6L6 or EL34 for Metal?

[MSGfan]

Re: 6L6 or EL34 for Metal?

EL34's sound great for any hard rock or metal!
They've got that upper mid crunch that 6L6's seem to lack.
The only amps I've heard that sound good with 6L6's is my Mesa Mark IIC+ and 5150 II's

[edi_87]

Re: 6L6 or EL34 for Metal?

What I think? I think EL34's are more alive, no to say: 'full of life".. On my Triamp i can get on EL34's almost any clean and dist and crunch i want.. Point for EL34's

[Hawkman]

Re: 6L6 or EL34 for Metal?

I like the sound of both tubes together. So, I put Mullard EL34's in Channel A of my VHT stereo power amp and Svetlana 6L6's in Channel B. Ahhh, the best of both worlds.

I have also had very good results with the JJ/Tesla E34L, which has higher output (an higher headroom) than regular EL34's.

[ishmun]

Re: 6L6 or EL34 for Metal?

Your opinions, never played anything but 6L6's - just want to know if I should stick with em or start looking towards the other direction. Thanks.

what amp were u thinkn of changing the tubes in?

i feel the best poweramps are the mesa simul-class ones
they use both EL34s and 6L6's
u end up getting best of both worlds - the el crunch and the 6l6 bass response

one thing u should DEFINATLEY look into is the use of an Integrated Quad
where, say in a dual recto, u set the bias switch to el34s and put in 2 el34s and 2 6l6's
eurotubes have specifically matched 'quads' that will work well together

ive read many reviews of recto users (it can also be done of 5150s and others)
but chek www.eurotubes.com and read up on the integrated quad power stages

very nifty idea!


Ishan

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: 6L6 or EL34 for Metal?

Yeah, I hate Marshall's for the loose low end as well. Although the 30th anniversary 3 ch 6100 model kicked ASS....

This is a sweeping generalization! I have found, more often then not, it's Marshall's cabs which flex at high spl's and have more than a little overhang. (What you probably refer to as "loose" bass) That is why I use Rivera and Hiwatt cabs ...

[JfromHouston]

Re: 6L6 or EL34 for Metal?

I like 6L6s because I can get rid of the mids if I want too. Considering I have only owned one EL based amp, my DSL, this may also be a generalization but I cant get the mids out of the DSL. On the other amps I have owned (6L6 based) I could scoop the mids or crank them, the option was mine. Not so with the DSL. Can someone clarify if you can scoop the mids with EL based amps or is it just the nature of the DSL to be heavey on the mids?

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: 6L6 or EL34 for Metal?

The DSL is one of the worst-sounding amplifiers Marshall ever made. That will explain most of your sonic quandries with that amp ...

[JfromHouston]

Re: 6L6 or EL34 for Metal?

The DSL is one of the worst-sounding amplifiers Marshall ever made. That will explain most of your sonic quandries with that amp ...

Thats odd, almost every guitar magazine claimed the DSL as one of the BEST Marshalls produced. A lot of major artists use them and a lot of people just really like them. I guess to each his own.

[ex-250]

Re: 6L6 or EL34 for Metal?

nah i agree, i dont think the jcm2000 series as a whole is all that good. id take an 800 over a 2000 any day.

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: 6L6 or EL34 for Metal?

Thats odd, almost every guitar magazine claimed the DSL as one of the BEST Marshalls produced. A lot of major artists use them and a lot of people just really like them. I guess to each his own.

You may be thinking of the TSL, perhaps?
That's an amazing head!

And as you say, to each his own ... as long as you achieve good tone, it really doesn't matter how you get it.

[Gearjoneser]

Re: 6L6 or EL34 for Metal?

EL-34 amps tend to be heavy in the mids, but that's the beauty of them IMO. Next time you go to a concert, notice that the EL-34 amps pop out of the mix better, mostly because the dense mids stay separated from the kick drum and bass.

[Guitarist]

Re: 6L6 or EL34 for Metal?

You may be thinking of the TSL, perhaps?
That's an amazing head!

And as you say, to each his own ... as long as you achieve good tone, it really doesn't matter how you get it.

That's strange...because just about everyone on this board has claimed to hate the TSL and love the DSL. I clearly remember all of the threads, put the TSL owners in shame and remorse!

[That90'sGuy]

Re: 6L6 or EL34 for Metal?

That's strange...because just about everyone on this board has claimed to hate the TSL and love the DSL. I clearly remember all of the threads, put the TSL owners in shame and remorse!

Ditto.