EL34 tube recommendation for RA100, any suggestions?

[bandit2013]

My beloved SED=C= EL34 have been used up, they still sound okay if I can get past the rattle, not just one tube either, they all make noise. I have tried the old Mesa EL34 that came in the amp which are basically worn out too (amp was bought used). Also have a set of EH EL34 which I though were used up but they actually kick some ass. I only have one tube that seems to rattle (goes away when I push on the top of the tube ).

I was considering Mullard Reissue el34, Tung Sol EL34B (probably the EH6CA7), but after searching for a while, found Ruby EL34BHT and Ruby EL34BSTR (both are Chinese Sino tubes). Many reviews on these tubes had sparked my interest. The New Sensor (Reflektor tubes) being the Mullard, Tung Sol, Svetlana, EH, or the like seem to be getting dropped as product offering from some of the HiFi audio places due to quality issues. Most of them will not sell JJ power tubes for the same reason. Perhaps the Ruby EL34BSTR's may be the route to take. Any suggestions? Not considering SED or NOS Siemens at the moment. I would prefer to keep the cost of the quad under $100.00.

 

[swbo101]

I have been using SED el34s for many years now. Still have pair in my Mark IV plus another in the closet. However, last year when I knew that they were done with production I too started looking. My search ended with the TungSol el34b. I found their characteristics very close to the SED, mind you not exactly but close enough. Plus the cost which was a fraction of the SEDs.

At least to my ears in my Mark IV.

FWIW.

 

[Jackie]

+1 on the TungSol EL34B, good "replacement" for SED =C='s

 

[jnoel64]

I've used the Tung-Sols in my Dyne and recently tried Mullards. The Tung-Sols were much more pleasing than the Mullards, IMHO. I've also used the EH6CA7s in another amp and really love them in that application. They didn't impress me as well as the TS did in my Dyne. If you're looking for that hybrid 6L6/EL34 tone, you might try Gold Lion KT77s.

 

[bandit2013]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I have tried the Might GLKT77, Those definitely transformed the Mark V but were not as satisfactory in the RA100 as the SED=C= EL34. I have a small inventory of power tubes that I originally ordered for the Mark V in attempt to tame the ice pick, as well as find a tube that will not fail prematurely in 45W mode, which is probably the reason for less than satisfactory character in my other amps, requested tubes for fixed hot bias, Mark V. (what made the list: SED =C=. Gold Lion KT77, TAD6L6GC-STR) That in mind, the RA100, Roadster and possibly the Mark IV operate at a lower bias than the V, so when used in the other amps they will sound weak and lacking. What I like about the GL KT77, they can hold up as good as the SED tubes. TAD were almost as durable but killed one by my mistake (broke off the plastic key post when I first tired them out, so I installed it incorrectly during a tube roll after I had the amp chassis back in the shell. )

Tunb Sol EL34B may be a good choice. I may get them regardless how the Ruby tubes sound. May even get another set of TS 7581 too.

 

[bandit2013]

I received a new quad of Ruby EL34BHT a few days ago. Considering what I have available, why not do a comparison? That is exactly what I did. The lineup: Ruby EL34BHT, Mesa EL34 STR447, Electro Harmonix EL34, SED =C= EL34, and Gold Lion KT77. There were 4 preamp tubes I decided to change from 1990 Mesa Chinese 12AX7A (V1, V2, V4, and V5) to practically new Mesa 12AX7A (rebranded JJ tubes). V6 and V7 already had Mesa (JJ) tube. Cabinet: traditional sized 412 with Mesa supplied V30’s. Three guitars for the comparison: Carvin DC400W (maple neck though, walnut body, active tone controls, fixed bridge, metal covered hum buckers, coil tap and phase switch). Les Paul Style - Carvin CS6M (mahogany set neck, mahogany body with flamed maple cap, metal covered hum buckers, coil tap pull tone control, and fixed bridge) and my favorite Super Strat - Carinv Bolt C ( Bolt on maple neck, black limba body with flamed maple cap, SSS single coil with 5 way switch and Floyd Rose floating bridge).

8) Mesa EL34 STR-447: Mesa Rating: 10 AC RED. Overall, a decent tube. Characteristics were what I would expect for an EL34 during the warm up period. Seemed very promising with tight low end and urgent attack with the mids and highs. The HI channel setting with all tone controls centered including the gain at full power (no attenuation) was actually pleasant with a nice growling grind. Similar response with the Lo channel but just a tad brighter. Clean channel using the same setup revealed a sweet tone for the blues especially with the gain pushed and using -4dB attenuation. As my session time increased and got lost in how long I was playing I worked the tone controls by boosting the treble in the clean channel to compensate for the overall dark character of the clean channel. Single coil guitar seemed a bit thin and very bright. At about this time, I had the tubes heated up after ½ hour of use. Tone was a bit saturated and starting to lose note definition. Lo channel became brittle, had to boost the bass control to compensate. Changed over to the LP type guitar. Similar effect on character of the amp and decided to switch back to the walnut guitar I started with. Perhaps if the tubes were new they would not be losing their composure half way thought the session. Tone was getting muddy where the bass and mids were overpowering the higher frequencies, still not bad though. I must have played for nearly two hours at 100W power, experimented with the power soak as well. I had already returned the amp chassis back into the shell so I could not see if the tubes are getting any hot spots. I may end up buying a fresh new quad of these. Not sure how many hours are on them so I cannot say they are good or bad performers, they are the original tubes that were in the amp when I bought it (used).

Electro Harmonix EL34: I had pulled the SED for these thinking the =c= were showing signs of wear. At first they sounded great. I could not believe I had to drop the master volumes considerably. It did not take long to realize why I was not using these EL34s. I am not fond of ice pick tones and the EH EL34 is capable of providing just that. Bass was there but seemed washed out. This was before changing all of the preamp tubes at the beginning of this evaluation. With fresh preamp tubes, the EH tube was far more harsh than I recall. It was annoying and I did not bother to play the other guitars through the amp. Blah..

:| Gold Lion KT77: I had expected less than rewarding tone and character from these tubes. I intentionally ordered them for use in the Mark V (requested “for fixed hot bias, Mesa Boogie Mark V”). Yes, they sound incredible in the Mark V. I have tried them in the Roadster with similar results as I soon rediscovered with the RA100. Weak in terms of clip and saturation unless you really want to open the amp up (need ear plugs, way too much headroom.) Perhaps if I had ordered the tubes for typical DR, Roadster or RA100 they would be kick ass. Similar tone and characteristic that I got with the EH tube but with far more bass. When compared in the Mark V to the EH tube, hands down the KT77 seemed like a SED = C= 6L6GC alternative. Can’t really compare this tube fairly.

:| RUBY EL34BHT: I did start with these in the amp but took them out and decided with the Mesa branded EL34 tube as a bench mark. First impressions were not bad. Seemed similar in tone to the Mesa 6L6GC STR440 (probably made by same Chinese company). After comparing all of the other tubes first and returning back to the Ruby, they just were not satisfying to me. The Ruby tube is more comparable to a 6L6GC tube than an EL34. That would classify it as a hybrid or 6CA7 more than an EL34. However, the only difference the EL34BHT had over the 6L6GC in the same amp was early onset of distortion. Also there was plenty of low end, but seemed loose (like a 6L6) and the top end was bright and nearly brittle but not as bright as the EH EL34. Perhaps this tube would work well in the Mark V or Roadster? That may happen but at another time. In all honesty, nothing compared to the SED =C= EL34 in low volume, high volume and power soak variations. 50W power was unsurpassed. Perhaps I will eventually order some different tubes with hope to find a SED=C= EL34 alternate, many have claimed the Tung Sol EL34B is similar in tone to SED but also close to 6L6 tone as well, I almost ordered them but wanted to try the Ruby first.

:mrgreen: SED=C= EL34: These tubes are incredible. Purchased originally for the Mark V but did not use them in that amp (except for initial testing), at the same time, the RA100 arrived so no doubt where they SED=C= were going to wind up. 50W or 100W, power soak or full power, push the gain or keep it low, there is no setting on the channel controls where these tubes fail to impress me. The only unfortunate thing about this tube is I bought them too late. I would guess is that they are 2nd’s and not first pick of the batch due to the mechanical rattle of all 4. Probably the noisiest mechanically, but musically, they are the best overall. I have used these tubes in the RA100 since it arrived. Well balanced character, nice deep percussive bottom end, moderate mid range and sweet singing top end. If these tubes were still in production, I would not be wasting my time experimenting with other EL34 Tubes. I could always buy high dollar NOS, considering what is in supply you may as well. I bought these tubes after notice of Svetlana Electron Devices ceased production. Cost was the same per tube as the Gold Lion KT77 (still in current production). Perfect balance in all gain settings, power soak or full power. Best overall in the clean channel with pushed gain, sweet and bold punch with a hint of compression but yet retains composure no matter how loud you are driving the amp. Hi/Lo channels are just as impressive. Complex harmonics when fully saturated and note definition under distortion is not lost. Lots of bite available in the Lo channel (not harsh) and plenty of grinding power in the Hi. There was nothing but bliss with all three guitars used in the session. I could not stop playing and was easy to get lost in enjoyment of what I was hearing. Definitely worth considering if you can find them. Shortly after competing this limited tube comp, I went on-line and ordered what will be my last quad of SED =C= EL34 (unless they go back into production). This time I purchased them from a tube HiFi house that claims the tubes they have in stock are not seconds, going price for a matched quad is $230 ouch… Tung Sol would net around $110 for a quad.

 

[bandit2013]

Just for kicks, tried the Ruby EL34BHT in the Roadster, Just as bland as they were in the RA100 except in Modern Mode they blossomed into some similar tone to an EL34. Still less than rewarding.... Can't win them all. I will stick with Stock 6L6 in the Roadster. However, there is some light to shed on these tubes. For instance, if you had an amp that could only use EL34 and will not support 6L6, if you want a 6L6 tone, they may do the trick. Perhaps they will sound better in the Mark V, if not at least I know what to repair if they go sour and blow out my screen resistors. Perhaps Doug got confused since the last time I purchased tube from him was for the Mark V, I did thank him for leaning me towards SED tubes. In my opinion, EL34BHT are not worth the coin unless you like muffled tones. I could always mix them in the Mark IV and see what happens since it can run an integrated quad like a Mark III. I will find a use for them some how or another. If not, they are bum tubes.

There is not compromise to SED for me at the moment. There is Tung Sol EL34B ? :roll: Not this time, perhaps next time I get an itch for more tubes I will try em out. Also forgot to add a picture of the tubes in the previous post.

 

[bandit2013]

I guess the Ruby EL34BHT were not a total disappointment. :shock: They actually kick ass in the Mark V. Not quite as much as an alarming surprise like the JJ 6CA7, but similar. Some of the 6L6GC character shines though in the clean channel and somewhat in the other two. Tone I did not expect was similar to the Roadster, dark and evil with tons of gain, tight bass and pleasant roll off on the top end. Now I am impressed with the tube. Bummer it was a dud in the RA100 and Roadster but a screamer in the Mark V. Also was surprised that the 45W Class A sounded as bold as it did on CH2 with Rectifier tracking. Normally it seems to drop considerably. Since I was doing this in a dark room I had to double check to make sure I was switching the power configuration switch and not the Eq switch. (eq was set to active anyway so it was not that). Reason for dark room... looking for hot spots on the plates, with the lights on, the red paint on the walls makes the tubes appear that they are taking on a glow when they are not. So far so good. My assumption may be correct on the tube matching from the vendor (I had indicated tubes will be used with a Mesa Royal Atlantic). At least I found a use for them instead of in a box.

 

[bandit2013]

hmm... :roll: the Ruby EL34BHT sounded great for a while, then they started cutting out like the speaker coil was shorting... More than likely getting a soft short though one of the tubes. Doubt it was the tubes since I have been there too many times with the Mark V. Turned the amp so I can watch the tubes and it just would not happen again, no matter how hard I drove it. Watched pot never boils I would guess. Put the 6L6 tubes back it and played for a while longer and no issues, not even a pop. I have the SED =C= 6L6GC on reserve, instead I have Ruby 6L6MSTR in the amp and so far no red plating (I am expecting it since Mesa branded power tubes die a premature death in the Mark V. ) The Mark IV was in need of some new glass anyway. Two of the Ruby EL34BHT in the outer sockets, and a pair of Mesa 6L6 in the inner sockets. :shock: The Mark IV never sounded better. Clean (RHY1) channel is not overly distorted and sounds no different than a quad of 6L6 tubes. RHY2 channel that can sub as a clean or get pushed actually sounded useful for once thought the combo, it would normally have a nasal tone but not any more. Lead channel really kicked some distortion out that I wish I could muster up in the Mark V (I did but using the quad of the Ruby EL34's was a short lived fantasy). There definitely is an issue with my Mark V Only tubes that have not red plated are the GL KT77 or the SED 6L6.

Ruby EL34BHT is not an EL34 exactly, it is more of a 6CA7 and probably should be identified as such. I would recommend at least a pair of these for use in the Mark IV, even a Mark III. I would not suggest them for a Roadster or RA100, it was okay and meager in character. It definitely sounded great in a Mark Series amp, if you have similar issues with your MKV as I have with mine, they probably would not survive for long. Reminds me of the JJ 6CA7 in tone and character. However the JJ 6CA7 had more complex harmonic content when saturated. Much better tone in a Mark IV when compared to the small bottle EL34 (in the outer sockets only). Class A and Simul Class A/B were very pleasing to listen too.

 

[bandit2013]

The place I ordered the SED =C=EL34 canceled my order, they claim their stock will not sound good with my application, also they do not prefer to sell to owners of guitar amps. :|

Guess I will try the Tung Sol EL34B after all. I hope it is not a bum tube like the Ruby EL34BHT.

 

[swbo101]

bandit - just curious, what was the place on-line that cancelled your order. Just wondering.

Thanks

 

[bandit2013]

Upscale Audio was the place I attempted to order the SED tubes from. Person on the phone message said that the SED tubes will not sound good in a guitar amp. Considering the source, perhaps they only keep the tubes that have late distortion... Not early or average. At least it did not cost me $250 clams to find out...(actually sounds like BS to me). At least I got a refund and not store credit (would not do any good since they do not want to cater to guitar amp people).

So I guess my current SED =C= EL34 were my last purchase (from the tube store). Decided to get Tung Sol EL34B and Mullard EL34 from Canada as well. I think Doug's tubes web site got hacked, went there first and kept getting pop-up adds when I clicked on tube selections. WTF?.... oh well.

 

[swbo101]

Upscale Audio was the place I attempted to order the SED tubes from. Person on the phone message said that the SED tubes will not sound good in a guitar amp. Considering the source, perhaps they only keep the tubes that have late distortion... Not early or average. At least it did not cost me $250 clams to find out...(actually sounds like BS to me). At least I got a refund and not store credit (would not do any good since they do not want to cater to guitar amp people).

So I guess my current SED =C= EL34 were my last purchase (from the tube store). Decided to get Tung Sol EL34B and Mullard EL34 from Canada as well. I think Doug's tubes web site got hacked, went there first and kept getting pop-up adds when I clicked on tube selections. WTF?.... oh well.

Have you ever purchased for tube depot. I swear by them. They've always been good to me.

Just my 2¢

 

[bandit2013]

No I have not, I will give them a try some day. I have done very good with the tube store so far.

 

[bandit2013]

I have to revisit the EH EL34 tube in the Royal Atlantic. I basically said they were harsh and unrewarding. They can be with current Mesa 12AX7A tubes in all positions except for V3 (FX loop). Using the current Mesa tubes as a bench mark for evaluating the power tubes probably is not fair. I generally tune my amps for best performance of the power tubes in use. I have found that the 1980-1990 Mesa 12AX7 square foil getter tubes make a difference but depends on what you are driving. The Mesa branded JJ tube tends to enhance the low end too much for the clean channel and seems to thin out the Hi/Lo channel. The old Chinese tubes bring out a bit of compression and softens the high end which fattens up the Hi/Lo channel. This dramatically changes the character of the amp and lessens the degree of ice pick brightness of the Lo channel character. I would change my opinion from to 8) . Not quite the same as SED =C= but close enough to get some enjoyment out of them.

Still a bit disappointed on the Ruby EL34BHT. When I had them in the Mark V, the amp would cut out as if it was going to end up in a red plate state. Two of the tubes seemed to have a 6V6 glow to them when they were in the Royal Atlantic. I did not bother to monitor them while they were in the Mark V. First impression in the V, they sounded awesome. I did not want to loose another screen resistor so I pulled them and installed a pair in the Mark IV (the two without hot spots) and was amazed how they sounded in that amp. The other two tubes that were showing sings of bias issues did not sound very good (flat and dull when installed in the Mark IV).

Soon the Tung Sol EL34B and Mullard EL34 will be here to try out. In the mean time, I need to determine if the rattle is from the tubes of the amp chassis on the RA100.

 

[bandit2013]

The Mullard EL34 and Tung Sol EL34B are in my hands now. Both tubes share the same glass as the Gold Lion KT77. The diameter of the bottle falls between a 6L6 and the skinny EL34 from EH or Mesa branded tube. I would say just a bit larger than the SED =C=.

To do any justice, I will have to pull the 4 tubes out of the Mark V that I used in the first review of the other tubes.

Since I could not wait and wanted to at least give them a quick run down, initial impressions with Old Stock Mesa tubes in the preamp were good.

Tung Sol EL34B: Similar in tone to the Ruby EL34BHT but without the disappointment. The Clean channel was transformed into a 6L6 sounding voice, but yet with moderate gain I was able to get the bite that I found rewarding from the SED =C= EL34. The Tung Sol EL34B has a nice balance, bass was definitely abundant but not loose. Nice warm tone actually. Sounded good with the power soak at -4dB with pushed gain. Not quite the same delivery of crunch that the SED =C= would provide but yet not bad either. The Hi/Lo channel sounded great. More emphasis on the lower mids, and the top end was not brittle by any means.

Mullard EL34: :shock: Impressive tone, definitely dominant in the medium to upper mids, snappy bass response and has good roll off on the top end. Lo gain setting did not sound thin or brittle. I was able to dial in a moderate gain on the clean channel for that vintage clip I was hopping for. With low to moderate gain on the clean channel, you definitely are aware you are driving with an EL34. I would like to say more about this tube, too bad I have no means to record anything. It is bad enough that I am wordy, it would probably be worse having to listen to my skill level at guitar. Sooner or later I have to get off this tone quest and focus more on playing music. I do more than just bang out a chord and write how good it sounded. I do however put my neighbors though some punishment as a blues and mellow tone suddenly shifts gear into a head banging thump, perhaps start one familiar song only to transform it into something else from a different band or an expressive twist on something I created. Considering the two tubes, Mullard and Tung Sol, I can get lost with either of them since they sound great but are different.

:roll: wonder what it would sound like with a pair of each in use (Tung Sol in the secondary (inner pairi) and Mullard in the primary (outer pair) or vise versa. First I need to pull the Mesa 12ax7a out of the Mark V as I used the current production Mesa tubes as the bench mark, however the old 1990 Chinese Mesa tubes are killer but they have a different character when the gain is pushed. I will attempt this weekend since I may end up comparing to the other tubes as long as I do not get hearing fatigue.

 

[J.J]

Have been hoping for a while you would get some of the Tugsol EL34B tubes and let us know how they sound. Early days, but looking good. I just bought another set of the Mesa tubes as my original RA tubes are really old and I have given up waiting for SED =C= to come back. looks like I am going to hive to get some Tungsols now too :wink:

Looking forward to hearing more.

 

[bandit2013]

I did get a quad of the Tung Sol EL34B, but was uncertain how they would sound so I got a quad of Mullard reissue EL34 to try.

The Tung Sol EL34B does not sound anything like the SED =C= EL34. Actually, nothing seems to compete with that tube. If you like a 6L6GC tone and character, the TS EL34B will give you that with the exception of early onset of distortion. I probably could have tuned the preamp for better performance to exploit the tone and character of the Tung Sol. Reason why I was not blown away with them is that I already have 3 amps using 6L6 (Roadster, Mark V, and Mark IV) The TS EL34B is a nice tube, no question there, just lacks the EL34 tone I was hoping for. I find it difficult to describe how the SED =C= is different, it just is. Out of all of the tubes I have compared, most of them sound similar to the SED =C= but with some differences. Tone of the TS EL34B is very much like the Ruby EL34BHT, however I believe the bass was a bit more tighter with the TS and not quite as bright. When I get tired of the Mullards, I will go to the TS but will need to tune the preamp. The only tubes I preferred with the stock tubes in the preamp were the SED =C=, the Mesa EL34 came in second but seemed to get muddy with higher gain settings. I have tuned the preamp for the Mullard and will have to pop in the Tung Sol EL34B to see if there is any improvement.

The Mullard EL34 reissue, now this sounds more like an EL34 should. I almost like these more than the SED tubes. Frist trial was with some old Mesa 12AX7A Chines (1990) tubes. Considering I had the EH EL34 in use at the time the Mullard and Tung Sol tubes arrived. The Chinese Mesa tubes with the square getter really enhance the EH EL34 tube which helped tame the harshness with high gain settings. Actually the old Mesa tubes were my favorite in this amp even with the SED =C= EL34 (another note: the SED sounded great with any preamp tube combination). I had to borrow tubes from the Mark V for the V1, V2, V4, V5 positions (did not want to disturb the Roadster) which were practically new Mesa 12ax7 tubes. I was not satisfied with the end result. Clean channel was way too dark and the gain character was less than desirable. I could probably live with it but the Chinese Mesa tubes sounded much better. Pulled my stash of preamp tubes and started a tune up of the preamp section. Mullard CV4004 in V1, V2, Tung Sol in V4, V5, and a Sovtek LPS in V7. That was a huge difference and it woke up the Mullard EL34. The RA100 has become a monster that almost rivals the Roadster :mrgreen: Great detail in chord and single note playing even when pushing the gain a bit harder. I actually did not mind having more treble on the Hi/Lo channel. From light gain settings to moderate gain with either Hi or Lo in use, I can definitely dial in Led Zeppelin to ACDC and actually sound close to the recordings. Push the gain a bit more and Late Deep Purple comes to mind. Clean channel is just right for the blues to early rock, still a bit deep but not as much as it was with the stock Mesa tubes. Turn on the power soak and let the clean channel sing. I would say the Mullard EL34 were comparable to the SED =C= EL34 with the right selection of preamp tubes in the clean channel, As for the Hi/Lo, I prefer the Mullard EL34 over the SED due to the tighter bass response, and intense saturation levels if really driven. My first impression of the Mullard was they seemed flat and lacking detail. Well it was the old tubes that were reducing the signal strength. I have also used the same preamp configuration with the SED tubes in the past, I did like it but found it difficult to control feedback in the Hi gain channel. I guess another shoot out is in order for the weekend. Since I am using different tubes that the stock mesa, I had to return them to the Mark V, of course I had to turn it on and check it out again. After spending a few hours with the RA100 and the Mullards, the Mark V just seemed dull and lifeless. Shortly there after, I went looking online for speaker alternatives, what can I do to the V to make it sound better? nothing, just wait until the next day and play thought hat one first. I am sure I would have had similar opinion on the Roadster too, either due to loss or lack of hearing from jamming with the RA100.

My opinions and tone quest goal may be different from yours. I would not rely on my opinion as a guide for tubes since you may favor different characteristics. When will the tone quest end? Perhaps I am having fun discovering the other possibilities available. So far I am loving the RA100 more and more. I would prefer to keep that smile (mental or physical) when I play though any amp. The RA100 is one amp that is capable and quite enjoyable and only gets better the more I use it.

 

[bandit2013]

I started another tube comparison, this time I will try to record but may not turn out as expected. Just for kicks, I popped in the KT77 to start and well, the change in preamp tubes made a difference. Then something crapped out and it was not the power tubes. The clean channel was plagued with static and overall volume dropped and now have parasitic hum, same issue I had with the TS when they were in either the Mark V or Mark IV. While I am cleaning house of bad tubes, may as well toss the EH since most of them have become prone to the same problem, will see. Considering how many tubes I either use up or keep as spares, I should have a tube tester. Perhaps the tung sol 12ax7 were past their prime as well as the Sovtek LPS. I have to clean out my old tubes and toss those that are giving me grief. I do know the Mesa EL34 are basically spent, and what I have left remaining for Mesa preamp tubes are sub par (some came in the RA100, and the rest were the originals from the Mark V, out of that several were tossed due to crackle pop noise). The only good ones I have are in the Roadster and Mark V. What the heck, may as well start fresh. Just ordered a full set of tubes for the RA100 plus a couple of spares as well as a fresh quad of EL34's.

The only exception of the used tubes that will not be replaced are the KT77 and the SED =C= EL34. Both quads are basically at half life and still sound very strong so no need to go to that expense. With that, I can repeat what I attempted all over again. Hopefully my PC will operate with the IEEEfirewire card since the only means I currently have to record quality sound is by means of a commercial grade video camera. I used to do video of muscle car shows, which also included events at drag strips. My amps are not quite as loud as some of the pro stock dragsters including some of the jet cars that were used at some events. I may opt not to use the video and only post the audio, depends on file size. This will definitely consume more than one weekend.

 

[bandit2013]

The Gold Lion KT77 are now caput. Lost a pair on one side either due to a short only to cause the other two to pull more current noted by the abundant blue hue where as the suspect tubes just had heater glow. No red plating either, Just a buzz and that was it. The pair that seemed okay, worked for a while in the outer sockets with the old Mesa tubes on the inner socket. Did not last very long, At least I got some good use out of them in the Mark V. They were actually sounding really good in the RA100 before they quietly failed. Not bad tubes at all, but considering the cost per tube I will not be getting them any time soon. The SED =C= EL34 are getting close to the same demise, they also have had about the same amount of time in use as the KT77 but only in the RA100. Tone and sound quality of the KT77 is comparable to the SED tube in some respects, has that 3d saturation effect, much deeper in the low end and a bit brighter and when pushed it takes on the EL34 character but a bit more in the upper mids At least I know it was not preamp tube related. A good sign you have a crack or leak in one of the tubes if the heater element looks dull and not very bright while in stand by. Turn out the lights and if the tube is dark do not use it. Also it will be extremely hot compared to the others. I did not get far enough to take the amp out of stand by.