Are EL34's or 6L6's tighter?

[flipside]

Simple question. Which of those two tubes gives a tighter bottom end distortion sound?

 

[AmpliFIRE]

Re: Are EL34's or 6L6's tighter?

Simple question. Which of those two tubes gives a tighter bottom end distortion sound?

No question: 6l6's

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: Are EL34's or 6L6's tighter?

Bottom end tightness...It's hard to say. EL34's do have a tight bottom end, but it's nowhere near as pronounced or full as with 6L6's. After much testing, and at least in my XXX, I prefer 6L6's. They sound tighter, fuller, and not as harsh on the top end or mids.

 

[Jeff Seal]

Re: Are EL34's or 6L6's tighter?

I don't know guys, I think I would definitely lean more towards the El34's...

Just my .02

Jeff Seal

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Are EL34's or 6L6's tighter?

I'd go with 6l6s. EL34s are known for their mids and cut in the band situation and well, I've always considered 6l6s as Fender or Mesa type stuff, more pronounced lows and highs (that's why I feel the tubescreamers work so well in Fenders, it gives it that mid push that the amp doesn't normally have present).

Play a Marshall DSL and a Mesa Recto side by side, there should be no question that the Mesa has a tighter lowend... just my honest opinion.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Are EL34's or 6L6's tighter?

6L6s are rounder and have more headroom(Depends on the circuit)
My Marshall amp is pretty tight(Tighter than my BF Fenders) with EL34s,but the mids are different...

I wouldn't say the 6L6 tube is tighter though,just different..

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Are EL34's or 6L6's tighter?

I'd go with 6l6s. EL34s are known for their mids and cut in the band situation and well, I've always considered 6l6s as Fender or Mesa type stuff, more pronounced lows and highs (that's why I feel the tubescreamers work so well in Fenders, it gives it that mid push that the amp doesn't normally have present).

Play a Marshall DSL and a Mesa Recto side by side, there should be no question that the Mesa has a tighter lowend... just my honest opinion.

You're hearing the reaction and differences between the preamps in your scenario... :wink:

 

[Stevo]

Re: Are EL34's or 6L6's tighter?

EL34s are more compressed sounding and I think the bottom end is tighter.

 

[Jag513]

Re: Are EL34's or 6L6's tighter?

The bottom end on 6L6's is definitely much more open and loose. When you crank a 6L6 amp the bass tends to get flabby, while EL-34's stay tight. So I'm saying EL-34's.

 

[muttonchopsrule]

Re: Are EL34's or 6L6's tighter?

I wouldn't say the 6L6 tube is tighter though,just different..

+1

after putting EL34's in my mesa, the bottom end isn't any tighter or looser, it's just a completely different voicing. i tend to prefer the sound of EL34's though

 

[Hellion]

Re: Are EL34's or 6L6's tighter?

Mike Soldano says that EL34s have a "flabby bottom end" compared to 6L6s in a not so recent interview in Musician's Hotline. I'd tend to concur.

 

[Jeff Seal]

Re: Are EL34's or 6L6's tighter?

....really it depends on the circuit used.....it's kinda hard to dispute the fact the (believe it or not) a Fender BF twin has tighter lows than most of the amps made today...gets sort of lost in the open back 212...

However, as far as current production amps that fall into the "ultra-tight" lows..meaning at least twice as much as the Mesa Recto's.... the top three I know of are:

Diezel VH4, VHT Pitbull and (sheepishly) mine!...having said this, I really can't say I've actually done much designing around the 6L6....

Jeff Seal

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Are EL34's or 6L6's tighter?

EL34s are more compressed sounding and I think the bottom end is tighter.

Depends on what circuit and in what amp more than the tubes themselves...

 

[H8Red442]

Re: Are EL34's or 6L6's tighter?

well this thread was absolutley no help... lol