el34 tubes

[kajak12]

to my knowledge and experience with valves i recommend svetlana el34 winged c the most musical current production el34.
for people with $$$$  amprex el34(phillips miniwatt) el34 are a killer nos tube

[tuyen]

I like the Svetlana (SED) Winged C current production tubes too.

Review of some common current production EL34 tubes.
http://thetubestore.com/el34review.html

I've tried TungSol EL34-B current production tubes too. They have a more energy in the high freq range compared to the  Winged Cs.  On my system, I prefer the Winged C's but if you prefer the energetic 'KT88' sound, the TungSols may be the better choice for your taste.

I have also tried Groove Tubes (http://www.groovetubes.com/iframeGT-EL34MQuartet.html) which are meant to be replica of the famous Mullard XF2 tubes. They sound okay, balanced, but even after being burnt in, didn't have the smoothness and sense of 'flow' that I found with the  Svetlana Winged Cs. 

In saying the above, I'd recommend them all over standard chinese Shuguang tubes anyday. The Shuguang, have a quite brightish, edgey sounding nature  in comparison.

What do you guys with EL34 amps use as your tubes and how do you find them?

[kajak12]

I like the Svetlana (SED) Winged C current production tubes too.

Review of some common current production EL34 tubes.
http://thetubestore.com/el34review.html

I've tried TungSol EL34-B current production tubes too. They have a more energy in the high freq range compared to the  Winged Cs.  On my system, I prefer the Winged C's but if you prefer the energetic 'KT88' sound, the TungSols may be the better choice for your taste.

I have also tried Groove Tubes (http://www.groovetubes.com/iframeGT-EL34MQuartet.html) which are meant to be replica of the famous Mullard XF2 tubes. They sound okay, balanced, but even after being burnt in, didn't have the smoothness and sense of 'flow' that I found with the  Svetlana Winged Cs. 

In saying the above, I'd recommend them all over standard chinese Shuguang tubes anyday. The Shuguang, have a quite brightish, edgey sounding nature  in comparison.

What do you guys with EL34 amps use as your tubes and how do you find them?

WRT EL34's -

GT doesn't manufacture tubes, they cull and match them.
GT EL34M is most likely EH Mullard EL34 reissue.

Tung sol / Genelex / Mullard  are all made by Electro Harmonix at Sovtek plant.

I go through hundreds of EL34's in various apps but mainly for guitar amps.

JJ EL34L's are great sounding but u have to bias them to at least 35mA.
Not sure how they will go in a hi end amp but they are worth a try.

As above - winged C's VG, but a bit exy.

I get them wholesale from US suppliers. 

cheers

Terry




   
 
 
 

stupid question what is exy?

[zenelectro]

stupid question what is exy?

Expensive.

T

[kajak12]

stupid question what is exy?

Expensive.

T

man lucky you dont use amprex DD GETTERS  which sometimes go for $500us a quad. i run my el34 at about 27ma it sounds its best.

[Jehuty]

I loveeeee my DD getters, no way back after listening to them..

[stevenvalve]

I loveeeee my DD getters, no way back after listening to them..

I have 6 new 1960s amperex DD getters EL34 if anyone wants them, but they are not cheap, I may swap for something amp, transport, speakers, girlfriend, send me a picture and we will negotiate.

[Hens]

too bad I'd need 8 steve xD

[qwerter]

I tried to replace EL34 in my stock Yaqin mc-10l with Soviet NOS 6P3S-E Military Tubes. they sounded pretty good. Did anyone try them with modified JLTI version?

[kajak12]

no one in perth that i know off

[qwerter]

There is a thread on audiokarma on these tubes...

[qwerter]

no one in perth that i know off

What about KT77? I tried current production JJKT77.

[kajak12]

no one in perth that i know off

What about KT77? I tried current production JJKT77.

not yet maybe in the future

[Jehuty]

no one in perth that i know off

What about KT77? I tried current production JJKT77.

I asked Joe Rasmussen from Custom Analogue a while ago about using KT77 in JLTi EL34, he said it would actually lower the watts output of the amp so I didn't give it a go.

Cheers,
William

[zenelectro]

no one in perth that i know off

What about KT77? I tried current production JJKT77.

I asked Joe Rasmussen from Custom Analogue a while ago about using KT77 in JLTi EL34, he said it would actually lower the watts output of the amp so I didn't give it a go.

Cheers,
William

JJ have just released the 6CA7, a beam pentode which is compatible with EL34 pentode applications.

It might be worth a try and should sound a bit more like the kinkless tetrode (KT) tubes.

Don't expect them to sound like NOS Mullard or Amperex though.


cheers

Terry

[qwerter]

to my knowledge and experience with valves i recommend svetlana el34 winged c the most musical current production el34.
for people with $$$$  amprex el34(phillips miniwatt) el34 are a killer nos tube

What did you bias them at in JLTI?

[kajak12]

to my knowledge and experience with valves i recommend svetlana el34 winged c the most musical current production el34.
for people with $$$$  amprex el34(phillips miniwatt) el34 are a killer nos tube

What did you bias them at in JLTI?

0.33 approx

[zenelectro]

to my knowledge and experience with valves i recommend svetlana el34 winged c the most musical current production el34.
for people with $$$$  amprex el34(phillips miniwatt) el34 are a killer nos tube

What did you bias them at in JLTI?

What is the plate voltage?

Terry

[kajak12]

to my knowledge and experience with valves i recommend svetlana el34 winged c the most musical current production el34.
for people with $$$$  amprex el34(phillips miniwatt) el34 are a killer nos tube

What did you bias them at in JLTI?

What is the plate voltage?

Terry

around 350v from memory joe r knows this answer

[zenelectro]

to my knowledge and experience with valves i recommend svetlana el34 winged c the most musical current production el34.
for people with $$$$  amprex el34(phillips miniwatt) el34 are a killer nos tube

What did you bias them at in JLTI?

What is the plate voltage?

Terry

around 350v from memory joe r knows this answer

With a HT of around 350V, EL34's can be run up right to around 55mA but they may not sound best there.

The sweet spot will depend on the amp. I'd start at 30mA and edge it up slowly.

If installing new tubes bias them to 25mA and run them for 1/2 hr first then re check.

I'm finding often new tubes go into bias drift when they get hot and can take a while to stabilise.
So if you want to run them hard, ramp up to it slowly and check they are behaving (not drifting).

With EL34's, if you are measuring bias current at the cathode, for 35mA of plate current there will be 5mA or so of screen current.

Quick and dirty method to check if tubes are running close to each other (matched), compare voltage across screen resistors.

And be careful !!!!

T