EL34s

waltdogg · Post by **waltdogg** » Sun Sep 20, 2015 7:18 pm

Here we go...

So, I'm over the JJ E34Ls in my Hellhawk, they're just too murky and dark sounding while the Ruby EL34s it came with were too boomy sounding. They very well might just be worn out too, I did a lot of playing on them over the past year and JJs have this way of testing like new on a tube tester right up until they fail which is annoying.

I'm looking at a quad of =C= Svetlana EL34s on Reverb and I'm considering current production EL34s from New Sensor as well. Any ideas? Hopefully someone else with a Hellhawk or a '68 Super Bass could chime in.

I already have a nice set of preamp tubes in my amp which is a Philips Holland ECC83 in V1, a current production Tung-Sol in V2, and a Sovtek 12AX7LPS in V3.

I've tried out old stock Tesla EL34s, real Sylvania 6CA7s, and the JJ 6CA7 as well. The JJs wouldn't bias properly, the Teslas and Sylvanias sounded excellent but both had a bad tube in the set causing noise.

And 6L6s are pretty much off the table even though the Hellhawk can run them, I already have that tone covered with my V-4 and after playing lots of MIG100s over the years I can say that I genuinely do not like how 6L6s sound in a Marshall/Marshall type amp.

ShaunNecro · Post by **ShaunNecro** » Sun Sep 20, 2015 7:36 pm

Man, I'd say to try one more set of 6CA7s, those tubes are awesome! Plus everyone and their mother runs EL34s.

waltdogg · Post by **waltdogg** » Sun Sep 20, 2015 9:12 pm

I'd go for another set of real Sylvania 6CA7s if I do then... Which brings up the issue of getting a bad tube or getting burned from a sketchy reseller. Those 6CA7s are getting rare and pricey like old EL34s and 6550s/KT88s are. Hmm...

MEC · Post by **MEC** » Sun Sep 20, 2015 9:14 pm

I like the JJ EL34Ls.
They seem to have more balls than EL34s or 6CA7s.

waltdogg · Post by **waltdogg** » Sun Sep 20, 2015 9:19 pm

So much balls, the Hellhawk already overdrives the power section a lot, combined with the high gain of the E34L, gets up to Sabbath Laney tonez.

bigchiefbc · Post by **bigchiefbc** » Sun Sep 20, 2015 9:32 pm

I'm a philistine when it comes to tubes. I run JJ EL34s in my Bugera 1960 and love the tone. But then again, I'm using it for bass so I like it a little bit darker than most EL34 users.

waltdogg · Post by **waltdogg** » Sun Sep 20, 2015 9:52 pm

I thought I really liked the JJs but that was before I reverted my Hellhawk to Super Bass specs as I had it built to Super Lead specs.

crochambeau · Post by **crochambeau** » Sun Sep 20, 2015 10:15 pm

I stuck a quartet of KT77 into my Traynor YBA3 after I had a pair of (old) 6CA7 almost catch fire right before a live set. So far I am enjoying them more than the E34L I've also tried. Mind you, I do like running the amp into overdrive (but I want to say they have more clarity all the way through the roof in comparison to the EL34 family).

waltdogg · Post by **waltdogg** » Sun Sep 20, 2015 10:33 pm

Good to know. I run my amp with a fair amount of preamp overdrive and plus is has the built in power amp overdrive so clearer sounding tubes are definitely something I'm interested in. Alex used to build Hellhawks with JJ KT77s but started having reliability issues. Not really a big deal a single set ordering from Tube Depot or The Tube Store though.

indianDYsummer · Post by **indianDYsummer** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 1:30 am

I have the EHX 6CA7s in my Orange Rocker 30, and I like them. I remember reading they were generally preferred over the JJ, but it was a while ago.

chillerthanmost · Post by **chillerthanmost** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 4:11 pm

I'm a tube whore and really like the old Sylvania 6CA7 fat bottle tubes. I don't like them as much as the original Mullard EL34's that were in my Sound City, but I kinda ruined those since I couldn't bias the amp properly at the time. If you can find them for a good price though, those fat bottles are great. Have you asked Alex how 6550's would do in there? If it's running high voltage they might do better and last longer. Plus give you some headroom if you're saying the other ones are getting driven easily. Winged =C= tubes are great but they have gotten pricey. Still, I always feel tubes are worth it in the right amp. I'm not really familiar with other modern production tubes. I have some modern JJ KT88's and 6550's that are okay. But nothing to write home about. I'm usually pick up anos old stuff from some random online distributer.

waltdogg · Post by **waltdogg** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 4:56 pm

Yeah the set of fat bottles that I had was great, just that one bum tube always screwed me around. Oh man, that's a bummer. Yeah the not-JJ Tesla EL34s that I had were very Mullardy and better than the big bottle 6CA7s I think too. Apparently Hellhawks handle 6550/KT88s no problem but aside from increased headroom there's little to no tonal benefit accord to Alex due to the fact that the voltages don't get *that* high.

I put an offer in on that quad of =C= EL34s on Reverb. Hopefully they'll hit me with a fair counter offer if they don't like my initial one and I can be done with this for a while. I'm still gonna have to find a current production KT88/6550 that I like when it's time to replace power tubes in my Mother. Luckily I have a set of ANOS JAN Philips ECG 7027As for my V-4 so that amp will pretty much never need new power tubes. I wish I could find a couple more ANOS Philips Holland ECC83s for my V-4 and Mother's V1 sockets as I only have one for my Hellhawk but goddamn did that tube make a big difference.

chillerthanmost · Post by **chillerthanmost** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 5:27 pm

waltdogg wrote:Yeah the set of fat bottles that I had was great, just that one bum tube always screwed me around. Oh man, that's a bummer. Yeah the not-JJ Tesla EL34s that I had were very Mullardy and better than the big bottle 6CA7s I think too. Apparently Hellhawks handle 6550/KT88s no problem but aside from increased headroom there's little to no tonal benefit accord to Alex due to the fact that the voltages don't get *that* high.

I put an offer in on that quad of =C= EL34s on Reverb. Hopefully they'll hit me with a fair counter offer if they don't like my initial one and I can be done with this for a while. I'm still gonna have to find a current production KT88/6550 that I like when it's time to replace power tubes in my Mother. Luckily I have a set of ANOS JAN Philips ECG 7027As for my V-4 so that amp will pretty much never need new power tubes. I wish I could find a couple more ANOS Philips Holland ECC83s for my V-4 and Mother's V1 sockets as I only have one for my Hellhawk but goddamn did that tube make a big difference.

Yeah, I love a good nos British tube in the preamp v1. I have a ton of old Amperex and Mullards I've lucked out in getting from a bunch of ransoms amps I've had. I also really like US RCA AX7's. I remember when I had a V4, the best it ever sounded was when I got Sylvania 6L6GC's and put a black plate 12BH7 in the phase inverter. Fuck, do I miss that sound. Especially though some Eminence GB Legends. Worst decision is getting rid of that entire rig. But oh well. As far as modern KT88's and 6550's, I've only gone with JJ because of their reputation online. But, again, they are just whatever. Robust as fuck though. Currently my SVT, Model T, and V4 run them, and they get the job done. Lately I've been digging old Coke bottle tung-sol 6550's. I have two in my YBA-1a and it sounds great. My Sunn 2000s I just got also came with a nos set. I'm gonna swap them for the KT88's in the model T.

Anyways, good luck with those Winged =C= 34's. I hear they are nice, so hope that goes through.

waltdogg · Post by **waltdogg** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 5:36 pm

The driver tubes in my V-4 are military grade, those made a huge difference even before the ECG 7027As. I love a V-4 through G12T-75s, their midrange scoop is perfect for taming the Ampeg's midrange. Through right now I run mine through a 4x12 with two G12M 25 Greenbacks (UK) above two G12T-75s. Perfect compliment for each other and that amp.

Man, maybe we should get together for some tube rolling? My Science heads can be rebiased on the fly with a multi-meter and it would be pretty sweet to be able to do some A/B testing between current production and NOS and KT88s and 6550s in the Mother.

chillerthanmost · Post by **chillerthanmost** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 7:37 pm

waltdogg wrote:The driver tubes in my V-4 are military grade, those made a huge difference even before the ECG 7027As. I love a V-4 through G12T-75s, their midrange scoop is perfect for taming the Ampeg's midrange. Through right now I run mine through a 4x12 with two G12M 25 Greenbacks (UK) above two G12T-75s. Perfect compliment for each other and that amp.

Man, maybe we should get together for some tube rolling? My Science heads can be rebiased on the fly with a multi-meter and it would be pretty sweet to be able to do some A/B testing between current production and NOS and KT88s and 6550s in the Mother.

Dude yeah! Where are you located!???

ilovefuzz.com

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