[Frank Johnson]

I'd welcome thoughts on using Mesa tubes in my AR VT 100 Mk II (8 x
6550, 8 x 6922) and AR LS 5 pre (10 x 6922).

The attraction is they're available across the counter, so I can
support local business (Canberra, ACT, Australia) and get expert help
in biasing etc.

Concerns - perhaps ill informed - are that I don't see Mesa referred
to in hi fi forums. As I understand it, Mesa rebadge different brands
and then apply their own selection and matching process, so I'd
probably be getting a Sovtek or EH anyway.

Thanks in advance

[Phil Allison[_3_]]

"Frank Johnson"

I'd welcome thoughts on using Mesa tubes in my AR VT 100 Mk II (8 x
6550, 8 x 6922) and AR LS 5 pre (10 x 6922).

The attraction is they're available across the counter, so I can
support local business (Canberra, ACT, Australia) and get expert help
in biasing etc.


** Dunno what Mesa tubes you have seen on sale - mate, but there are no
Mesa 6550s being offered currently and Mesa have never offered the 6922 -
as it is not used in any of their products.

Over to you ....



...... Phil

[[email protected]]

On Aug 31, 5:21*am, Frank Johnson wrote:
I'd welcome thoughts on using Mesa tubes

My basic advice when it comes to tubes is "Avoid Chinese Junque". Last
I looked, Mesa was a rebrander of generic (read: cheapest to buy in
large quantity) mostly Chinese tubes sold at a premium by virtue of
their name. Perhaps they have changed.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

[Fred[_8_]]

"Frank Johnson" wrote in message ...
I'd welcome thoughts on using Mesa tubes in my AR VT 100 Mk II (8 x
6550, 8 x 6922) and AR LS 5 pre (10 x 6922).

The attraction is they're available across the counter, so I can
support local business (Canberra, ACT, Australia) and get expert help
in biasing etc.

I'd expect that most stores that sell & service guitar amps would stock
Sovtek & EH, at lower prices than equivalent rebranded tubes from any
amp manufacturer. That's certainly true in the United States.

But if I were retubing an AR amp I'd be using Russian Winged-C (formerly
Svetlana) 6550s and probably Philips ECG JAN 6922's. The Winged-C
tubes may be available in Australia, the Philips ECG JAN probably not
(they were made for the US military by various American manufacturers).

Fred

[jh]

Frank Johnson schrieb:
I'd welcome thoughts on using Mesa tubes in my AR VT 100 Mk II (8 x
6550, 8 x 6922) and AR LS 5 pre (10 x 6922).

The attraction is they're available across the counter, so I can
support local business (Canberra, ACT, Australia) and get expert help
in biasing etc.

Concerns - perhaps ill informed - are that I don't see Mesa referred
to in hi fi forums. As I understand it, Mesa rebadge different brands
and then apply their own selection and matching process, so I'd
probably be getting a Sovtek or EH anyway.

Thanks in advance

Hi Frank,

which colour does the MESA Print have?

Might give a clue WHEN Mesa rebadged them. They have used different
6550s over the years.

regards

Jochen

[Frank Johnson]

On Sep 1, 4:31*am, jh wrote:
Frank Johnson schrieb:

I'd welcome thoughts on using Mesa tubes in my AR VT 100 Mk II (8 x
6550, 8 x 6922) and AR LS 5 pre (10 x 6922).

The attraction is they're available across the counter, so I can
support local business (Canberra, ACT, Australia) and get expert help
in biasing etc.

Concerns - perhaps ill informed - are that I don't see Mesa referred
to in hi fi forums. As I understand it, Mesa rebadge different brands
and then apply their own selection and matching process, so I'd
probably be getting a Sovtek or EH anyway.

Thanks in advance

Hi Frank,

which colour does the MESA Print have?

Might give a clue WHEN Mesa rebadged them. They have used different
6550s over the years.

regards

Jochen

Thanks to all.

Phil - Re the 6550s at least, I thought the same, having looked at the
MB catalogue; the dealer says he has old stock, which might square
with Jochen's response that Mesa have used them in the past.

Jochen - this question of colours is new to me, but I understand it's
Mesa's way of indicating matching. I haven't yet looked at the actual
valves proposed so can't say which colour they might be. I was seeking
group views before proceeding further, and the responses make me think
I ought to think twice.

Thanks again.

Frank

[Phil Allison[_3_]]

"Frank Johnson"
jh
Frank Johnson schrieb:

I'd welcome thoughts on using Mesa tubes in my AR VT 100 Mk II (8 x
6550, 8 x 6922) and AR LS 5 pre (10 x 6922).

The attraction is they're available across the counter, so I can
support local business (Canberra, ACT, Australia) and get expert help
in biasing etc.

Concerns - perhaps ill informed - are that I don't see Mesa referred
to in hi fi forums. As I understand it, Mesa rebadge different brands
and then apply their own selection and matching process, so I'd
probably be getting a Sovtek or EH anyway.


Phil - Re the 6550s at least, I thought the same, having looked at the
MB catalogue; the dealer says he has old stock,


** OK - so now the story becomes there is only ONE dealer with some very
old stock - maybe 20 years old duds he took back.

BIG back down for your previous readily available across the counter
bull****.

And Mesa have NEVER sold 6922s.




..... Phil

[jh[_2_]]

Frank Johnson schrieb:
On Sep 1, 4:31 am, jh wrote:
Frank Johnson schrieb:

I'd welcome thoughts on using Mesa tubes in my AR VT 100 Mk II (8 x
6550, 8 x 6922) and AR LS 5 pre (10 x 6922).
The attraction is they're available across the counter, so I can
support local business (Canberra, ACT, Australia) and get expert help
in biasing etc.
Concerns - perhaps ill informed - are that I don't see Mesa referred
to in hi fi forums. As I understand it, Mesa rebadge different brands
and then apply their own selection and matching process, so I'd
probably be getting a Sovtek or EH anyway.
Thanks in advance
Hi Frank,

which colour does the MESA Print have?

Might give a clue WHEN Mesa rebadged them. They have used different
6550s over the years.

regards

Jochen

Thanks to all.

Phil - Re the 6550s at least, I thought the same, having looked at the
MB catalogue; the dealer says he has old stock, which might square
with Jochen's response that Mesa have used them in the past.

Jochen - this question of colours is new to me, but I understand it's
Mesa's way of indicating matching. I haven't yet looked at the actual
valves proposed so can't say which colour they might be. I was seeking
group views before proceeding further, and the responses make me think
I ought to think twice.

Thanks again.

Frank


Frank,
no, i dit not think about the "Matching colours" of Mesa.
In the old days the MESA imprint was either blue or green. Back then
they used mainly US-tubes. Chances might be high that they are either GE
or ECG. If someone acquired NIB-MESAs this might be the case. The other
possibility is what Phil mentioned - worn out old stuff on their last
legs. Have a thorough look at the getters. If they are Sylvania/ECG or
GE, you'll find the etching code and the "made in usa" somewhere ont eh
tubes.

I had the chance to acuire a stash of unused MESA 6V6es from a music
shop. What I got was one chinese and 5 Bendix tubes :-). The bendix are
printed blue, the other one is white.

Later on, the print changed to white. This was IME exactly parallel to
the change to imported tubes and "in house matching"
BTW i still wonder what the criteria is Mesa matches. I found them to be
all over the place - same as Groove tubes.


regards

Jochen

[Bret L]

Frank,
no, i dit not think about the "Matching colours" of Mesa.
In the old days the MESA imprint was either blue or green. Back then
they used mainly US-tubes. Chances might be high that they are either GE
or ECG. If someone acquired NIB-MESAs this might be the case. The other
possibility is what Phil mentioned - worn out old stuff on their last
legs. Have a thorough look at the getters. If they are Sylvania/ECG or
GE, you'll find the etching code and the "made in usa" somewhere ont eh
tubes.

NO guitar vendor-Mesa, GT, no one-makes tubes or even has them made
to spec. They all go for the upselect mentality, and you can't select
quality in. That said, there is no reason to avoid "guitar" versus "hi
fi" vendors.

ARC amps, most of them, are all on PCBs meaning big failures result
from shorts. I'm also told some models are a bitch to bias and/or are
tough on tubes, from running them at the absolute limit. I know one
model badly needed a mod to control screen dissipation, as well, with
ANY modern tube.

Mesa DID once sell 6550s and DOES NOT now. When they did they sold,
at least at one time, some very fine US made ones. If you find new old
never used stock they could be a good buy-if they aren't really tried
and found marginal ones that is.