Best curent available EL34 for Mesa Mark V

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Ascendance

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Whats the best current available EL34s for the Mesa Mark V

Lots of options dont wana break the bank trying 1-2k worth of tubes. Just wana grab a good set to try my mesa mark 5:35 was almost there but it was boxy sounding and never full enough. I just got a Mark V 90w. So my guess is EL34 is what I need here.

Heard good things about these. Will these just work in my Mark V 90w or will I have issues.

https://rubytubes.com/products/jj-e...WXvJnIPm70CivFUhiIoJvWlAl4ZdSP7xoCg9oQAvD_BwE
 
Last edited:
Ascendance said:
Whats the best current available EL34s for the Mesa Mark V

Lots of options dont wana break the bank trying 1-2k worth of tubes. Just wana grab a good set to try my mesa mark 5:35 was almost there but it was boxy sounding and never full enough. So my guess is EL34 is what I need here.

Heard good things about these. Will these just work in my Mark V or will i have issues.

https://rubytubes.com/products/jj-e...WXvJnIPm70CivFUhiIoJvWlAl4ZdSP7xoCg9oQAvD_BwE
Click to expand...

To clarify things:

You have a Mark V:35 amp? For that you’ll need EL84 tubes.

For Mark V 90W EL34 will be okay
 
Eevil said:
To clarify things:

You have a Mark V:35 amp? For that you’ll need EL84 tubes.

For Mark V 90W EL34 will be okay
Click to expand...
No I have a mark V 90w I just bought. I'm selling my my mark V:35.

I'm confused on all this bias stuff and wana know if a matched quad of most power amp tubes (El34/6L6) will work in my amp without issues or do I need to stick to just mesa tubes. Seems like they charging a premium on there tubes.
 
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Ascendance said:
No I have a mark V 90w I just bought. I'm selling my my mark V:35.

I'm confused on all this bias stuff and wana know if a matched quad of most power amp tubes (El34/6L6) will work in my amp without issues or do I need to stick to just mesa tubes. Seems like they charging a premium on there tubes.
Click to expand...
Okay.

Then the EL34 will work. Some tube vendors can sell you a matched set with proper bias rating for Mesa amps so you don’t have to stick with Mesa tubes. But still would be good practice to check the bias after the new tubes are installed
 
JJ tubes are fine and will be the most affordable. Get the matched quad. Mesa/Boogie amps don't need to be biased, but the Mark V 90W does have the 6L6/EL34 switch on back that must be set to match the tubes in use, AND the amp must be used in Variac power mode when EL34's are in it (flip the power switch down instead of up to turn it on in Variac mode).
I have JJ 6L6GC in mine. They sound the same as the Mesa-branded tubes it came with.
 
DECEMBER said:
JJ tubes are fine and will be the most affordable. Get the matched quad. Mesa/Boogie amps don't need to be biased, but the Mark V 90W does have the 6L6/EL34 switch on back that must be set to match the tubes in use, AND the amp must be used in Variac power mode when EL34's are in it (flip the power switch down instead of up to turn it on in Variac mode).
I have JJ 6L6GC in mine. They sound the same as the Mesa-branded tubes it came with.
Click to expand...
Wait variac is a requirement. Hmm. I must of missed that when I looked over the manual. I just have the pdf.
 
Yes... see pg 9 of the manual

el34_variac.jpg
 
Ascendance said:
Wait variac is a requirement. Hmm. I must of missed that when I looked over the manual. I just have the pdf.
Click to expand...
Screenshot_20240810_001530_Samsung Notes.jpg

pg 9.
I tried EL34's in it for a day. Not much difference besides less bass and a shift in the midrange. I get all my gain from the preamp, no power tube distortion, and my clean tones are purely clean, and it sounds like the main difference between 6L6GC and EL34 is the harmonic content when pushed into overdrive.
Running ch1 on 10W seems like the only use-case where EL34 would make a significant difference. But that's useless to me because I need clean cleans.
 
DECEMBER said:
JJ tubes are fine and will be the most affordable. Get the matched quad. Mesa/Boogie amps don't need to be biased, but the Mark V 90W does have the 6L6/EL34 switch on back that must be set to match the tubes in use, AND the amp must be used in Variac power mode when EL34's are in it (flip the power switch down instead of up to turn it on in Variac mode).
I have JJ 6L6GC in mine. They sound the same as the Mesa-branded tubes it came with.
Click to expand...
I wonder when they added the 6L6/EL-34 switch, mine did not have that, must have been an early model or a Prototype that John Petrucci had, as he signed the bottom of the head cab.
 
I believe the Bias switch was there since they came out with it in 2009. @edge59AlnicoIV I assume you have a one of a kind Mark V. Having a signature on it to boot. Cool.

Ran a quad of Gold Lion KT77 for a while, heavy abuse at full power. Was not aware of the variac power note. Did not see that in the original manual. It was in the downloaded version though.
 
DECEMBER said:
I tried EL34's in it for a day. Not much difference besides less bass and a shift in the midrange.
Click to expand...
It was worth trying out just to satisfy the curiosity, but yea for me it wasn't enough of a major change to stay with them. Perhaps I heard more of the variac mode being impactful then the el34s themselves. Dunno... but TBH didn't spend a huge amount of time tweaking or playing with cabs. I know others really liked going to them.
 
edge59AlnicoIV said:
I wonder when they added the 6L6/EL-34 switch, mine did not have that, must have been an early model or a Prototype that John Petrucci had, as he signed the bottom of the head cab.
Click to expand...
I think mine was made in 2012. It has the newer all-black footswitch. I did have another one for a minute with the older footswitch with aluminum edges, which also had the EL34 switch, but I had to return that one.
 
Ascendance said:
Whats the best current available EL34s for the Mesa Mark V

Lots of options dont wana break the bank trying 1-2k worth of tubes. Just wana grab a good set to try my mesa mark 5:35 was almost there but it was boxy sounding and never full enough. I just got a Mark V 90w. So my guess is EL34 is what I need here.

Heard good things about these. Will these just work in my Mark V 90w or will I have issues.

https://rubytubes.com/products/jj-e...WXvJnIPm70CivFUhiIoJvWlAl4ZdSP7xoCg9oQAvD_BwE
Click to expand...
Why not just get the tubes made for the amp Mesa Boogie.
Power Tubes - EL34 STR 446 - Matched Pair Power Tubes - EL34 STR 446 - Matched Pair

Power Tubes - EL34 STR 446 - Matched Pair​

Price is just a bit more than other brands, but bias is set for Mesa amps.
 
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