EL34's?

[VanR]

I own a Hughes and Kettner Statesman Dual EL34 head. Best amp ever. I love the sound of it. Got a pair of TAD EL34's in it now which are Shuguang EL34B's. I have a drawer full (3 or 4 pairs) of these Shuguang EL34's, but I want to try some other EL34. Something a little brighter sounding than the TAD's.. Don't say SED's cause I'm not paying $90 a pair for them. I've been looking at EH EL34 or EH 6CA7, JJ EL34 (not E34L) or 6CA7 or KT77, Svetlana (New Sensor), Mullard, Tung Sol etc. What are you guys using?

 

[Splattle101]

You won't be getting SEDs anyway, since they're not making audio valves anymore. Business decision to stick to their core concerns.

 

[babatube]

i'm using GTEL34s which are JJ EL34L with added wings.
they A R E great.
i'd go EH if you not going for JJ's.EH are brighter.

 

[tazzboy]

I use JJ EL34s.

 

[SWeAT hOg]

TungSol EL34s brightened up my Traynor YCV50. They also test very strongly.

 

[Six Gun]

The The Winged C EL34 is a glass power pentode tube is really good quality.
AES has em for 80.00 a pair, not cheap, but a good matched set.

We have good luck with these tubes.

 

[Marshall & Moonshine]

I use JJ EL34s.

+1, in my 800. Love them.

 

[GeeJay]

I have Svetlanas in my Blackstar HT40 Club and like the sound a lot more than what I was able to get from the stock TADs. That said, I changed the pre-amp tubes too, so they may well have mad a difference also.

 

[Shai`tan]

I am using 2 RCA branded Mullard (Blackburn) XF2s. Amazing!

 

[MartyStrat54]

Duh! The xF2's are the standard by which all other EL34's are judged.

I run a pair in my TSL602, because that amp has a loaded B+ over 500V.

 

[MartyStrat54]

I own a Hughes and Kettner Statesman Dual EL34 head. Best amp ever. I love the sound of it. Got a pair of TAD EL34's in it now which are Shuguang EL34B's.

Van we have discussed this at large over on the Marshall Forum. It has always been my understanding that the TAD's have different internal materials versus the Shuguangs. While they physically look the same the quality of the materials used are different.

I know that the Ruby EL34B is a Shuguang. TAD advertises their EL34 as being designed in Germany and built in China "to their specifications."

As far as a brighter tube, I like the EH6CA7's. I have used them for years and I'm currently running a set in my TSL122. They have a fatter bottom end than a typical EL34.

 

[VanR]

Well frankly TAD can advertise whatever they want and while I'm not an expert on tube construction what I can do is hold them side by side and look at them. I can see no difference whatsoever in the TAD EL34B's, the Valve Arts EL34B's ($24/a pair from AES) or the plain jane Sino EL34B's ($29/pair from tubedepot). I have them all and they all sound the same. In fact the TAD's were the worst matched pair of the 3 pairs. So much for the careful matching you pay extra for. Anyway after buying and playing a pair of JJ EL34's I think I'll stick to the Valve Arts EL34B's I get from AES. As far as TAD's claim goes I call bullsh!t!

 

[lunchbox]

I've not had good luck with TAD tubes (EL34-STR). They were grainy/harsh with not a lot of mids definition, though much more bass than average.

But I had some 1990's Winged C's (EL34) that I really liked, and am currently using JJ's (EL84's). I like them both a lot more than the TAD's.

I do have some TAD pre-amp tubes that are pretty good though. ymmv.

 

[MartyStrat54]

Van if that's true than I have lost all respect for TAD. I know that the TAD 7025S is the same tube as the Preferred Series 7025 and also the Ruby 12AX7AC7 HG+. The TAD is priced above $30 and the Ruby is $21.

Of course the same thing happened with all the various vintage tube manufacturers. They relabeled each others tubes as well. It got really bad in the early 70's.

 

[VanR]

Van if that's true than I have lost all respect for TAD. I know that the TAD 7025S is the same tube as the Preferred Series 7025 and also the Ruby 12AX7AC7 HG+. The TAD is priced above $30 and the Ruby is $21.

Of course the same thing happened with all the various vintage tube manufacturers. They relabeled each others tubes as well. It got really bad in the early 70's.

Well of course it's just my opinion. TAD may very well have some different design thingamajig for their EL34 tubes. But if so you can't tell by looking or listening.

 

[Splattle101]

I don't know about the EL34s, but in the 6L6 family TAD offer two valves that most definitely are NOT the same as any other new manufacture valve on the market. These are the 6L6WGC-STR, which is a short bottle clear top 6L6 that looks like an old GE except with black plates, and the 6L6GC-STR which is a taller job that looks more like an RCA or late Sylvania 6L6GC.

Both are made by Shuguang and neither looks like any other product from Shuguang or elsewhere.

I don't know about 'design' being done in Germany. I would think there is precious little genuine design work being done anywhere on this old technology. But it's very clear that they're at least be built on a SPECIFICATION that originates from TAD in Germany.

 

[MartyStrat54]

Well here's what I think. New Sensor (Mullard, Tung-Sol, EH, Sovtek, etc.) are still making the same tubes they made in 2004.

The Chinese on the other hand have spent money on R and D and their product is improving every year. My favorite CP preamp tubes are all Chinese. Their power tubes are very high quality for an affordable price.

NOS tube manufacturing used very toxic chemicals to coat the anode and the cathode. However, this along with an excellent vacuum is what gives NOS tubes an edge in tone. The Chinese have gotten good tone out of their tubes with the less toxic chemicals they are using. Remember, back in the tube glory days, the coating recipe is what helped develop the tone of the tube. So I do think there is a certain amount of design/research being conducted by the Chinese.

I've been saying this for the last two years. The Chinese are going to really put a dent in future Russian tube production.

 

[babatube]

Well here's what I think. New Sensor (Mullard, Tung-Sol, EH, Sovtek, etc.) are still making the same tubes they made in 2004.

The Chinese on the other hand have spent money on R and D and their product is improving every year. My favorite CP preamp tubes are all Chinese. Their power tubes are very high quality for an affordable price.

NOS tube manufacturing used very toxic chemicals to coat the anode and the cathode. However, this along with an excellent vacuum is what gives NOS tubes an edge in tone. The Chinese have gotten good tone out of their tubes with the less toxic chemicals they are using. Remember, back in the tube glory days, the coating recipe is what helped develop the tone of the tube. So I do think there is a certain amount of design/research being conducted by the Chinese.

I've been saying this for the last two years. The Chinese are going to really put a dent in future Russian tube production.

the chinese tubes impressed me with their construction.
they never failed me.
soundwise? it depends.
GT is having their unique design 6L6GC manufactured in china and are fantastic full bodied tubes.
i got them in my fender amp.

the 12AX7 however sounds thin and lifeless.
i agree about the future dent in russian business though.

with all the technology today why no one is making a new design??
that really puzzles me

btw i A/B TAD 12AX7 and sino 12AX7 they sounded different.
the sino/shaguang had more gain and highs.
the TAD had more body and less high.
both of them however sounded thin on three amps.
they do look exactly the same.

 

[Splattle101]

A mob in England tried to make a new 12AX7 type a couple of years ago. They got a some good reviews, and a couple of ambivalent reviews from cork sniffers. Sales were weak and the the downturn with the financial crisis killed them.

It was a great shame.

 

[babatube]

A mob in England tried to make a new 12AX7 type a couple of years ago. They got a some good reviews, and a couple of ambivalent reviews from cork sniffers. Sales were weak and the the downturn with the financial crisis killed them.

It was a great shame.

that's too bad.

can you share more info on that?