So which production EL34s actually sound good enough to buy?

  • Thread starter Thread starter phil b
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I have Tung Sol EL34 in my 2204 and really like them. I could try other tubes in the amp as I have some other brands at hand, but so far I had no desire
 
I like EHX 6CA7's, but I like EL34's which sound the least like EL34's, LOL.
 
The one production tube which I thought was terrific was the Groove Tube GT-E34Ls tube.
It was the one with the ‘larger heat wings’…
(I think that’s the term they used.)
I really liked those tubes, made in Slovakia.
I usually bought 2 matched quads at a time, thinking I could always get more.
I was wrong😑

I’ve never been able to get a straight answer from GT as to what happened to production of these.
 
With all the new production EL34’s you have to watch the screen voltage. If you have more than 450v the choices are cery limited. JJ EL34L, KT77 and 6CA7’s, China EL34B are about it. Everything else is 450 and below rated.
JJ tubes are the only ones not made in China now.
 
mooncobra said:
Speak to the tube lord Racerxrated. When speaking to his royal highness, address him with respect! His knowledge of tubes is vast, and very profound. Viva la Racerxrated, may he live forever!!
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Aah Mike, you crack me up.

Actually, Braintheory has more extensive experience with tubes than I....after tube rolling years back I stick with Siemens or Winged C (Svets or W C logo) for my 34s, I like them best vs even vintage Mullard which are killer too but stupid expensive. I also have a few pairs of GE 6550s, Sylvania 6CA7s for good measure.

OP, I'd take a chance on used but strong vintage EL34s like Siemens or Winged C if possible; you can find them with GT or Rivera re-labels also and they usually are cheaper since the seller sometimes doesn't know what they actually are.
 
Floyd Eye said:
If you have a modern amp, use modern tubes.

If you have a vintage amp, use vintage tubes

The Tube Store is legit, but this dude is my favorite. I have bought piles of great stuff from him.

https://www.kcanostubes.com
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I'd agree with this from a tonal perspective; but new production tubes are just so damn unreliable....any and every power tube failure I've ever had, though not that many, have ALL been new production tubes. And, they were all new at the time......

I'll stick with my stash or replenish with older used 34s if I have to. But, I have enough to last another 20 yrs.
 
Racerxrated said:
I'd agree with this from a tonal perspective; but new production tubes are just so damn unreliable....any and every power tube failure I've ever had, though not that many, have ALL been new production tubes. And, they were all new at the time......

I'll stick with my stash or replenish with older used 34s if I have to. But, I have enough to last another 20 yrs.
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I agree. I'm primarily a bass player with SVTs and all my tubes are NOS Russian from the old St. Petersburg factory, Winged Cs or 6550Bs.

I do have one of those cheesy little AC10c1. I put JJs in it ( 2 EL34s & 2 12AX7s). It sounds surprisingly good and those tubes have been cooking in there for about 5 years with no issues now.
 
I'm using EH I bought 2 or so years ago.

I have a bunch of others new and vintage.
 
I think the Tungsol EL34B is the best overall production tube on the market, without hesitation. If I wanted more aggression, the JJ KT77 is my go-to.

Those recommending the EH EL34, hard pass for me. I've A/B'd them with various other tubes in a couple Friedmans, and by comparison, there was a big difference. Compared to the Tungsols, (for starters), they were bright, brittle, and light on the low end. Probably my least favorite EL34.
 
SQUAREHEAD said:
The one production tube which I thought was terrific was the Groove Tube GT-E34Ls tube.
It was the one with the ‘larger heat wings’…
(I think that’s the term they used.)
I really liked those tubes, made in Slovakia.
I usually bought 2 matched quads at a time, thinking I could always get more.
I was wrong😑

I’ve never been able to get a straight answer from GT as to what happened to production of these.
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Aren`t those the same as the JJ E34L?
 
I’m using either regular JJ’s (not the Ls), or the EH. No issues with either if buy them from a reliable source.
 
I am still using kt77s in my Diezels that I grabbed from Ruby Tubes, which are nothing but JJs. I would say old circuit old tubes and new circuit new tubes... BUT .. with the Monomyths, or at least the 3 I have the old stuff sounds stellar compared to the new production stuff. Now they are all based off Marshalls so that might be it, I use nothing but either RFT or Amperex in V1 in my Mark IV and those really shine compared to new stuff. I have a bunch of those silver topped chinese tubes and those really do sound good in whichever amp I put them in BUT..you have to actually find one that sounds good with that amp. Weird as all hell, but since I have quite a few to go thru its all good. What kills me is the damn NOS power tubes. The legit guys want too much and there are alot of oversees guys with good feedback but I've gotten some duds going that route. Between the fire at the one factory and then covid... the friggin prices of power tubes are just stupid. Next time I find a deal I'm buying as much as i can! LOL
 
phil b said:
I am still using kt77s in my Diezels that I grabbed from Ruby Tubes, which are nothing but JJs. I would say old circuit old tubes and new circuit new tubes... BUT .. with the Monomyths, or at least the 3 I have the old stuff sounds stellar compared to the new production stuff. Now they are all based off Marshalls so that might be it, I use nothing but either RFT or Amperex in V1 in my Mark IV and those really shine compared to new stuff. I have a bunch of those silver topped chinese tubes and those really do sound good in whichever amp I put them in BUT..you have to actually find one that sounds good with that amp. Weird as all hell, but since I have quite a few to go thru its all good. What kills me is the damn NOS power tubes. The legit guys want too much and there are alot of oversees guys with good feedback but I've gotten some duds going that route. Between the fire at the one factory and then covid... the friggin prices of power tubes are just stupid. Next time I find a deal I'm buying as much as i can! LOL
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I don't know. I guess it depends on what you consider too much. I wanna say I paid about $175 for a matched set of NOS RCA Blackplates for my Brown Deluxe. Seemed fair to me.
 
I did a EL34 type comparo with what I have through my Trainwreck build into a Rockcrusher and Fane F70's. I don't have an Airplane Hanger, so everything was recorded at low volume..

Tubes biased at 42.5 ma's, 70% PD..

From what I can tell, it's mostly subtle differences with the EL34L being the biggest and most aggressive. The 6CA7 and KT77 have more of a 6L6 top end.

 
Vacuum tubes are like century old technology, wonder what the deal is. Kinda hard to imagine amp makers are putting up with subpar tubes, they’re not out searching for NOS…
 
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