3 months into EL34s......

[Birdy]

Okay.
I switched to =C= EL34s about 3 months ago now. This morning, before playing, I
removed my back panels and tube guard. I played for about an hour, shut down, and
after waiting for a couple minutes (with a pair of winter gloves on) removed the EL34s
and put the stock Mesa 6L6s back in, switched to the 6L6 bias setting and let them warm
up on standby for about 10 minutes while I put everything back together.

Wow !
Going back to 6L6s FROM EL34s was waaaaaay more noticeable than the initial switch the other way.
Big time.

Cleans......a LOT fuller with a *rounder* depth...especially with my Lollar'd Firebird V in
the middle position.

vLo.....with p90s...... :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

vHi.....big difference in string definition, more *organic*. Better *chunk* when rolling
back guitar volume slightly, tons more beef n' bottom when power chording.

I play more in 90w than 45w, just sounds better with Greenbacks in that setting (to my ears)
I use a JJ in V1 and Tung Sols in V2 and V3, stockers in the rest.
I wired my Marshall 4x12 to 4 OHMS so that's what my ED is set to.

I'm going to try other brands in the future, but 6L6s are staying in my ED now.
**** I love this amp !!!!!

 

[screamingdaisy]

I don't have an ED, but I switch back and forth between 6L6s and EL34s in other Mesas. It's one of the nice thing about the fixed bias... easy to swap. I tend to get bored easily, so being able to swap tube types every once in awhile helps keep things interesting.

I agree with everything you say, those are some of the things I really like about 6L6s. EL34s have a great midrange grind, however 6L6s have that really edgy sound that I like as well.

 

[J.J]

Yeah, thats pretty much what I hear too. I love the 6L6 tubes in my ED, the clarity and bite/edge is exactly the tone I have had in my head for years. When The time comes, I want to try some of the better 6L6 tubes.

One of the guys at the guitar shop had what he called the "premo" Mesa tubes in his ED. Apparently they were old stock and made by Siemens if I remember correctly. They sounded great, but it also satified any urge I had to try EL34.

 

[JOEY B.]

One of the guys at the guitar shop had what he called the "premo" Mesa tubes in his ED. Apparently they were old stock and made by Siemens if I remember correctly. They sounded great, but it also satified any urge I had to try EL34.

They are most likely the STR-454 6L6, which is a MESA branded SED =C= , they were called Svetlana back when MESA sold them.

 

[BobR]

Though I love them old classic EL34 based recordings Ive yet to bond with EL34's in one of my amps. Bob

 

[JOEY B.]

I'm going to try other brands in the future, but 6L6s are staying in my ED now.
**** I love this amp !!!!!

Sylvania 6CA7's will bridge the gap between the 6L6 and EL-34, but it will be an expensive adventure.

 

[primal]

I have to give the EL34's a try.

Someone was selling 4 of them for 40$ a while back in the classified and I was gonig to buy them but someone beat me to it. I so don't want to drop 100 dollars on new tubes right now.

 

[skunizzi]

I had the same experience. I swapped out the 6L6's to try out the EL34's. At first I liked the sag of the EL34's more, but I missed the overall fuller sound of the 6L6's. I put the 6L6's back in and never looked back.

 

[J.J]

Yes, I guess Mesa knows best :shock: and ships the amps with the best over all tubes in them. I wonder if the Roal Atlantic guys will be putting 6L6 tubes in their amps and then going back to El34 for the same reason.