School me on EL84
- Thread starter Toe-Knee
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misterwhizzy
Well-known member
Re: School me on EL84
I've been through a set of Sovtek, JJ, and now Mullard RI. I'm liking the Mullard best by far. I've heard good things about Tung-Sol, but I haven't actually heard them. The JJs get a lot of praise, but I found them harsh in the top end with no give whatsoever overall. Mullard is the best I've tried.
I've been through a set of Sovtek, JJ, and now Mullard RI. I'm liking the Mullard best by far. I've heard good things about Tung-Sol, but I haven't actually heard them. The JJs get a lot of praise, but I found them harsh in the top end with no give whatsoever overall. Mullard is the best I've tried.
JeffB
Let it B
Re: School me on EL84
My experience mirrors Whizzys.
The JJs have a bigger tighter low and full mids so they sound big overall but the high mids are really nasal and when pushed they get strident. But IME they take a pounding. I undrstand they have a low power version that is sweeter.
The Mullard RIs are a bit more even frequency wise, and they are smoother when pushed. They do not have alot of headroom. Some reviews descibe them as being "creamy" when pushed...do not believe it! Lol.
My TM18 came with Valvetech chinese tubes, and other than short life, I did not find them horrible when matched with the right preamp tubes. Clearer than nthe JJs, not as nasally or low endy, a bit smoother. But I have no idea if they are very durable. IME, not...
My class5 loves the smoother Mullard RI, and my TM18 seems to prefer the JJs as the mullards thin it out..but If get crazy with the master volume, the JJs harsh out. Its a tightrope with that amp.
The Mullards are probably a good place to start if you will be using the amps natural distortion. Pick something else if you need clean headroom
My experience mirrors Whizzys.
The JJs have a bigger tighter low and full mids so they sound big overall but the high mids are really nasal and when pushed they get strident. But IME they take a pounding. I undrstand they have a low power version that is sweeter.
The Mullard RIs are a bit more even frequency wise, and they are smoother when pushed. They do not have alot of headroom. Some reviews descibe them as being "creamy" when pushed...do not believe it! Lol.
My TM18 came with Valvetech chinese tubes, and other than short life, I did not find them horrible when matched with the right preamp tubes. Clearer than nthe JJs, not as nasally or low endy, a bit smoother. But I have no idea if they are very durable. IME, not...
My class5 loves the smoother Mullard RI, and my TM18 seems to prefer the JJs as the mullards thin it out..but If get crazy with the master volume, the JJs harsh out. Its a tightrope with that amp.
The Mullards are probably a good place to start if you will be using the amps natural distortion. Pick something else if you need clean headroom
SongsForTheDeaf
New member
Re: School me on EL84
I liked JJ out of all the EL84s I tried... Not really an EL84 amp fan , much prefer 6L6s but the Mesa LSS 4x10 I had was a pretty rockin amp and JJs made it better
I liked JJ out of all the EL84s I tried... Not really an EL84 amp fan , much prefer 6L6s but the Mesa LSS 4x10 I had was a pretty rockin amp and JJs made it better
Ascension
Well-known member
Re: School me on EL84
I have been running the TAD EL84-STR's as they have a smoother top end when pushed are bigger sounding overall than any other EL84 I have tried and also give me a little extra headroom. The bottle on these is a little bigger than normal so in some amps they don't fit. They sound like a cross between a EL84 and a 6V6 and both my jet city JCA22H and my Zinky liked them a lot.
I have been running the TAD EL84-STR's as they have a smoother top end when pushed are bigger sounding overall than any other EL84 I have tried and also give me a little extra headroom. The bottle on these is a little bigger than normal so in some amps they don't fit. They sound like a cross between a EL84 and a 6V6 and both my jet city JCA22H and my Zinky liked them a lot.
Myaccount876
Amira-Maker
Re: School me on EL84
I've been running Sovtek EL84Ms and 12AX7 LPSs now in a Vox Night Train, and I'm very pleased with the results. It sounds nice, clear, and chimey; a bit less gain from the stock Ruby tubes, but also very little noise/microphonics. Not the smoothest sounding, but I would not call them shrill/unbearable/icepick; more like a nice sharp sound.
I've been running Sovtek EL84Ms and 12AX7 LPSs now in a Vox Night Train, and I'm very pleased with the results. It sounds nice, clear, and chimey; a bit less gain from the stock Ruby tubes, but also very little noise/microphonics. Not the smoothest sounding, but I would not call them shrill/unbearable/icepick; more like a nice sharp sound.
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