Metropoulos Forum

On my quest for tone I came to realize that I think I'm looking for tubes that are more on the squeaky side. I believe the word you guys use is "telephonic"?

I want squeaky/bright Mullards most of all!

I was wondering, is there a way to tell which tubes are more squeaky without listening to them, i.e. do squeaky tubes have different test numbers? Was there are year that Mullard produced more squeaky 12ax7's?

The reason I ask is because I'm buying most of my tubes from eBay and I'd like to know that they are more squeaky beforehand...

Thanks in advance!

The term is microphonic. All tubes are microphonic to some extent, just not to the degree that you always hear it. Sometimes one will display this in one amp and work fine in another amp. No way to tell by looking at them. What is it that you like about this?

I like that "clank", glassy, hollow sounding mids and high mids. I'm going for the "hendrix at woodstock" tone.

I can best produce this "clanky" tone when switched the middle position on a Gibson. Do you know what I mean?

I have a Fisher 12ax7 that's pretty bright and too microphonic when put in v1. But I would like that except dialed down slightly and be a Mullard.

So let me get this straight, you have to have a mullard, but you want a tube that exhibits properties that aren't necessarily like a mullard?

Try putting a couple of rubber o-rings on the Fisher tube and see if it calms it down some.

Smokin Tone wrote:Try putting a couple of rubber o-rings on the Fisher tube and see if it calms it down some.

Where do you find these rubber o-rings?

I've never found the silicone rings to help with out of control microphonics (as a tube horder for 30+ years), especially with longplate 12ax7.

Anytime i get a microphonic 12ax7 i use it most anywhere but the first position as longplates shine in the phase inverter etc.

Keep in mind, some very gainy shortplate 12ax7 will have border microphonics as well which you might be able to tame a bit with silicone rings.

This is what you are looking for..
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TUBE-AMP-PREAMP ... 564afa45da.
But you can find hem at the local hardware or auto parts store.

jcs wrote:I've never found the silicone rings to help with out of control microphonics (as a tube horder for 30+ years), especially with longplate 12ax7.

Anytime i get a microphonic 12ax7 i use it most anywhere but the first position as longplates shine in the phase inverter etc.

Keep in mind, some very gainy shortplate 12ax7 will have border microphonics as well which you might be able to tame a bit with silicone rings.

Agreed.