Bugera V22 - Premium Package

Wrote a review on the Preferred Series 7189's about five years ago - installed them at the same time as a trio of Preferred Series 7025's and been running them trouble-free ever since. They're a natural match with the original (pre-Infinium) Bugera circuitry: a very minor bias tweak on a #47 Perfect Pair totally transformed the character of the power stage, giving it a less-brash, fuller, unquestionably "American" feel without sacrificing the much-sought-after EL84 top-end chime - reminiscent in many respects of a good mid-60's blue-check Ampeg to my ears; at the same time, using matched-triode 7025's in all three preamp stages (FYI they're not just a PI/driver tube) gives the V22 a more-controllable bluesy crunch in OD - use a Mesa SP-AX7 in V2 if you want to get your Carlos on (or V3 if you want to goose the power tubes a little harder) - and a smoother (one might say "classier") tonality in both modes that complements the power tubes' extended response nicely. Can't say how they'll work in the new Infinium versions, but if you own one of the second-run (after they ironed out the initial production bugs) "blue-light" amps these are your tubes, period - just be prepared to open some eyes/ears (and furrow some brows among owners of far-pricier boutique amps) at your next gig...