...I swapped the stock JJ for an NOS Mullard in the V1 position. It made a difference I liked, and improved the tone over the stock tube, though changing a single tube isn't going to result in a night/day difference the way changing the whole set might.
In my experience, in certain amps, with certain preamp tube changes (yes, that's my massive disclaimer), it can make a huge difference. And in this instance, I'd call it night and day difference. Going from a new Tung Sol 12ax7 to an NOS RFT in V1 of my Boogie MkIII, for example. HUGE personality change. So much so, I went back to stock MB tubes. Those RFTs do something very dark and very unique.
My NOS Mullard 12ax7 went into V1 of the Super Dallas and I can attribute some of my satisfaction with this decision. It helps tame the top end in a very Marshall way, and IMO, is one of the Marshall tone secrets...much like the RFT is one of Diesel Amps' secrets on some of their amps. You can't discount the tone sculpting capabilities of tube swapping.
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