Supercharged ART V3 Pre-amps

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Member Since: Apr 06, 2007

Its been a while since my last post but i wanted to share this with all you guys, ok, so someguy gave me some ART V3 pre-amps for free. I really dont like "budget" vacum tube pre's since they only have one cheap tube just to color the sound but in fact is the same thing as an even cheaper solid-state pre, but i said hey for free right?.

So i have another friend that sells vacuum tubes, so i said, to hell with it i got it for free so im going to pimp them out, so i went and bought a pair of 12AX7 Telefunken tubes and threw the Art chinese tubes directly into the garbage and I also replaced the WANG-JIN-FOO whatever electrolytic caps with some Panasonic FM's.

Unbelievable, the sound changed in a huge way, i compared them, when i finished pimiping the first, i grabbed my 57 and sent the same signal into both pre's: one with the crappy tubes/caps and the other with the Telefunken/Panasonic. The sound is a whole different thing, and i dont mean different as in the typical "it sounds warmer and more alive" noooo, a WHOLE DIFFERENT perfectly grandma capable audible thing, starting only for the saturation of the tube, one seems that its going to burst out giving you some crackle and the Telefunken only distorts sweetly, you have to try for yourself.

Both pre's are no near a manley or a tube-tech or any other high-end stuff, but its pretty damn good and not very expensive (around 25-30 dlls to pimp them up).

So my advice is this: if you buy or own one of those cheap Behringer/Art or whatever tube pre-amps, do what i did, you'll be spending nothing compared to the benefits you'll have, it may be kind of troublesome to desolder the old caps and solder the new ones (i dont recommend this if you dont know what you are doing, if not try only changing the tube) but believe me you'll know it when you hear it. Cheers!!!

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Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004


Jul 10, 2008 08:23 am

Ha!, very cool DIY. You could make a kit and sell on the inet!

I have a feeling lots of peoples have these, and would like to boost them up to decent level.

Czar of Turd Polish
Member
Since: Jun 20, 2006


Jul 10, 2008 01:52 pm

I have one of these in a box, might have to try this. I can solder somewhat, but I would have to look and see how small a job we are talking, I will probably just try tubing it first.

Veni, MIDI, Vici
Member
Since: Jul 02, 2008


Jul 10, 2008 02:34 pm

I thought this was common knowledge. When I got my ART MPA Gold preamp last year, new tubes were part of the deal.

Maybe someone is interested in my tube preferences?

Here they are in sound quality order although they all sound great:

1. Tung-Sol 12AX7
2. Sovtek 12AX7-LPS
3. Electro Harmonics 12AX7EH
4. EI-Elite 12AX7E

All are interchangeable.

Note: always stay with the 12AX7 types because of differences in gain.

Number 3, the Electro-Harmonix 12AX7EH, sells at zZounds for $12.95. Not too much of a setback if you want to greatly improve your sound, even without soldering. :-)

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