Gold Lion EL84 LSS

zm4 · Oct 29, 2009

A few weeks back I got a set of GL EL84s from thetubestore.com and would like to share my findings. The day I got them I instaled them in my LSS with ri tong-sol 12ax7s. I was blown away by how much better they sounded than the JJs and the factory set, more complex and the harmonic overtones where very present. They had and upper mid spike I liked, lows had a tighter less flabby punch through my alinco EV sros. I got to fool around about a week with them and poof, blown fuse, bad tube? TTS sent a replacement set and same result, blown fuse. TTS said to send the set back because they need to study them more. "Quote"

>Well I don't know what to tell you but I think we should try a different
> brand. I looked at our stats recently and we seem to be having more and
> more people report early failures so at this point all I can say is we
> should get these back here for more testing. Hopefully we can then figure
> it out. Please return all of them when convenient.

> One idea I have about these failures is that the amp's screen voltage may
> be too high for these. I believe the screen is rated up to 300V and many
> amps push this. Perhaps the GL just can't handle this.

I ended up getting TADs and very happy so far.
So I just thought Id give back to the guys thats helped me so much.

BTW: Thetubestore was great through all of this!

KH Guitar Freak · Oct 31, 2009

Them TAD EL84s seems pretty good. I have the STR version in my Laney Lionheart head as stock...

fishyfishfish · Nov 2, 2009

Good post! I like the TAD 6l6GC, never tried the EL84 though. Still waiting to find some NOS 84's in one of the old buildings down town.

LerxstLee · Nov 20, 2009

I bought a set of GL el84s and a set of sovtek el84ms from a tube merchant.
I ordered them at the same "bias point".

The Gold lions were installed and I checked the bias, they were right on.
Within one minute I heard a hum that started to increase, one of the gold lions went into
runaway, I had shut the amp down before the fuse blew.

Rinse and repeat for the sovteks, except they are still going strong in month three.
I sent the GLs back and was given a complete refund.

GLs=$55.00 Sovteks=$25.00

If you look at a gold lion el84 and a sovtek el84m the tubes are identical from the inside out.
The GL plates look a bit darker than the sovteks, but looks have never "sounded" any different to me.
" if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, well save $30. a pair,
Just my 1/2 cent worth.

/cheers

zm4 said:
A few weeks back I got a set of GL EL84s from thetubestore.com and would like to share my findings. The day I got them I instaled them in my LSS with ri tong-sol 12ax7s. I was blown away by how much better they sounded than the JJs and the factory set, more complex and the harmonic overtones where very present. They had and upper mid spike I liked, lows had a tighter less flabby punch through my alinco EV sros. I got to fool around about a week with them and poof, blown fuse, bad tube? TTS sent a replacement set and same result, blown fuse. TTS said to send the set back because they need to study them more. "Quote"

>Well I don't know what to tell you but I think we should try a different
> brand. I looked at our stats recently and we seem to be having more and
> more people report early failures so at this point all I can say is we
> should get these back here for more testing. Hopefully we can then figure
> it out. Please return all of them when convenient.

> One idea I have about these failures is that the amp's screen voltage may
> be too high for these. I believe the screen is rated up to 300V and many
> amps push this. Perhaps the GL just can't handle this.

I ended up getting TADs and very happy so far.
So I just thought Id give back to the guys thats helped me so much.

BTW: Thetubestore was great through all of this!

LerxstLee · Dec 16, 2009

Just a quick note to my above post. Now my sovteks are more than 10 milli amps off.
I use this amp less than 10 hours a month. Two sets going bad from the same merchant.
I had a used set of older sovteks el84Ms "aka gold lion" imho, tossed them in my amplitrex and
they were close enough for me to wonder, was it just two bad sets of tubes, or is my amp Fd-up.
I tossed the old tubes in, brought the amp in the basement, it has been running for 3 full days,
with a chord plugged in running about 1/2 volume, the chord simply gives it a signal and it hums loud
enough, sure it is not like playing but stay with me.
Brought it back up, cranked it for an hour yesterday and an hour today with a guitar. The old tubes are so close
to the measurements, and still within 3 m.a of bias from each other, just as they were when installed,
From that I can say the amp is fine. I think mike mathews has been cutting corners on sovtek quality
for sometime now. With fender buying groove tubes, some amp makers switched to other manufacturers.
How cool would it be getting your amp with "fender" tubes and how likely does fender have any thoughts
of supplying another manufacturer with "their" items. Fender sure does own alot of "brands" probably more
than any other american company. WHOA EDIT( american musical equipt ect company.)
Which is probably why I find less and less new sovtek tubes standing up.

A simple observation I wanted to share my experience of two pair of sovteks purchased at a tube store
that has for the last five or so years have treated me great. The first pair I did get a refund. Yet the sovteks hit the
trash bin.

/cheers