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Post by 3chordz on Apr 8, 2013 11:40:33 GMT -7
Hello, I recently (finally) acquired a Maz 8 that I've been lusting after for a year. I'm just barely getting my toes wet with it, but I'm curious about a tube swap. I have an old RCA 5U4GB, will this work in place of the russian 5AR4 rectifier without a problem? I don't necessarily need to change the tube, I am just curious and want to experiment...safely. All the tubes in my Maz are stock. Thanks, experts!
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Post by digiTED aka 'Ted' on Aug 18, 2014 14:41:07 GMT -7
Hi 3chordz I realize this is an older post and may not be relevant to you anymore, but I hate to see a Z brother hangin' there! In general, Dr. Z amps are happy to run different rectifier tubes and as very uncluttered circuits will reward you with some interesting changes in tone and feel. I've done this on all my Zs; sometimes I like the non-stock spec tube, sometimes I go back to what the good Dr. selected. Just this weekend I popped in the same tube you're thinking, an RCA 5U4GB. As expected it lowered the headroom quite a bit. My P90 Les Paul REALLY breaks up the Maz 8 now, sounds great but the amp is definitely noticeably quieter. I think I'm going back to the stock one, but that for bigger cleans. The moral of the story is that you can and should try different rectifiers in your Z amps! Let your ears decide what works best for you. Some things to keep in mind though: Cathode bias amps like the Maz 8 can take a swap without any other adjustments, too. Fixed bias amps will most likely need a bias adjustment but you can demo a different one for a few minutes without worry. The lower the voltage-passing ability of the rectifier tube, the more heat that tube will give off. Going all the way down to a 5Y3 may make things too hot for example. ~ Ted
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