Best EL34 tubes

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Doughboy

Doughboy

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I'm going to be putting in EL3s in my Mesa Lonestar & was wondering what the best model is, expecially to tighten the bottom end.

Any suggestions, expecially from Lonestar owners?
 
Not a Lonestar owner but I would guess that you get will many rec's for the Winged C's. Next in line would be the Ruby's.

Those are my favorites as well in that order.
 
Mesa str 6ca7 (416) ... huge tight bottom end i have them in my jvm .. good luck finding them ...or comparable eh6ca7 $80 for a quad both are slyvainia types

Z
 
296_EL34_SED_800.jpg
 
Usual consensus:

Best: SED =C=
Best for the money: Ruby or any selected Chinese
Best compromise: Tungsol EL34B
 
GT-EL34 M

The Ruby/China/ARS is a nice tube, but doesn't really sound like an EL34. They don't last very long either.

The 90's Wing C were good too. The new ones are ok.
 
These days i'm preferring older tubes... RFT EL34's are my current favorite!

For newer stuff, can't go wrong with SED Winged C EL34's and Tung Sol EL34B.
 
I'm gonna vote that Winged Cs are painfully overrated, and Doug Preston has agreed with me on that assertion.
 
I only use SED Winged C EL34's in amps with 500 or more PV. And, the only reason I do that is because I trust them. I don't like the big bottle Ruby Chinese Winged C copies. Too glassy to me, like a KT series tube. Otherwise, I am pretty much a JJ's E34L fan. Either get them from Laura who burns them in or buy them with the 24 hour burn in from Tube Depot.

For the OP, you will do more to tighten the bottom end up changing up some preamp tubes in a Mesa than you will power tubes. With Mesa's, I usually buy Mesa tubes. The warranty them and I've never had a failure.
 
Ive always used Winged C's on my Riveras, but Im not sure if there might be a better choice for the Mesa..
 
I live about 40 minutes from Euro tubes and the JJ E34L's have never failed me yet, always sound great :thumbsup:
 
I am getting ready to change mine in my VHT. Currently have JJ E34L

I was recommended Mullard's, what do you guys think of those? After reading this it seems SED wing C are going to be better?
 
SED Winged C's :rock: And agree with Dan on the old RFT's... my Kali had them when she arrived and sounded damn good! i currently have winged C's in with the RFT's as backup.

Cory
 
I'm surprised no one's mentioned this yet - but Mesa's like Mesa glass. I'd say get a new quad of Mesa EL34s as opposed to any of the recommendations given above. Of the finer bottles mentioned, I don't think the Mesa will play as nice with these as many other amps do. That said, my fave EL34s are:

- Winged C hands down for EL34 proper
- Gold Lion KT77 (kind of a replacement of sorts)

Good luck,
Mo
 
Swapping brands of the same type of power tube makes very little difference so I just stick to JJ EL34s or E34Ls because they have always been durable. I tried a variety of EL34s such as JJ, SED Winged C, Tung Sol, Mesa Groove Tubes, EH, etc...in my amps, they all pretty much sound and feel the same.
 
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