How are the cleans with EL34s?

[rmcfee]

I am now tempted to try the EL34s but I don't want to lose those sweet Ch 1 clean tone(s).
Do these tube swaps really make THAT much difference? If they do I am going to do it because I really like this amp even with the stock tubes.

 

[eudaimonia02912]

I don't notice that much of a difference on the cleans.

 

[sean106alcon]

I slapped some Tun-sol EL 34's and the clean is just great. Not much of difference IMO but major in Ch2 and Ch3

 

[shogun]

i just swapped last night, out of curiously ( i needed a set of backup tubes anways )

IMO ch1 definitely takes a hit, at least how I had it set up (tweed).

 

[Marcus71]

Thread Hijack Alert

I read somewhere in Mesa literature that in the Mark V you can put EL-34's just in the outer sockets like a Mark III Simul Class. But my question is which bias setting would you use if you did this?

FYI: I find no mention of doing this in the user's manual. I think I saw it mentioned on Mesa's website.

 

[eudaimonia02912]

Marcus,

The original Mark V manuals said you could run EL34s and 6L6s at the same time, but they removed that from the manuals. From what others have told me here, it turns out you really can't do that. It's bad for the amp, especially in 10 watt mode. I guess Mesa realized that after they released the amp.

 

[Marcus71]

Marcus,

The original Mark V manuals said you could run EL34s and 6L6s at the same time, but they removed that from the manuals. From what others have told me here, it turns out you really can't do that. It's bad for the amp, especially in 10 watt mode. I guess Mesa realized that after they released the amp.

A-ha. Thank you. When I read it I didn't believe it.

 

[Heritage Softail]

i just swapped last night, out of curiously ( i needed a set of backup tubes anways )

IMO ch1 definitely takes a hit, at least how I had it set up (tweed).

Absolute hit..... A trade off for a better ch2 & 3 for loss on ch1.

I am getting tweaky with my Xotic AC Boost to fix that. It seems to be a good 'band-aid' pedal besides a boost/tone adjustment.

 

[rmcfee]

I rarely use Ch 1 in Tweed mode though. Is it a hit when using the Normal and Fat settings too?

 

[espmaster1]

What differences are you hearing in ch.2 and 3?

 

[MusicManJP6]

I thought the cleans were a bit chimier with EL34s. They were more sterile sounding with 6L6s.

 

[ryjan]

Try the JJ el34L's. They have a bit more headroom than standard el34's. I run these in the outter sockets of my Mark IV and even in class a I still have a clean, chimey clean channel. So far it's my favorite tube.

 

[mejoshee]

I slapped some Tun-sol EL 34's and the clean is just great. Not much of difference IMO but major in Ch2 and Ch3

any further comments about "chime" or "spank" from the tung-sols?

 

[sean106alcon]

I slapped some Tun-sol EL 34's and the clean is just great. Not much of difference IMO but major in Ch2 and Ch3

any further comments about "chime" or "spank" from the tung-sols?

Like I said I swapped out for 4 Tung-sol EL 34's and was just jamming; and the clean sounded great in of course "clean" mode. Lots of shimmery and chime sound no so different than the stock 6L6's. JMO

not the best clip as it almost sounds "too" chimey. But then again the Iron Cross has ultrad hard alloy frets so it tends ring a little better than my other guitars. Good luck man.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zewtkOOYgGk

 

[Heritage Softail]

Straight up clean or light distortion is good on CH1. The EL's are a little warmer/less harsh treble. That part is great. There is still a good, maybe better Zeppelin 10 years gone intro, Rain Song, Over the hills tone to be had. I like it. Excellent early Dire Straits tone with JP6 to be had.

The cranked gain and cranked master tone is what went to hell. Used to be Tweed Pushed was good for early Sabbath an JP. That edge you get with the 6L6 is gone and the EL's do not sound as good in that area. It is easy to swap tubes back anyway, no biggie. A couple JJ's were only 50 bucks..... WTF. I was able to approximate the 6L6 Tweed/Pushed tone using my AC Boost earlier today.

It is a trade off. I am not carried away by the hype of either tube. Defintely a cool sound to be had there with the EL34. The Winged C or Siemens NOS EL34's on the Boogie web site are probably better. But you are going to give up the cutting edge a little with the EL34's, and I think it sounds just a teeny bit........ gulp...... Marshally... :shock:

 

[Anonymous]

I am now tempted to try the EL34s but I don't want to lose those sweet Ch 1 clean tone(s).
Do these tube swaps really make THAT much difference? If they do I am going to do it because I really like this amp even with the stock tubes.

if you like the fender like cleans, stick with the 6L6's :wink: i do not think there is a right or wrong way here....try EL34', you may or not like the change.....

have fun!!!!!!

 

[Marcus71]

I put in a quad of Valve Art EL-34's that are Chinese. I basically traded a local tech some other tubes for them. They are new and matched as a quad.

I also have an assortment of preamp tubes.

I think I put an RCA in V1, a Chinese in V2, V3 & V4 are JJ's, V5 I left the Mesa in and I think V6 is a JJ.

Someone wrote that Mesa's stock preamp tubes are JJ's. I can say that the JJ ECC83 S that I bought are not the same tubes that came in the amp.

I am going to play this thing loud tomorrow night and will post comments.

 

[DaveDaveDave]

Marcus,

The original Mark V manuals said you could run EL34s and 6L6s at the same time, but they removed that from the manuals. ....

I'm pretty sure that Mark V manual has ever said that. I just confirmed it from my s/n #67 paper manual and theother downloads that I have. IIRC, it was people phoning in to boogie asking about it and being told that it was ok by a lone boogie tech and then posting it back here on grailtone. Perhaps you're thinking of the Mark IV manuals? FWIW, the manual for my Mark IV is so old it looks like someone typed it out by hand, with a real typewriter!

Dave

 

[MusicManJP6]

Try the JJ el34L's. They have a bit more headroom than standard el34's. I run these in the outter sockets of my Mark IV and even in class a I still have a clean, chimey clean channel. So far it's my favorite tube.

These are what I was running too. Sounded great.

 

[SteveO]

I prefer the 6L6s in 10w mode, which is where I spend most of my time. My next experiment is going to be EL84 Yellow Jackets.