I'm pretty sure that you'll have to stick with 6L6's regardless...I don't know of any Peavey's that give you the option to changing power tubes, but I could be wrong.
Also, depending on how often you play your amp, how loudly, how rough you are in moving it around, etc...a year on preamp tubes could be pushing it.

None the less, I would say stick with Groove Tubes if you can mostly because they have a numbering scheme that indicates how 'dirty' their tubes will be and at what point they start to break up. They're numbered 1 - 10, but I can't recall if the lower number is cleaner, or the other way around. Check out their website, it'll say.

A set of 6L6s shouldn't break the bank btw.

A year on preamp tubes is nothing, certainly not "pushing it". It's the POWER TUBES that get eaten up the most and require replacing. And as far as the diagnosis that it's the power tubes to begin with, this is a dubious assumption. The symptoms you described lead me to think that you have an intermittent connection that's getting aggravated, possibly an issue with the PCB that's connected to your 1/4" connectors (like an input or speaker jack). I have found in my amp/speaker repair business that the Peaveys made in China are bad about this. You really need to take this into a tech and hyave him/her check it out. You may be plunking down good money to replace tubes that aren'the culprit...

Groove Tubes got bought. By the same company that bought Jackson. I'll let you figure out what company that might be. 8) JJ tubes are really the only great tubes being put out now, since they have their own factory. Groove Tubes are just the better Chinese tubes with a new label on them: still not that great. My V3 head came with Groove Tubes, and I like the sound, but when the time comes to change tubes, JJ it is. http://www.jj-electronic.com/

sshack wrote: I'm pretty sure that you'll have to stick with 6L6's regardless...I don't know of any Peavey's that give you the option to changing power tubes, but I could be wrong.
Also, depending on how often you play your amp, how loudly, how rough you are in moving it around, etc...a year on preamp tubes could be pushing it.

None the less, I would say stick with Groove Tubes if you can mostly because they have a numbering scheme that indicates how 'dirty' their tubes will be and at what point they start to break up. They're numbered 1 - 10, but I can't recall if the lower number is cleaner, or the other way around. Check out their website, it'll say.

A set of 6L6s shouldn't break the bank btw.

Most Peavey amps actually have a tube bias switch allowing you to sswitch between 6l6 and EL34's without getting it rebiased. My xxx is one of them.

What I was really asking was on a specific type of 6l6 tubes. Groove Tubes for example makes at least 4 that i've seen different kinds of 6L6 models. Was hoping someone had an opinion on those different ones, or other brands possibly.

Honestly, the difference between two different kinds of 6L6 tubes will be like the difference between two very similar guitar caps: the change will be minimal, and you might not even notice. Now, the difference between 6L6's and EL34's is quite drastic. Yeah, 6L6's have more clean headroom, but the amp itself has a lot to do with it: my V3 with EL34's stays clean even with extremely hot pickups and the gain more than halfway up on the clean channel. EL34's actually have more gain, as the 6L6's have cleaner headroom. And you'll get the benefit of tightening up your bottom, and no plastic surgery is required. 8) :lol: But, it's up to you. You could always call Eurotubes and have them recommend you the best set of Chinese tubes for the tone you want. Or you could just but from JJ tubes. :D Or, you could go and get a Carvin V3. :D

pfactionbrett wrote:

Most Peavey amps actually have a tube bias switch allowing you to sswitch between 6l6 and EL34's without getting it rebiased. My xxx is one of them.

I haven't kept up with Peavey's for the better part of a decade, so I learn something new every day...thanks.

Ditto on JJs though, they're good tubes.

I have to respectfully disagree with you Moon on the preamp/power tubes...in my experience the only power tube that gets eaten up before my preamp tubes are EL84s. I change preamp tubes often on most of my amps. However, so much of it is subjective so we may as well just piss into the wind.

Under typical operating conditions, preamp tubes should outlast power tubes by quite a wide margin. How hard the amp is driven makes more of a difference on power tube lifespan. BTW, Peavey amps made many years ago had bias trimpots that could easily be modded so that the power tubes could be changed from 6L6 to 5881's or even EL34s. Many of the "swamp rockers" around here had their Deuces and Maces changed to use EL34's to "Marshallize" them.

I agree with Moonbaby on this one, However...
if your hell bent of the tubes:

http://thetubestore.com/6l65881types.html

Any opinions on Mesa Boogie 6L6 tubes?

Mesa doesn't manufacture tubes, they simply re-brand someone else's, and they don't have that down like GT does.

pfactionbrett wrote: Any opinions on Mesa Boogie 6L6 tubes?

I think they're Chinese tubes. (or made in China, whichever you care)

moonbaby wrote: Mesa doesn't manufacture tubes, they simply re-brand someone else's, and they don't have that down like GT does.

I was aware of this just wondering. I currently have their sp 12ax7's in my preamp slots and I absolutely love them compared to the sovtek and electro-harmonix that came in it

Mesa/Boogie amps have a fixed, non adjustable bias. For this reason, it is best to use Mesa/Boogie (or Mesa/Boogie-spec) tubes for Boogie amps, as they put them through a rigorous testing process.
All other amps have adjustable bias settings and can use any brand tube and is a matter of preference.

I'm not sure what the poster above is talking about with regard to Groove Tube being bought out. There is no mention of it on their website.

Fender (FMIC) now owns [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.groovetu…"]Groove Tubes.[/]="http://www.groovetu…"]Groove Tubes.[/]

GT does have an announcement on their website, courtesy of Aspen Pittman, regarding the aquisition. And , BTW, there are many amps out there that have a fixed bias.