Amplifier Tube (T-ECC803-S-JJ)

I was a little bit apprehensive at first when trying these tubes because of the price, but it was totally worth it. I play a Vox AC4HW and it totally brought this amp to life. I was actually considering selling the amp before I put these tubes in. Previously I had a newer set of JJ 12AX7's in there, which I thought sounded good, and they were by no means bad, just not there. These ECC803S's just added a fidelity, clarity, more chime and robustness to my notes that scratched my itch. I'm no longer selling this amp. Both overdrive and cleans sound great, I play an Epiphone casino with Gibson p90's and a standard telecaster. Both sound phenomenal through this amp. All in all, I'm super happy, these tubes don't​ get enough love and praise. A lot of guys have reported using this tube in the V1 position, which I did try, but personally preferred both tubes in my V1 and V2 positions. Enjoy these tubes, they are worth the price.

I've been a fan of JJ preamp tubes for a while now; it was them that fully weaned me off the idea that NOS is always better. In particular, JJ's spiral filaments lead to an occasionally miraculous reduction in noise. That feature is somewhat obviated by the brutally high gain on this tube, but if you've got a properly shielded guitar with properly wired humbuckers and you're not standing 2 inches away from your speakers, it still sounds pretty surprisingly quiet. Even the best vintage tubes I have still get parasitic oscillation at extreme levels, and this one is completely clear even when it's pushed far past levels I'd actually use. The gain is extreme. My clean channel has gone from sparkling to crunchy, and my OD channel has grown a new set of teeth. I can still dial the guitar volume back to get clean, warm, and rich. Compared to the ordinary JJ ECC83 the sound is much more thick and saturated, but it is noisier. For my style of music, that's acceptable. I haven't yet tried to put it into my V2 slot so it only affects the drive and not the clean, but it has my clean sound like what I want it to sound like. I don't think I'm going back to regular 12AX7s.

I bought this to replace the (failing) phase inverter tube in my Fender Super Champ X2. Ideally, you want a tube where both halves (triodes) are tested and found to be "Balanced" when using any preamp tube for the phase inverter position. The stock tube I purchased from Amazon is working very well, even without 3rd party testing and "Balanced" declaration. This is my 2nd JJ 803S phase inverter tube for this Super Champ. The first one I purchased was the Gold pin version and it lasted almost a year before the amp started cutting out. This amp is very hard on phase inverter tubes. The stock GT from the factory didn't last 6 months. I replaced the factory power tubes (GT-6V6) with JJ 6V6s and biased them to factory specifications, 40mV. I highly recommend the JJ 803S as the replacement tube for phase inverter position for any amp that uses a standard 12AX7 in that position.

If your looking for a good high gain tube, this might be it. But I replaced my V1 in my JCA 50H with this, and it's no different than the stock preamp tube. Eurotubes recommends these for smoother lower gain tone applications. I have to agree, it's no Tung sol 12AX7. That tube gives gain. This one not at all. I'll be replacing this with either a Tung Sol, or a Genalex. EDIT: I tried a tung sol in the same amp, and it was too much tube. I have been switching the preamp tube rotation around , and this likes being in V2, between genalex gold pins. This is growing on me, as I break it in. I may get more of this, in the gold pin variety, for the last two positions. I have a mesa that tungsol can go in.

Sounds like a five star.. I've been waiting until another JJ tube broke before I made this assessment.. I really like the JJ's in my low power class A amps.. without dragging this out. I've had 5 JJ's physically break and one was smashed in the box when I purchase one from Amazon (they sent me a new one!).. one just crumpled in my fingers, leaving the base in the amp and the broken glass in my fingers.. The 6V6.. the peace in the center went missing finally 6L6 .. In fairness, I've been tubing my amps with JJ's for a long time and this is relatively a recent situation.. and I would never complain about the tone because they are even.... musical... but now a days I guess I have to say be very delicate which I have always been, even not allowing my finger prints on the glass. I have never had tubes break in this matter and I'm talking way back to my 1st amp, a SUPER BEATLE amp. Over the years I've had my fair share of "blow-outs" but no physical problems.. However I will still buy JJ's and take the chance because they sound perefect for my applications..

Put this tube in a fender champ clone with a tung sol 6v6gt to get that classic tweed sound. I wanted more break up earlier and this does it pretty well. I am very happy with this tube. Update: I purchased a second ecc803s because I accidentally broke the first one. Trying to pull it out and the retainer snapped back and cracked it, totally operator error. The 2nd one sounds just as good as the first. Great tube for early break up.

I bought a Bugera 333XL Infinium 212 combo a couple of years ago which my two sons didn't really care for. Lot's of gain but the muffled mid-range tone emphasis the amp delivered didn't appeal to either of them. After replacing all three preamp tubes (12AX7's) with the JJ ECC803 the mid-range "nasal" tone isn't there anymore. Add an equalizer in the effects loop (not in the input chain - too much hiss) in a "smiley face" arrangement to scoop mids, brighten higher freqs and add base punch and the 333XL sounds much more open. Turn the on board amp tone control to about 1 O'clock to get back a bit of the mids and you've got a Marshall kinda thing going on the crunch channel. I also use a pair of Eminence Governors in a 212 cab as the open back speakers on the 212 don't cut it for metal.