JJ / Tesla

I have a pair of new JJ/Tesla 6V6 S power tubes which I have tried in my Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue guitar amplifier and compared with the following brands: Ruby Tubes, new Tung Sol, and vintage RCA VT-107a. I have made A/B recording comparisons between the different brands and the differences in tone are striking. I use an American Standard Stratocaster and a good Weber ceramic speaker in the amp. Of these brands the Ruby Tubes produce the thinnest weakest sound and I never use them. The best sounding tubes by far are the vintage RCA Vt-107a's. In fact these are considered one of the absolute best sounding 6V6 tubes of all time. They sound frequency balanced and perfectly "right" for lack of a better term. The JJ Tesla tubes are the most masculine, darkest and aggressive sounding tubes of the bunch with an emphasis in the low frequencies and a sound that approaches the sound of a 6L6. They also sound a little muddled and artificial in the low frequencies as well. The Tung Sol sound more feminine and airy, loose and funky with a high frequency emphasis but they do not speak with much authority. To me the Tung Sol sound like 6V6s and the JJ Tesla's do not. The bottom line is that I do not like the JJ Tesla 6V6 tubes but they may serve you well if you want your 6V6 amp to sound more aggressive or need your leads to speak with more authority. My tube preference of the brands I have tried are in this order: vintage RCA, new Tung Sol, new JJ Tesla, Ruby Tubes.