opinions on ruby tubes please

[rexious]

hey guys just wondering what your opinions were on ruby tubes(specifically the power tubes). i left my silverface twin reverb with a tech a while back and the bastard put in ruby tubes without calling me and asking me what tubes i wanted first. im not familiar with these tubes and if he had asked me first i wouldve gone with some new old stock ge's or svetlanas. i told him i wasnt happy with him not calling me first about the tubes so he told me would replace them with my tubes of choice at no extra cost. i figured i would check out some reviews of the rubys and ask you guys for your opinions first seeing as the rate this guy works if i get him to replace them itll probably be three months before he gets it done. thanks for your thoughts...

[Opaltone]

First, understand that Ruby Tubes is not a tube manufacturer. They are a tube testing service - and a very fine one at that. They re-brand tubes from different manufacturers, so you need to find out who really made the tubes in question, prior to judging them against another manufacturer's tubes.

There is no way your guy is going to put in NOS GE power tubes and not charge you more - they will cost at least four or five times more than the tubes you got. You'll have to adjust your expectation, if that was truly what you believed.

- Thom

[SixString821]

i just put 3 ruby tubes 12at7s in my blues deluxe... they all turned out to be JJs so im pretty happy with that... cant complain honestly

[Joe K]

I had a tech do the same, he put Ruby 6V6 power tubes in my original Deluxe Reverb.

You know what? They sound very good for the price. Actually, they sound good with out regard for the price. I have some question about whether they will hold up to the plate voltages of an old blackface amp. A lot of modern power tubes (6V6 anyway - which is NOT what you have) will not have a long life in old Fenders. JJ's seem like good choices for this application.

For your Twin, I dunno. The Ruby tubes were probably reasonable things for the tech to install to complete your repair. If you don't like them, they were probably $20 or less. You'll just need to re-bias the amp if you change to NOS tubes. Maybe the tech will help you with that.

[JimiBryant]

probably Chinese tubes, definitely screened by Ruby.. I have no complaints in regards to Ruby Tubes as they've served me well.

[Dacious]

I had a pair of Chinese Ruby 6L6s in my VR when I got it - they didn't sound terrible and lasted a fair while before they started getting dull.

FWIW, Ruby seems to be selective and you hear far less horror stories than some other tube rebranders. In fact I can't remember a one on this site, in many years. Some Chinese tubes are tough, even tougher than other modern manufacture, and the 6550s/KT88s seem very popular with hifi glass audio nuts.

[Tremo]

Ruby is a test house and re labeler just like GT. They do a good job. I'm NOT fond of their Chinese power tubes, but the others are fine.

[TexGoneNW]

Suggest you talk to your tech about the experience his customers have had with the Ruby tubes. He's probably stuffed a few into sockets. I had a very good tech in Austin work on an amp for me, and in some cases, they're as good as you're going to get for anywhere near reasonable coin.

[jh45gun]

I guess I am lucky while my tech friend tested my tubes I am using for my amp build a pair of winged C's and a Mesa and a Groove tube 6l6's and they tested good and he does more than the standard testing with them he also has plenty of good used and NOS tubes available. So for me getting good tubes or having them tested under a load is not an issue.

[hockey_head]

svetlana power tubes are awesome but try to get a tested, matched pair

vintage tone, vintage tube

[jguitarman]

I have Ruby 6L6's in a 1964 BandMaster. I have gigged with this amp and had no issues. Mine are Chinese. They were inexpensive tubes and they sound OK.