@BrandonBroome_]

"Tung Sol" for the Win! at first listen you think that Tung sol is brighter.. then after the 2nd A/B its actually more open not so much brighter it's less muddy coming across slightly brighter making it well separated excellent review! this was just to my ears on my Dt770's, only an opinion. the upgrade is well worth it for $40 give or take. and if your curious about how it stacks up against say "Electro Harmonix" ill say this from my 2hr researching data and hearing them both. "Electro Harmonix" takes up i bit more head room its more aggressive but on the other hand "Tung Sol" is a-little less head room crazy thus being less sibilant very much like a U87 signature really handles Sibilance making them silky smooth & open, i hope this helps someone peace!

[@NinecoreNeil]

Was just thinking about doing this exact demo,you beat me to it great demo

[@jackkramer1553]

You should still do it. I don't wanna take away from what this guy does, he put out a ton of useful vidoes, but I know he likes OD in the front, and has the helix hooked up. Usually he says if he's pushing the amp or not, but I'd prefer amp demos to be guitar right into the amp, at most a gate.

[@NinecoreNeil]

@@jackkramer1553 I may still do one would be interesting for sure to see what happens I once used a tung sol to reduce the noise on my Engl and it worked a treat but I usually use jj

[@XChristianNoirX]

@@NinecoreNeil just did the tests and what I'm getting from the Tung sol is that it's a little less strident and the gain is a little lower and smoother. Haven't done a recording test but that's my perception in the room with my setup.

[@Doa616]

I have a peavy ultra plus 120 ,, was thinking of using a sol on v1 and jj’s on the rest ,,

[@WholeLottaBulldog]

Loved the tungsols in my 5150 but HATED them in my laney ironheart. The laney sounds its best with jjs. Horses for courses my boy

[@gregorysmith3794]

Awesome video Jarod!! Really informative, useful information. I'm running a Stealth 50. Really enjoying the different tone possibilities. Your videos like Stealth 50 vs SLO 100 and Stealth 100 vs 50 helped the decision process. Appreciate the videos!

[@TONEWARSgearshow]

Thanks so much for commenting and for the kind words. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I definitely think you made the right choice with the stealth 50. It's an amazing amplifier.

[@RobAndKim444]

JJ makes quite a few 12X7s, are you using short plate, long plate, specially if you're going up against a more premium priced tung sol?

[@louaguado995]

Try Mullards. More volume and gain than most tubes. JJ's are okay if you have a flubby amp that needs tightening up, but I've always found them too harsh. Tungsol are a happy medium of not too bright and not too muddy. These 2 are more noticeable because you're playing solo, if they were in a mix with a bass and drums it would be harder to tell them apart.

[@realtruenorth]

Real NOS mullards are so expensive

[@metalfather8139]

If you concentrate on the air noise between them when toggling between the sound clips the tungsol sample has more air hopefully the high cut filters are the same if any.

[@markn4526]

When switching from the JJ's to the Tung-Sol's, it almost sound like you had taken a blanket off the amp. I'm exaggerating a bit, but you get my point.

[@realtruenorth]

I've heard power tubes make a difference also, the Tung Sols seem to let more high end come through.

[@yaniv-nos-tubes]

hi ,great video. if youre after a better tone you should try the good stuff. nos mullard or brimar will be amazing for high gain. they are quite pricey but they kill all modern tubes.

[@TONEWARSgearshow]

Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I've never heard of either one of those brands. I'll have to look into that... thank you for the information

[@yaniv-nos-tubes]

@@TONEWARSgearshow brimar and mullard are the holy grails of british tone .any marshall or vox from the 60's had either,don't be confused with reissue mullard and brimar which are made in russia and sound nothing like the originals

[@4142Wilb]

I don’t know why they say the EVH amps come with JJs. I’ve got the 100 watt stealth new and the preamp tubes were nothing more than GT 12ax7 rubbed off logo and the same with my 5153 50 watt EL34 - considering I’ve swapped out those preamp tubes I didn’t really hear a difference much.

[@TONEWARSgearshow]

Very interesting. I know mine came with JJ's

[@jamescarpenter4777]

Groove tubes are rebranded JJs.

[@rickfennell7849]

@@jamescarpenter4777 they could very well be for sure. GT buys bulk from all the manufacturers. You never know what you're going to get. They do follow certain specs before they paint their name on them though. Their all so damn close, it really doesn't matter. Nothing a quick turn of one eq knob couldn't fix.🤟👍🍻

[@jamescarpenter4777]

@@rickfennell7849 i agree. Tube depot has a chart that tells you the rebrands. Just like gt el34, they are just hand picked JJs. I have gt ecc83s and jj ecc83s There's no difference except in price and label. Same with the el34s. I'll tell ya lol, its the same with oil filters...i used to work for fram, fram, ac delco, k&n, they're all the same. Just different paint and logo sticker. Its pretty crazy. After that ill never pay more for k&n lol

[@rickfennell7849]

@@jamescarpenter4777 oh yeah. Don't even get me started on auto parts. I've done mechanic work my whole life. Some different name brands even have the same numbers on the inside...lol. crazy shit man. Everybody gettin a piece of the action. 🤟🍻

[@voxpathfinder15r]

Jarrod, any difference between preamp tubes gets lost with more gain

[@miguellopez106]

Ok, so you kept the same eq settings for both tubes. What if you make the jjs sound more clear only by tweaking? On the other hand tung sol have more volume and clarity, so you may feel a peavy amp a little shrill, but again, that's what the eq controls are for. Great demo, thanks!

[@m6h24]

Tungsols sound more open, the jjs sound focused and compressed

[@jaredhopper4713]

you ever tried linking a 15inch bass amp. or just a 15 ext cab. it takes that lowser chunk to a beautiful low end chunk .. instead of that sound cars make when their speakers vibrate the outside of their car.not that yours sounds like that...you should check it out✌️

[@jacksoncrate]

cracking work. been using tungsol but love the tone but struggle with the less gain .got a jj in now find out fri next gig. i let you know

[@A.J.99]

great shootout, very helpful video!

[@theRodofwar]

Jarod !!!!!!!!!!! Great comparison Video !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Your comparison and very, very thorough reviews are THE BEST on youtube !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EROS vs PRECiSION DRIVE ?????????????????????????????

[@psilohsaibin9916]

It would be great to have a two guitar recording set up equipped with each, so you could EQ before EQ with the tube selection....in other words, Gtr 1 would have that classic rock/subdued JJ sound, and Gtr 2 would have the more open sounding with glorious mids Tung Sol vibe. Guitars that vary in specific EQ bands between each other are easier to mix, right?

[@craigharrison5406]

Would you say it was worth the upgrade? and is it difficult to bias an amp for someone who has never done it before?

[@TONEWARSgearshow]

It was VERY subtle. I wouldn't spend the $$

[@craigharrison5406]

@@TONEWARSgearshow Thx. Im pretty happy with EVH Stealth as it is.

[@TONEWARSgearshow]

@@craigharrison5406 it's a great amp. I love mine as well

[@geezberry8889]

Tung Sol's are probably the brightest tubes you can get. If you have a dark amp you want Tung Sols. In this amp i wouldnt go with them as the evh is already super bright

[@Lexxo777]

Tungs a bit clearer, less mud, thanks for the video man

[@EspeciallyCrunchy]

Exactly what I expected--the JJs were really foggy, as always. Never liked 'em. Tung Sol are actually a really good deal, they're inexpensive, but well-defined. They're what I'd put in modern-flavored amps to get them to breath a little.

[@bvaladez74]

Very SUBTLE difference recorded, but does sound good either way. These amps already come with a ridiculous amount of saturation, mostly unusable in most real world situations. I usually tame the gain down with a couple Jan Phillips 12AT7's in a couple of the preamp tube spots that effect channel 3. Mullard 12AX7's replaced the rest. Really brought out the articulation and brought the gain way down. Gobs of gain, just doesn't translate pleasant live nor on recording. Just my opinion.

[@henryssurfshowcase]

The Tungs sound fatter fuller, JJ a little thinner on the bottom but cleaner, I think..

[@thehoppo]

I would argue how you bias has far more tone difference than tube swapping

[@adozensparrows]

So with Mike Soldano. He also thinks bias is everything and has a certain trick he does with the bias on the scope.

[@mooseworx123]

I thought you biased power tubes, not the pre-amp tubes... am I wrong?

[@thehoppo]

@@mooseworx123 you are 100% correct, but bias of the Power tubes I would argue has more of a tonal impact than changing out any of the pre or power amps tubes, at least that's what I have found in my tweaking

[@mooseworx123]

@@thehoppo thanks, good to know.

[@croslowj]

I just changed all mine in my new evh lbxs. Sounds alot better with tung sol

[@XChristianNoirX]

Cool. You should also try: 5751 12AU7 12AT7 ... Just in the v1 position to start. I think one of those can't be used in the PI slot though iirc.

[@TheLaw1]

He play the blue channel while wearing blue shirt 🎽 and play the red channel while wearing a blue shirt too? 👕👔? Aliens!! Blazing fast speeds on frets! How??! Both tube sound optimal 👍

[@H3LLE]

I'm about to replace the stock JJ on my Peavey Piranha with TS, that little beast is a swiss knife but i hear nobody likes the JJ on that head so i came to the conclusion they're either better suited for V2, paired with different electronics or they're just cheaply made. Breaks too soon, raunchy and soulless altogether. Hope the TS will give me a better clean tone and a less flat deathmetal-ish tone. Fingers crossed.

[@nobbynose4254]

cool comparison

[@adozensparrows]

If people worried as much about their playing as they do as their tubes they wouldn't give a damn what brand tubes they are. 7 - 12ax7(s)! Good luck honestly telling the difference . . . Svetlana, Mullard, JJ, RCA, Tung Sol, etc . . . It's most important to put the quietest tube 1st in line.

[@oldguyjammin9732]

I don't even hear a difference in the blue vs red channel, lol

[@randallabracadabra]

The Tung-Sols, while a great tube in lower gain amps, are just way too bright and over the top for the EVH imho. JJ's win here for me.

[@XChristianNoirX]

I just tried and the JJ's sounded more spiky up top to me.. Where the Tung Sols where smoother and a bit less strident and slightly less gain.

[@randallabracadabra]

@@XChristianNoirX Try the Mullard CV4004 and the Gold Lion B759, I find them to be the best overall.

[@idiotburns]

thanks

[@EasyHeat]

I respect the effort given to this, but your experiment has some initial flaws. Fist it implies the existence of consistently noticeable tonal characteristics within a product, that by it's design and production methods, is inherently inconsistent. Given the fact that all modern day tubes originate from 1of just 4 manufacturing locations worldwide, systematically sorted by grade, and then purchased in bulk by the corporations that merely apply their branding before distribution? It's ultimately like attempting to blind test randomly selected produce, but then disclosing the brand, which is subjectively what the consumer will base their final decision on anyway. The only difference between JJs and Tung Sols, or any other brand of tubes? Is the factory location and grade rating applied immediately after production. That's why power tubes, for example, are typically bought in rated pairings or groups for biasing purposes, and shouldn't be individually swapped out between sets. With the 12AX7? Typically, the one in the first socket of the preamp circuit will have the most effect on the driven clipping breakup or rectified distortion characteristics. So, hypothetically? You could of saved yourself some cash, and just swapped out each one in that socket, or better yet? Swapped out several "identical" ones from each brand. They will all be slightly different on an oscillioscope, but within the limited 20hz - 20kHz range of human hearing? Negligible at best. Just highly skilled marketing, that's been profiting from consumer brand loyalty over physics, to overprice nearly 100 year old technology. I like the channel though man! You get a "like & subscribe", and I even "rang the bell".

[@bummallery748]

I put rung sil in my 50 cal plus boogie , thang is nasty now

[@sean8553]

TUNG SOL BABY!

[@Biraproduc]

JJ is The best one!!!

[@mr.astrophysics9115]

Electro Harmonix hands down

[@christopherbarrie7375]

Tung-Sol dramatically better!

[@manuelclayseed]

Maybe you are using too much gain. I will test it with a noise supressor and less amp gain and maybe a booster, no drive, just boost. Is just an opinion.

[@WilliamSmith-dg5re]

Sounds like the jjs have less mids

[@idiotburns]

4:32 yup, tung sol

[@bummallery748]

Tong sol way better not super noticeable , TS boom a bit more and just a tad more raunchy

[@patreidcocolditzcastle632]

with that much gain this sort of amp hard to tell ...if he was on a plexi you would hear instantly the tubes and his playing.this amount of gain hard to hear anything...eeeeooohhhhhh [thats the classic metal squeel he does which i think sounded better on the tung sols]...definatley better for the strangled turkey squeel...

[@jaredhopper4713]

the tung sol sounded better my way

[@jaredhopper4713]

you can definitely tell

[@trueworld3857]

Why don't you just put it on clean to see the difference.You can't tell with that noisy wasp in a jar playing going on.

[@splinterhood]

Need to brush up on those recording skills. Really woofy and indistinct. "YOu TubE puts c/Ompersssun on it" is a lame excuse.

[@TONEWARSgearshow]

Thanks for commenting. I'm really looking forward to the video you're gonna make showing me how it's done