Bogner Ecstasy power tubes?

[Nightburst]

Attention Ecstasy owners,

I was wondering what power tubes you guys had luck with falling into the very limited bias range of the Ecstasy.
SED =C= are recommended and according to the guys at Bogner the Ecstasy was designed with telefunken/siemens EL34's. More recently they started using JJ EL34's because of better availability.

I've had some luck with an extremely cold set of JJ E34L's but I ran these around 37-40mA and possibly a little higher because I set the bias measured it and never bothered to let those tubes settle. After one of them broke down I switched over to 1/2 power and did a new bias check. They were around 45-50mA!!! I'm so glad my amp didn't blew up! Those tubes lasted for 3 years before breaking down and I've never blown a fuse or anything so I guess the Ecstasy can take some abuse.
Anyway, it's time for some fresh tubes but I wonder which one's besides SED =C= or JJ EL34 would also fall into the bias range!
I've tried a set of EH and they fell out of range. Ordered another cold set of E34L but those weren't even close to the range.

Anyone had some luck with the new Tung-Sol EL34's? They are considered to be the best current production tubes!?
Chinese power tubes any good?
Mullards?

What about the relabelled ones?

Anyone knows what mesa coloured set falls into the xtc's bias range?
TAD? Groove Tubes? Ruby?

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Bogner Ecstasy power tubes?

I bought Svetlana EL-34's one time, thinking they'd be better than the JJ EL-34's I usually use. I couldn't get the bias lower than 46mA, and the tolex above the tubes was getting too hot. I exchanged them for the same tubes I always use....JJ EL-34's, biased around 36-38mA.

It sort of soured my idea of experimenting with other power tubes. JJ's sound fine. However, I did spend time putting great preamp tubes in it.
Tungsol in the 1st position, other good tubes all around, and a NOS Jan Phillips in the clean channel pre.

 

[B2D]

Re: Bogner Ecstasy power tubes?

JJ E34L's sounded best in mine.

 

[Nightburst]

Re: Bogner Ecstasy power tubes?

Well I've ordered some new E34L's as the SED's seem to be much higher in price but not in quality over the JJ's. Kinda strange move there from svetlana.

GJ: I also use a tung-sol in V1 and it's great! I am really curious about those EL34's from Tung sol but there's no to tell if they would bias right in this amp!

B2D: did those tubes just pop in there like that or did you have someone do it for you?

Any more ecstasy users out there?

 

[B2D]

Re: Bogner Ecstasy power tubes?

B2D: did those tubes just pop in there like that or did you have someone do it for you?

Any more ecstasy users out there?

I had the amp in for routine maintenance, as I'd popped a power tube and blown a fuse, so I turned it in to Bogner's shop in North Hollywood and they retubed the power section with JJ's and adjusted the bias a bit, and that was it.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Bogner Ecstasy power tubes?

I thought about going with E-34L's, but have stuck with the EL-34's. As loud as this monster is, I sure don't need the E34L's 10% higher headroom. But, I do like them a lot because they're beefy sounding. For that reason, I use EL-34's in 100W amps and E-34L's in 50W amps, to pump them up a bit.

 

[PVFan]

Re: Bogner Ecstasy power tubes?

I bought Svetlana EL-34's one time, thinking they'd be better than the JJ EL-34's I usually use. I couldn't get the bias lower than 46mA, and the tolex above the tubes was getting too hot. I exchanged them for the same tubes I always use....JJ EL-34's, biased around 36-38mA.

It sort of soured my idea of experimenting with other power tubes. JJ's sound fine. However, I did spend time putting great preamp tubes in it.
Tungsol in the 1st position, other good tubes all around, and a NOS Jan Phillips in the clean channel pre.

which Svetlanas do you mean? the originals that are now called =C= / SEDs, or do you mean the Reflektor tubes that are using the ripped-off name "Svetlanas"?

to the OP

the ONLY tubes that didn't turn purple and blow inside of 10 minutes in my XTC were the original Svetlanas that are now called =C= or SEDs. It was a very early model though, and tubes were much better then. Worked fine for 10 years. That amp blew up 4 times for the new owner, and eventually had to be modified in order to work with current production tubes.

I have had bad, bad, bad luck with JJs.

 

[metlking]

Re: Bogner Ecstasy power tubes?

I just re-tubed mine (yesterday as a matter of fact) with Ruby EL34BHT's that were highly recommended for use in Bogners by Doug at www.dougstubes.com I trust that guys opinion! They are rated to handle up to 600vdc plate voltage. The XTC is something like 530vdc if I recall correctly. I set the bias at 29mv. I will let you know my final thoughts after tomorrow nights gig.

I've hated the =C= in every amp I've tried them in. They sound OK at first but fade quickly in my experience..............

 

[Nightburst]

Re: Bogner Ecstasy power tubes?

which Svetlanas do you mean? the originals that are now called =C= / SEDs, or do you mean the Reflektor tubes that are using the ripped-off name "Svetlanas"?

to the OP

the ONLY tubes that didn't turn purple and blow inside of 10 minutes in my XTC were the original Svetlanas that are now called =C= or SEDs. It was a very early model though, and tubes were much better then. Worked fine for 10 years. That amp blew up 4 times for the new owner, and eventually had to be modified in order to work with current production tubes.

I have had bad, bad, bad luck with JJs.

Yeah that must be it, back then tubes must have been made to tighter tolerances. Hence the extreme pickyness of the xtc. I suppose they have extended the bias range in newer models? (I got an older model as well)
Have had my share of redplating tubes, sending them back, getting a 'colder' set etc. But man does it deliver tone when it's set right!

This amp is like the super demanding hot chick that takes up all the space in your closet and bathroom with her stuff, cost you a lot of money on presents etc. keeping her happy and simply drives you crazy from time to time but really delivers the 'action' :naughty:.

But enough about my gf...

 

[Nightburst]

Re: Bogner Ecstasy power tubes?

I just re-tubed mine (yesterday as a matter of fact) with Ruby EL34BHT's that were highly recommended for use in Bogners by Doug at www.dougstubes.com I trust that guys opinion! They are rated to handle up to 600vdc plate voltage. The XTC is something like 530vdc if I recall correctly. I set the bias at 29mv. I will let you know my final thoughts after tomorrow nights gig.

I've hated the =C= in every amp I've tried them in. They sound OK at first but fade quickly in my experience..............

Thanks for the info! I'll be looking on the web what tubes Ruby had relabelled for those .
What model xtc do you have exactly? 100B or 101B?
29 seems a bit low as mine was set at 32/34mA by a tech.
Do let me know how those tubes operated at the gig!

 

[metlking]

Re: Bogner Ecstasy power tubes?

Thanks for the info! I'll be looking on the web what tubes Ruby had relabelled for those .
What model xtc do you have exactly? 100B or 101B?
29 seems a bit low as mine was set at 32/34mA by a tech.
Do let me know how those tubes operated at the gig!

Yeah, I realize Ruby doesn't make tubes. Those tubes are made for Ruby to their specs by Shuguang which makes them Chinese. They appear to be based off the EL34B Shuguang (another tube I've had success with) but designed to withstand a slightly higher plate voltage.

I have a 101B

 

[Brown Note]

Re: Bogner Ecstasy power tubes?

I tend to steer away from some chinese tubes, as well as all remarked tubes(rubies, all amp manufacturer tubes, groove tubes etc) as these are sort of questionable quality. They might be good, but with Tung-Sol, Svetlana(SED), Golden dragon and Genalex I can be sure of that. You can most definetly put in any EL34/6CA7, 6L6GC, 5881, 6550, kt66, kt77 and kt88 tubes in the amp if it's designed for EL34's! If it's designed with 6L6 in mind, then it might not accept any other than 6L6 tubes, but in that case also you can use any working 6L6 tube from any manufacturer.