The previous owner of my Vox AC30CC2 switched out the stock tubes and installed gold Tung Sol 12AX7's for V1 and V2, a NOS Mullard 12AX7 for V3, a NOS Mullard rectifier and a matched set of Tung Sol EL84's. I have also tried my coveted NOS Tung Sol 12AX7's and a pair of JJs in V1 and V2.
My preference is for the NOS Tung Sol's, they are quieter and have a bit smoother breakup - and they are a vintage gift given to me at my father's wake by his good friend, but in all reality, the difference between one "good" tube and another in the preamp stages is very small, and I'm assuming the stock Sovtek EL84's are not as good as the Tung Sol quartet currently in there.
The AC30CC2 is not a quiet amp, there is some hiss - by comparison my Mesa Boogie 5:50+ is way quieter - even with the gain dimed in crunch mode and the volume up, you can barely tell the Mesa is powered on. I'd write that up to Randall Smith's incredible engineering. I hardly doubt there is a set of tubes for my Vox out there that can compete with that.
After reading numerous discussions about this tube and that, I tend to think guys who go out and buy numerous sets of tubes to find that elusive 1% of tube perfection are a bunch of cork sniffers, and should probably just go buy a different amp or two, or just get back to playing guitar. While I have had a pair of 6V6's slowly fail on me, and have noticed the difference in gain and background noise an microphonics between two sets of 12AX7 tubes - which definitely warrants tube replacement - I think there is a lot more to be said about the room you're playing in, the guitar you have in your hands, and maybe the alignment of the stars.
That Sounds Amazing...
I get a kick out of guys on youtube giving a demonstration of two different sets of tubes in their amp, the variation in tone between one amp and another, or two different fuzz pedals - recording the sound using the microphone on their iPhone.... "WOW! I can really hear it". It's even better when there's the sound of a lawnmower or a jet flying by in the background.
If you're going to record a demo using ambient miking - i.e. not a Royer at 3" off-axis mixed with an MD421 etc... at least do something like this guy with a Fender Evil Twin. That at least gives me a good idea of how good the amp sounds.
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