EL34s in 6L6 mode...

[VanWreckto]

...I thought I read this suggested before(?) What would be the risk/result if you did this? The EL34's will run a bit hotter correct? Thanks,

 

[JCDenton6]

Actually it runs your EL34's colder, as they run hotter than 6L6's (Higher plate voltage)
It might make your tone seem less warm and more sterile but it won't tax your tubes as much as the regular setting (EL34 mode)

 

[94Tremoverb]

It won't work well or sound good, although no harm will occur. The EL34s will be biased so cold they'll basically be turned off at idle, and you'll get horrible crossover distortion. It might produce an "interesting" sound, but not anything you would normally want.

The other way round - 6L6s with the switch set to EL34 - is what is sometimes recommended to 'warm up' the amp. It should work safely in the Spongy/Tube mode and probably in Spongy/Diode, but I would be very careful about trying it in the Bold/Tube mode, and not risk it in the Bold/Diode mode at all. Ideally you should check the tube current if you're going to try it at all, even in the Spongy/Tube mode. It is possible you could find some very cold-running 6L6s which might be safer than usual, but you'd need to check them in the amp. Don't just "try it" with any normal set of 6L6s.

 

[Blaklynx]

I run EL34's in EL34 mode. I've run 6L6's in EL34 mode. No issues. The 6L6's I have are JJ's 'medium'.... not hot, not cold, just right. Now I run =C= EL34's and I'm staying with them.

 

[VanWreckto]

Alright thanks guys. It must have been 6L6's in EL34 mode that I read.

 

[siggy14]

Eurotubes will sell you a set of 6L6's that are on the colder side so you can run them safely in EL34 mode around the right bias that 6L6's should be. However downside of this is i felt it was missing something, just my personal opinion.