el-84 vs 6v6

[pennman]

i have tried 6l6s, el-34s, and 6v6s in my heartbreaker. i am like certain aspects of the tone that each produce. the clarity and headroom of the 6l6s, the chimey highes of the el-34s, the early brakeup and harmonic properties of the 6v6s. however, i wouldnt be the tireless tonehunter that i am if i didnt explore all of my possibilities. i was hopeing someone could chime in on the properties of an el-84. im thinking of buying some yellowjackets.

1. what properties do these power tubes display
2. where do they rank wattage wise (more or less than 6v6s)

also, on a side note, can anyone offer any advice on preamp tube replacements.













0

 

[fredp322]

I've been using my Trans-Atlantic a lot lately and it uses EL-84's. I must say that I've become quite the convert. The 84's give me a really crunchy vintage "Marshall-esque" tone that I love using with an overdrive pedal. Prior to the TA, I was gigging with my Road King II and using the 6L6's exclusively, which are very smooth and creamy. I just really like the rude crunch from the 84's now, however. I tried to get a similar sound from my RK using the EL-34 tube selection and it wasn't happening. I'd say try the EL-84's!

 

[94Tremoverb]

They sound a lot like the EL34s but with less bottom end. They give about the same amount of power as 6V6s but sound slightly louder because of the more edgy top-end, whereas the 6V6s are softer. If you're using them in the Yellowjackets you will also get the characteristic cathode-bias compression. (However they do not run in Class A as they are claimed to do, it's not the same thing.)

You should reset the speaker impedance to double (ie run an 8-ohm cab from the 4-ohm jack) as you would for 6V6s, because they have a similar impedance, roughly double that of 6L6s/EL34s.

The reason the RK doesn't sound like the Transatlantic isn't really much to do with the power tube type by the way - the two amps are about as completely different as two made by the same company can be.

 

[fredp322]

Uh, yeah... I know that.

 

[giorikas81]

Just as a side note I have not found an amp that sounds "smooth and creamy" with 6L6's yet, crancked that is...Might be the amps I've tried but several other players agreed up to an extent...From rectifiers to fender twins...Almost icepicky sound.

That is what I love in EL84's. They do compress, but they do sweeten up the sound. EL34's are also there up to an extent. The lack of "bottom end" is relative, as we do play guitar and not bass...No matter how much bottom end (which is nice in a room or studio) a guitar cab makes...a bassist will punish that either way. Besides the frequency response of guitar cabs even 4x12 is ridiculous compared to ported full range quality monitors even if they use smaller speakers. So I take the mids territory!!! And EL84's usually are quite good at that, all acording to taste of course...It is like they have that "boiling growling nasty thing" under pressure but being musical at the same time.


Don't expect mesa EL84's to sound marshally though. Not going to happen. Or Voxy. Unless they are designed to do so (transatlantic). It is like saying a BJR by fender should sound like a 18 watt class A EL84 marshall (both EL84).

 

[fredp322]

wow...

 

[Neptical]

Just as a side note I have not found an amp that sounds "smooth and creamy" with 6L6's yet, crancked that is...Might be the amps I've tried but several other players agreed up to an extent..

Another one to agree right here. I love the 84's and 34's. They both have a singing quality that I haven't found in a single 6L6 yet. When you can mix a 6L6 in, it provides a nice grit to the tone yet still a really nice smooth top end.

~Nep~