Tube Rolling Cayin CS 55A

Preamp is the first stage of amplification and will have the most audible effect on sound. Start with the gain-stage tube. 

Surprising to me, discovered recently, Rectifier tubes also effect sound.

I’ll repeat: if tubes, get thee a simple tube tester, nothing fancy, just the basics, test existing, garage sale finds, and new ’matched’ ones you buy:

You must get or find the manual to use one.

here’s an accurate 157. I have one of these, it’s smaller brother 151, and a big fancy Jackson or Hickock (it’s down there somewhere, haven’t seen it in years, because the small accurates ALWAYS matched the big one’s results.

 

don’t let the beat up vinyl or rusty hinges dissuade you, they used low quality metal and thin coverings.

a clean looking Eico https://www.ebay.com/itm/195518113222?hash=item2d85c9a5c6%3Ag%3A4qYAAOSw58Jjmmud&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoIxeD9vNoKp%2FRjJpdPhJ8VFC7vjuIELd90KucmbeWwUK7WXF%2BDhESAKfFTWIgiSo53S9SLlBmu3AekVgbaDnGuEQl7R2QXJbqTUM8YV5CjmEHD8uVcs0AD0WCrSDJVFyTlXyTRfDmDL03vegcPBY2wKZlMWLIcPhamo39m1Y%2BNQDPOjgosb7oHZP0gTulw%2B%2BpBKc27UstZLLzaRskk6lzCU%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR9jTzrLAYQ&LH_RPA=1&LH_BIN=1

Here’s a Jackson: https://www.ebay.com/itm/354440155415?hash=item5286479117%3Ag%3ACy8AAOSwFotjk3wR&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoD%2BRhC7yrKfgFDnur%2BlRCvyipFwg2OTpZGeVL1mOGBQ08QtV2HvwN7CyVOmjPPXIYrXwNo80OJHX4iOlZj8wDqOR5BCWzp5O1XC7DVj2CBjpMjXn9sfrf%2BkyioZTQ1%2BBoFBTglqTO5ANwB5sqpmbtMFGaMx49X%2FWMZYjNE91QfhQRQj5wIg9xMlvif%2Bq7S9NuoEpQe0nWUplkCNr5HcOB7Q%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR9jTzrLAYQ&LH_RPA=1&LH_BIN=1