Many truths here about tube manufacturers. There are only three that I know of. One in China, one in Slovakia, and one in Russia. China's Shuagang is the only tube maker that only has China branded sister companies, but sells tubes to all the major rebranders. JJ makes JJ tubes and sells tubes to EVERY rebrander name that exists. The Russian maker Reflektor, who also sells tubes to EVERY tube rebrander there is, has no tube brand of their own but is essentially EH, Svetlana, and New Sensor to name a few. The main rebranders are GT, TAD, Mesa, Fender, Valve Art, and PM Components to name a few. ALL the other tube names you know and love are made by one of those three companies. If you get a Tung-Sol tube it is made by Reflektor. If you get a Ruby tube, it is made by JJ. If you get a Golden Dragon it is made by Shuagang.
Svetlana EL-34 how do you like them ?
- Thread starter JMP/HBE
- Start date
dystrust
Well-known member
New Sensor isn't a brand of tube, that's the name of the corporation Mike Matthews set up in the early 90s to sell Russian-made tubes, amps, and pedals. In terms of tubes they started with the Sovtek brand and added Electro-Harmonix around 2000. They acquired the rights to the Svetlana brand after the SED factory closed, followed by the Genalex Gold Lion, Mullard, & Tung-Sol brands in the late 2000s.
Gtrjunior
New member
This is going in your Friedman modded Marshall?
I’m curious to hear what you think of them once you get them installed.
ColeJustesen
New member
They are just relabeled tubes. Typically higher grade Chinese, Russian, or Slovakian tubes depending on their designation. I like the TAD tubes, but generally prefer to buy my tubes from a reputable seller. As of late, I have been ordering mostly JJ tubes and getting them from Eurotubes.com. I haven't had any single problem when ordering from them.
Cole
JMP/HBE
Well-known member
Okay bottomline they're a hit. Great tubes. Super good upper register detail, my presence knob has much more of a blend range than with the Tungsol EL-34B which ive been using about 12 years.
The Svets are creamy/crunchy/great classic JMP vibe but can get gritty with a boost as well.
Everything you want in a JMP/800 style head.
Some said these Svets lacked a bottom end ... nope not at all. Plenty of bottom but not boomy.
Great balanced sound, smooth & quiet but still great Rock tone.
The 2 tubes pic side by side right is the SED =C= and left is the Svetlana.
The Tungsols & SED =C= are good tubes but can be a bit boomy & harsh.
The Svetlana EL-34 midrange just comes thru warm, clear and crisp.
I paid like $86 a quad, not alot.
2 tubes biased a little hotter than 70% but stable. Would never notice the way the amp sounds.
We'll see how they hold up but a worthy tube in my assessment.
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Leon Of Late
New member
That is a great review of the Svetlana’s. I had heard for years that since the old winged C’s went out of production that Svet’s were not nearly as good, so I’d stayed away. My Tung Sol’s are here and I’m just trying to reach my amp guy to set up a time to get my amp in and get it biased.
I cannot possibly dislike the Tung Sol’s more than I do the GT’s I have now, but if they just don’t cut it after I burn them in for 15-20 hours I will order the Svets. I am really intrigued by those JJ EL 34 II’s as well, but honestly JJ has never treated me very well and has always been dark and undetailed when I’ve used them, so that worries me about ordering them, even with all of the good reviews. I just can’t afford to keep rolling through power tubes.
I cannot possibly dislike the Tung Sol’s more than I do the GT’s I have now, but if they just don’t cut it after I burn them in for 15-20 hours I will order the Svets. I am really intrigued by those JJ EL 34 II’s as well, but honestly JJ has never treated me very well and has always been dark and undetailed when I’ve used them, so that worries me about ordering them, even with all of the good reviews. I just can’t afford to keep rolling through power tubes.
misterwhizzy
Well-known member
Ruby also rebrands Chinese tubes.
JMP/HBE
Well-known member
Ruby bstr is Chinese i believe.
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
Ruby sell Russian tubes as well.
