What is tube gain?
The gain factor of a tube simply measures how much it amplifies the input signal. For example, the common 12AX7 tube has a gain factor of 100, while a 5751 tube (which is often used in place of a 12AX7) has a gain factor of 70.
How do high gain amps work?
In amps of this type, the saturated overdrive sound we hear is typically produced by pushing early gain stages to very high levels, often chaining one into the other to continually drive the gain higher and enable desired levels of distortion, and then reining in the signal at the end of the line to create the desired …
Can I replace 12AU7 with 12AT7?
The 12AX7, 12AT7, and 12AU7 all belong to the same family of nine contact, twin triode tubes. In many cases, these tubes are interchangeable and can easily be swapped.
How does gain work on a tube amp?
Setting the gain control sets the level of distortion in your tone, regardless of how loud the final volume is set. What this means is that your gain setting determines how clean or dirty your sound is regardless of the master volume setting.
Does gain increase volume?
To recap, volume is a control of the loudness at the output of a sound system and has no affect on quality, while gain lets you increase the loudness inside of an audio system, which absolutely determines the quality of the sound or recording.
What is a 12AT7 tube and what does it do?
The 12AT7 is another very well-known tube among guitar players. It has a much lower gain output at 60, but what you lose in gain you get back with more headroom, higher fidelity, and an increased current output. Because of their high fidelity, they are also used in many tube microphone preamps, compressors, recording equipment, and organs.
What is a 12AX7 preamp tube?
The 12AX7 is by far the best known preamp tube among guitar players. It has a Gain output of 100, making it perfect for the preamp stage of an amplifier, allowing it to drive the power section harder, and enabling it to reach high levels of distortion. The 12AX7 is also used in many audio preamps and in guitar effects pedals.
What is the difference between 12AX7 and 5751 tubes?
The 12AX7 is used in many audio preamps and in guitar effects pedals, and comes in many different versions and brands. The 5751 is a common military-grade substitute for the 12AX7, with a lower gain output of 70. The 12AT7 is another very well-known tube among guitar players.
What is the difference between a 12AT7 and a 12AU7?
The 5965 is a common version of the 12AT7 that has a lower output gain of 47. The 12AU7 The 12AU7 has the lowest gain of these three, with an amplification factor of 20. This is used much less as a preamp tube and more often as a driver for spring reverb.
