6L6 vs. EL34
- Thread starter Jeff5
- Start date
Hellion
New member
Re: 6L6 vs. EL34
There's a really good thread somewhere in here addressing that very issue, but for my own personal tastes, I prefer 6L6s. They seem to have a more melodic distortion and a slightly tighter bottom end. Having said that, I've heard some very nice sounding Marshall amps with EL34s.
There's a really good thread somewhere in here addressing that very issue, but for my own personal tastes, I prefer 6L6s. They seem to have a more melodic distortion and a slightly tighter bottom end. Having said that, I've heard some very nice sounding Marshall amps with EL34s.
some_dude
Raging BB Gunologist
Re: 6L6 vs. EL34
I prefer 6L6, but I also love the sound of EL34's.
The 6L6s tend to have a bigger bottom end, more highs, and are quite pronounced in the low midrange.
EL34s have a huge high midrange, and the harder you hit them, the sweeter they sound.
I prefer 6L6's for rhythm and some lead work. Their fuller sound blends well with the rest of the band. But, if I was a strait lead guitarist, I'd probably prefer EL34's for their ability to cut through the mix.
But, for the fun of it, I'm installing a mixed tube set on my next retube. I have a Mesa 2:100, and I'm sticking JJ 6L6s in the right channel, and JJ E34Ls in the left. That should be fun. :headbang:
I prefer 6L6, but I also love the sound of EL34's.
The 6L6s tend to have a bigger bottom end, more highs, and are quite pronounced in the low midrange.
EL34s have a huge high midrange, and the harder you hit them, the sweeter they sound.
I prefer 6L6's for rhythm and some lead work. Their fuller sound blends well with the rest of the band. But, if I was a strait lead guitarist, I'd probably prefer EL34's for their ability to cut through the mix.
But, for the fun of it, I'm installing a mixed tube set on my next retube. I have a Mesa 2:100, and I'm sticking JJ 6L6s in the right channel, and JJ E34Ls in the left. That should be fun. :headbang:
aleclee
Major General GAS
Re: 6L6 vs. EL34
IMHO, 6L6-based amps have better cleans while I prefer the crunch of EL34s. I tend to think of 6L6s as having more "chug" than "crunch". At the moment, I actually prefer 6CA7s. Electrically, they're more like EL34s while sonically, they're somewhat between 6L6s and EL34s. They have very nice cleans while still crunching better than 6L6s.
Of course, these are only generalizations--a lot still depends on the individual amp. Though my Soldano sounds a lot more like a Marshall than a Boogie, it has 6L6s and not EL34s.
IMHO, 6L6-based amps have better cleans while I prefer the crunch of EL34s. I tend to think of 6L6s as having more "chug" than "crunch". At the moment, I actually prefer 6CA7s. Electrically, they're more like EL34s while sonically, they're somewhat between 6L6s and EL34s. They have very nice cleans while still crunching better than 6L6s.
Of course, these are only generalizations--a lot still depends on the individual amp. Though my Soldano sounds a lot more like a Marshall than a Boogie, it has 6L6s and not EL34s.
Re: 6L6 vs. EL34
Thanks for the replies guys. I'm thinking I should try EL34s based on what you all have said and reading some other posts I've searched out. 90% or more of what I do is distortion based, and it seems like folks are saying they break up sooner and are generally a better distortion Tube. The only problem is that I have an older Mesa 50/50 that doesn't have the switch on it to go from 6L6 to EL34s, so does this mean I'll have to get it re-biased? Is this something I can do myself? Any thoughts?
Thanks for the replies guys. I'm thinking I should try EL34s based on what you all have said and reading some other posts I've searched out. 90% or more of what I do is distortion based, and it seems like folks are saying they break up sooner and are generally a better distortion Tube. The only problem is that I have an older Mesa 50/50 that doesn't have the switch on it to go from 6L6 to EL34s, so does this mean I'll have to get it re-biased? Is this something I can do myself? Any thoughts?
That90'sGuy
DyzaBoyzologist
Re: 6L6 vs. EL34
EL34s work great in my Triamp. The cleans are wonderful. I find it to be more punchy, midrangey, and offers better crunch than 6L6s.
You'll have to get it re-biased. However, you need a bias probe as well as an outlet to check the power tubes. Not all amps have this, so you'll have to see if you have one. I never bothered touching the bias on my amp because I don't have any way to bias the amp (which is why I always buy matched sets of tubes).
EL34s work great in my Triamp. The cleans are wonderful. I find it to be more punchy, midrangey, and offers better crunch than 6L6s.
You'll have to get it re-biased. However, you need a bias probe as well as an outlet to check the power tubes. Not all amps have this, so you'll have to see if you have one. I never bothered touching the bias on my amp because I don't have any way to bias the amp (which is why I always buy matched sets of tubes).
Jeff_H
Dean Hardtail Fanologist
Re: 6L6 vs. EL34
Some amps do come with a fixed bias, meaning they can't be adjusted. I'm not enough of an amp expert to know which ones though.
I don't really understand the technical aspects of matching, but I do know that if a pair of tubes are not close enough in terms of the bias range they can be adjusted to, they won't work in an amp. I had this problem with a set of Svetlana's I bought for my first Marshall.
Jeff5 said:
Some amps do come with a fixed bias, meaning they can't be adjusted. I'm not enough of an amp expert to know which ones though.
I don't really understand the technical aspects of matching, but I do know that if a pair of tubes are not close enough in terms of the bias range they can be adjusted to, they won't work in an amp. I had this problem with a set of Svetlana's I bought for my first Marshall.
