When do valves need replaced

Vaiai

If I am having to turn up the mid and treble almost full on my amp is this due to valves needing replaced or would this not affect it? Bass is way down about 9 o'clock position

I also wonder if the amp needs to be pushed a bit more and that could be the cause of it not sounding how it should

It's a Victory V30 and I use it in high mode always - it's about 4 yrs old and I gigged it a fair bit

ICBM

Quite likely, if it didn’t sound like that before - although the Victory (V40) amp I heard recently needed the treble up full and the bass low as well, and it was quite new... it just seemed to be voiced very dark - and even then it was too dull and lacking sparkle, for my taste.

Have you been using other, brighter amps as well?

Vaiai

Thanks @ICBM ;Been using Helix direct but new band I need to use an amp.
Power valves then or pre-amp?

Phil_aka_Pip

Power valves, plus (if needed) re-bias*

can't tell you if that circuit needs it

djspecialist

Phil_aka_Pip said:

Power valves, plus (if needed) re-bias*

can't tell you if that circuit needs it

The V40 does require biasing; to access the trimpots the case needs to be removed. I guess the V30 will be similar. The manual was very clear in any case.

flying_pie

@Vaiai am I right in thinking that with the V30 you can reduce power and select one tube or the other? If so then that could tell you if its down to a single power tube. 

Vaiai

flying_pie said:

@Vaiai am I right in thinking that with the V30 you can reduce power and select one tube or the other? If so then that could tell you if its down to a single power tube. 

Yep - was discussing that on FB - you can switch to single ended and go between the valves and it has High and Low output option too - you can run EL or 6L6 in it - it has a switch - just needs minor re-biasing afterwards. I got a set of 6L6 free with it so may get them in to try.

ICBM

Vaiai said:

Thanks @ICBM ;Been using Helix direct but new band I need to use an amp.
Power valves then or pre-amp?

Probably power, but what you ned to do is get a set of power valves and one preamp (assuming it only takes 12AX7s). You should have these as spares anyway, so it's not a waste to buy them. Replace each preamp valve in turn with the spare, and if none of them make any difference then replace the power valves. Even if it makes a difference, keep the old ones as spares since you know they work.

Modulus_Amps

Some pre amp valves are brighter from new too, JJ ECC83s valves can be dark sounding out the box.

DLM

Let me complete that thread title for you:

http://cc2e7e3e75a47f276cc1-88ad9aa911bb90089a975b5bf54af6e6.r50.cf2.rackcdn.com/uploaded/l/0e7119966_1521467067_lego-hamlet.jpg

Dominic

If you had been using Helix before most things will sound dark..........it's all very relative the aural perception

Vaiai

Dominic said:

If you had been using Helix before most things will sound dark..........it's all very relative the aural perception

I was using Helix recently but have used the V30 for 2yrs prior to that so I know how it should sound - never had the settings up that high for mid and treble tho!