(copypasta from peavey forum)
I bought this amp used a couple of years ago. I have been playing it through a windsor 4x12 cab, and the experience started out quite normal.
About a year ago, I noticed a few odd happenings. There was a tearing sound coming from the speakers. To test this, I also tried the Windsor head, but it only comes from the Valveking. Then, the tubes began to play dead. I would power on the amp and get the typical bad tube sound (volume instability, no gain, brash tone, popping), but after a reset and cooling off, it would be fine. This happens about once a month.
These problems were annoying, but the biggest problem is about six months old. The gain channel has begun to sound weak and thin. There is no bottom end whatsoever and the clarity is horrible. I trust my ears that it has not always sounded this way. Even with the volume up and the tubes hot, it sounds like a horrible recording. This would not confuse me so much if the clean channel did not still sound amazing.
The tubes still "die" every once and a while, the tearing sound still happens every time the amp is on although not for more than a couple of minutes, the gain channel seems to worsen over time, and the reverb has a horrible buzz when turned past 9 o' clock.
Is this simple a tube problem, or is there more to it? Assuming I need new tubes, which kind would be best suited for a higher gain or metal tone?
