ENGL (Powerball) Tubing/Mods Thread

[vanhendrix]

And here's the owners' manual:

http://www.englamps.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Manuals/English/OM_E645_Powerball.pdf


Page 6 gives an overhead view of the tubes. The bigger ones (V1-V4) are obviously the powertubes V5-V8 are the ones this thread primarily focuses on.

And as for hiss, I replaced my powertubes with Mesa 6L6GCs (straight swap, no biasing) as did someone else in this thread. We've both seen an improvement just from taking out the old stock tubes. Also, running the channel volumes lower with the masters up high will tame this a bit as well. Then there's the presence knob....but that's a whole other thread.

 

[Mikeyprs]

Thanks for the picture VanHendrix - that's pretty much confirmed my suspicions haha!
thanks for the PB OM too however, I already downloaded it well before I bought the amp from a guitarist of a local band near where i live. LOL I studied the damn thing soo many times to trying to work out how to get it channel switched via my G Major effects processor. - just to confirm though, it's definately the V6 preamp tube you guy's have been chaning with great but various result's shall we say???

 

[Pedrojoca]

Thanks for the picture VanHendrix - that's pretty much confirmed my suspicions haha!
thanks for the PB OM too however, I already downloaded it well before I bought the amp from a guitarist of a local band near where i live. LOL I studied the damn thing soo many times to trying to work out how to get it channel switched via my G Major effects processor. - just to confirm though, it's definately the V6 preamp tube you guy's have been chaning with great but various result's shall we say???

yes sir, the V6, that is, the second preamp tube from left to right (front view)

 

[Mikeyprs]

Awesome stuff!! I plan on grabbing a couple different brands of the 12AT7 tube (if i'm not mistaken) and testing out of which i think sound best to my ears as well as replacing the powertubes... but I think i'll take it one step at a time haha!

 

[PrestoDone]

I Have a quick question....What is the difference and what do you guys prefer for the power amp tubes....JJ or Winged C? Also for the Pre Amp....I'm going to retube my powerball II soon but am not sure what the differences in sound were. Thanks Guys

 

[Pedrojoca]

I Have a quick question....What is the difference and what do you guys prefer for the power amp tubes....JJ or Winged C? Also for the Pre Amp....I'm going to retube my powerball II soon but am not sure what the differences in sound were. Thanks Guys

IMO, you should read up on the thread, we've pretty much found the "best" combination so far

 

[spaghettipomodoro]

I'm using the Mesa 6l6's at the moment, in the future I want to try KT88's or EL34s.

 

[aviel]

Hey guys, popping up an old thread.. i changed a while ago my v6 to a EH 12at7 and was fairly happy, i think i will order a TAD 12at7, all the rest are stock tubes, shall i change something else? or buy other 12 AX7 to put in the amp insted of stock tubes? the TAD arent that cheap, so buying 4 TAD (3 12ax7 and one 12at7) will be something like 120$..

 

[Pedrojoca]

Hey guys, popping up an old thread.. i changed a while ago my v6 to a EH 12at7 and was fairly happy, i think i will order a TAD 12at7, all the rest are stock tubes, shall i change something else? or buy other 12 AX7 to put in the amp insted of stock tubes? the TAD arent that cheap, so buying 4 TAD (3 12ax7 and one 12at7) will be something like 120$..

What? 4 TAD tubes are about 50 bucks 12AT7 / ECC81 TAD Premium Selected (balanced) - TAD Pre Amp Tubes SELECTE

Anyways, here's my suggestion for optimal results:

V5: JJ 12ax7 (less fizz)
V6: TAD 12at7
V7: Stock ENGL 12ax7 (or the amp will be a bit too dark)
V8: JJ 12ax7 balanced

 

[aviel]

thats pissing me off. here one TAD 12ax7 is sold for 25$.
and are the stock power amp tubes good enough?

 

[Pedrojoca]

thats pissing me off. here one TAD 12ax7 is sold for 25$.
and are the stock power amp tubes good enough?

why not order online?

I'm not sure what to tell you about powertubes. Here's the thing, most people with a powerball use V30s, my cab has V60 which are way less fizzy and have the mid spike shifted down, so i'm not sure if after the preamp tube change it is necessary, with V30s, to further make any changes.

Anyway, the second main discovery here was when Erazoender and vanhendrix simply switched their power tubes to Mesa 6l6, and it seems to do wonders. But really man, i've said this a couple of times along the thread, read the whole thing, you'll understand what we've been doing and testing.

 

[vanhendrix]

why not order online?

I'm not sure what to tell you about powertubes. Here's the thing, most people with a powerball use V30s, my cab has V60 which are way less fizzy and have the mid spike shifted down, so i'm not sure if after the preamp tube change it is necessary, with V30s, to further make any changes.

Anyway, the second main discovery here was when Erazoender and vanhendrix simply switched their power tubes to Mesa 6l6, and it seems to do wonders. But really man, i've said this a couple of times along the thread, read the whole thing, you'll understand what we've been doing and testing.

Do you think there's any way that the mods will let you change the first post? I know the option to edit is gone, but maybe they have the power....I love that this thread is helping people, but it's annoying saying the same thing over and over.

I use a Mesa AT7 in V6 (or stock) and Mesa 6L6GC powertubes. Mesa tubes are tested and rebranded TAD tubes. Swap without biasing, enjoy.

 

[aviel]

Yes i read it all for a few times, but i wasn't sure if someone had more recent conclusion..
I've been searching for TAD 12at7 on ebay, and no one seems to sell them, only on the TAD website. strange thing.

 

[vanhendrix]

Remember now:

Do you think there's any way that the mods will let you change the first post? I know the option to edit is gone, but maybe they have the power....I love that this thread is helping people, but it's annoying saying the same thing over and over.

I use a Mesa AT7 in V6 (or stock) and Mesa 6L6GC powertubes. Mesa tubes are just tested and rebranded TAD tubes. Swap without biasing, enjoy.

 

[Pedrojoca]

Yes i read it all for a few times, but i wasn't sure if someone had more recent conclusion..
I've been searching for TAD 12at7 on ebay, and no one seems to sell them, only on the TAD website. strange thing.

just order them from there

 

[craincrizzy]

Hello right now i have a total jj setup in my powerball power & preamp (the guy i bought it from had set it up). They were pretty aged so i have a jj/TAD/jj/jj preamp setup im going to install. If i replace the power tubes with mesas will i have to rebias the amp? I have no experience doing so so i just needed to know if i needed to take it to a tech.

 

[Pedrojoca]

Hello right now i have a total jj setup in my powerball power & preamp (the guy i bought it from had set it up). They were pretty aged so i have a jj/TAD/jj/jj preamp setup im going to install. If i replace the power tubes with mesas will i have to rebias the amp? I have no experience doing so so i just needed to know if i needed to take it to a tech.

some people here on the thread have done it successfully without biasing. Give it a go!

 

[USMarine75]

FWIW I def recommend the 12AT7 in the PI slot. It made the gain on my FB100 and 5150 so much more usable. Best and cheapest mod I ever did. Usually it seems like anything over 5 or 6 sounds the same but not with that mod it makes it usable all the way to 10.

 

[Pedrojoca]

FWIW I def recommend the 12AT7 in the PI slot. It made the gain on my FB100 and 5150 so much more usable. Best and cheapest mod I ever did. Usually it seems like anything over 5 or 6 sounds the same but not with that mod it makes it usable all the way to 10.

hmm weird. when i tried it in the PI I didn't notice much difference.

 

[craincrizzy]

Ok so today I replaced my powerball preamps with the jj,TAD,jj,jj setup and as soon as I took the amp off of standby all I heard was a buzzing and the guitar sound coming thru at low volume. Does that mean that one of my new tubes are defective? Just to cover this base I bought my last jj which is suppose to be balanced on ebay with the label BALANCED TRIODES. That does mean it is balanced as needed correct? Thanks in advance.