EL34 vs. 6L6 on Mark IV's

[6L6C]

For years I used the EL34’s but just recently retubed the amp and went back to 6L6 all across but used SED’s really happy the amp never sounded so good including r2 which is the primary reason I had gone to EL34’s years ago. I still keep a set around can’t really say one is better than the other. Just a different flavor

 

[edward]

Can't answer for a IV as I "only" have a III
But I will say that I just put in the NOS Siemens ELs (the Mesa ones) and that made a huge difference. No desire for all-6L6 here

Edward

 

[ToneAddictJon]

E34L's for me!!

 

[ursinus]

You forgot to put 6V6's as an option...... 8)

Its all I use on my MKIV

My Ace gets me the EL sounds we all love...

 

[srf399]

I ran with EL34's for about a year and switched back to the 6L6's. For me the 6L6's are better for cleans, Have a nicer/smoother/fuller sound for leads through the Lead channel and are fuller sounding in general. The 6L6's I have track better than the EL34's I have. I'm sure that different 6L6's and EL34's may be different but with the one's I have I much prefer the 6L6's. It's subjective.

 

[themisfit138]

What difference in sound does a 6V6's give you as apposed to the EL34's?

 

[Antoine]

Four 6L6, works best for me this way !

 

[ursinus]

What difference in sound does a 6V6's give you as apposed to the EL34's?

I use 4-6v6's in my MKIV. It gets a Fender Super Reverb type clean tone and they make R2 much richer and smoother sounding. The lead channel gets a beautiful singing sustain sound that isn't too compressed. You can use lower overall gain settings and get the power amp tubes to work harder without getting your ears blasted. You get about 40 watts max this way. BTW you HAVE to run in it in tweed mode only to bring the plate voltage down to a level the 6V6's can handle.

 

[petejt]

How would KT77s affect the sound?

 

[UsrName]

I switch from time to time, but I'd say I use the EL34s about 90% of the time. They give a certain growl that I really dig. Now I'll go a switch them again!

 

[STUART]

Sylvania 6CA7 (EL34)in the outer skts through the week.... and Philips 7581a matched quad at weekends...Party on dudes... :wink: