Peavey Triple XXX Super 40 / Which brand of tubes for retubing

[Predator1]

It's time to put some new tubes in this thing. Since, I know zilch about tubes I figured I'd ask which brand? Tung Sol, Ruby, JJ ? It say's that this amp will take either 6L6 0r EL34 in the power section and is self biasing.

[DonP]

6V6 or 6L6?

[leftykingv2]

It's time to put some new tubes in this thing. Since, I know zilch about tubes I figured I'd ask which brand? Tung Sol, Ruby, JJ ? It say's that this amp will take either 6V6 0r EL34 in the power section and is self biasing.

I would go with "Winged C" EL-34's. in a matched set. Especially if you like high gain. That's what I have in all my Marshall's and they sound great. It's not an accident that I am using them either. They're what Marshall spec. calls for on all high gain amps.

[Predator1]

Me bad 6L6. Can I mix brands? For example a Tung Sol 12AX7 for the preamp and Svetlana or Ruby for the power section?

[leftykingv2]

Yes you can mix brands. My Marshall's all have "Winged C EL-34's" for the power amp section and JJ's 12ax7's for the preamp section. I buy Matched and tested for high gain quartets when it comes to tubes.

[warlok]

I always liked the JJ and EH 6L6's. And right now I'm running Mullard RI EL34's in my RM50 and EH EL34's in my RM100. All decent priced and high quality tubes. Generally 6L6's are more raw, less middy, and bigger tighter bottom end. Almost scooped. EL34's have more mids, less highs, and looser bottom end. That is a very general rule of thumb. I actually like the Mullard RI and EH's because they sound warm but still seem to have a pretty tight bottom end.

I don't know about the XXX in particular, but being a fixed bias, some places will have a preferred range of whatever they measure tubes to be used for a particular amp. Like Eurotubes, etc.. When I retubed my Ultra+ and my brothers 5150, we got the full sets from Eurotubes and the amps sounded great after. Maybe hit them up and others, Dougs Tubes, Tube Store, etc.. to see what they prefer.. Good Luck.