Mga ser, i am planning to buy a tube amp,so i search for some factors or considerations on having it, that is why i've come up to some questions below (i already search the internet but i need your opinion on these since may experience kayo dito)...
1. bigla ko lang naalala hindi ko nga pala pwedeng i-max yung volume and gain nito sa bahay (since bedroom use lang and gusto ko lang ma-experience yung tube tone), do you think worth it ba to have tube amp o go solid state na lang instead? i mean maririnig ko pa din ba yung difference nya over the SS kahit nasa let's say 2 or 3 volume level si tube amp?
2. regarding tubes, how frequent do i need to change tubes? and madali lang ba makahanap ng replacement nun? and is it expensive? and if bibili ako ng tube amp, need ko pa ba i-consider kung anung klase ng tubes yung nka-install, like 12AX7, etc?
3. regarding changing tubes, do i need to do the biasing everytime i change tubes? base sa internet parang matrabaho and komplikado e...
4. regarding speaker, just in case may tube head ako, ok lang ba gamitan sya ng speaker na hindi designed as guitar amp speaker tulad ng Crown, JBL, and the likes, makukuha ko pa din ba yung same response like in regards to tone?
yan lang muna mga ser, Thanks.
1. Tube amps have different voicings that come inherent with their design by the manufacturer. Halimbawa, gusto niyo ng Marshall tone. Mas ok mag Marshall MG (solid state) kesa Fender Deluxe Reverb (tube) especially kung rekta ka lang sa amp.
Regarding volume and gain naman, iba-iba rin kasi ang design ng tube amps. There are those na kailangan mo lakasan para magkaroon ng noticeable increase in gain (non master volume amps), and meron rin naman na may separate gain control na pwede mo itaas while keeping the volume low. A lot of factors will come into play, pag low volume lang, I will say na baka hindi maglalayo sa solid state ang dating ng tunog. The magic and marginal differences become really noticeable as you turn the volume up.
2. Cheap tubes don't last long, give and take 6months to 1 1/2 years. Cheap tubes come stock with cheap tube amps. You usually get what you pay for. As for replacement tubes, hindi sobrang hirap maghanap locally. Meron sa epektos.com, malimit rin may stock si spankyrigor. 12AX7 is your usual preamp tube. For poweramp tubes naman, andyan ang 6V6, EL84, 6L6, EL34, KT66, KT77, KT88, etc.. Depende sa design at voicing at wattage ng amp yung tube set na nakalagay sa kanila. It does take some research and testing and trial and error to really visualize how each one sounds thru their respective amps.
For comparison, I have a friend with a Laney Cub 10. It needed a full retube after about a year because the stock tubes were already failing. Mayroon akong Hughes&Kettner head and Vox AC15HW whose tubes were there since 2012 and are being used regularly. Ok na ok pa until now. I used to have a 1975 Fender Dual Showman Reverb head, two of its preamp tubes were still the stock 7025 tubes from the 70s.
3. As with what curiousdcat said, dalawang klase yung biasing ng amps. Biasing is done when you're changing poweramp tubes, no need to bias when changing preamp tubes. Pero not all amps need biasing. May ilang amps na self/auto biasing, common ito sa low wattage tube amps (5-30 watts). Tapos when you get to the 40 and up watts na tube amps, kalimitan ito yung may bias adjustment when changing power tubes.
4. As long as the tube amp sees the correct impedance from the speakers (Crown, Dai-ichi, etc) and as long as your total speaker wattage is higher than your amp's wattage, it will work fine. Gagana at tutunog yan safely. Pero yung quality ng tunog, hindi natin masasabi kasi iba ang inherent EQ or voicing nila.
Hope this helps!
Enjoy the learning curve. Jump on a tube amp na pasok sa budget mo and experience it for yourself. You'll learn a lot along the way. Mas maiintindihan mo yung sinasabi namin. Haha!
