Engl Tube ECC 83 First Quality

I purchased this tube for use in a HB Mighty-5TH (Overkill, I know. It was meant as an experiment)

The packaging was solid and there was no doubt that it would be undamaged. Bonus: It looked really good

Stock, the head sounded hollow and weak with very little low end through my custom Celestion Ten-30 cabinet. It also had crackling noises when turning the knobs.

Replacement was a charm and literally took ten seconds. I also replaced the power tube with a Sovtek one.

Instantly after turning it on I noticed that it sounded full, crisp and defined in the cleans (where I'm usually at) and like an absolute monster (for 5w) when turning the knob. Of course, not like a premium amp into a 4x12", but still very convincing. I had never expected a 5w to be that good through a Ten-30. And as the amp warmed up I was convinced. This was a experiment well worth the time, effort and money.

Pros:
- Quality and insane sound
- Packaging and first impression
- Will upgrade the sound of of cheap amps considerably

Cons:
- Pricey if you need multiple

This is an investment, but a good one.