Mixing EL34 and 6L6 in old 2:90 - need confirmation

[Jackie]

So to run both EL34s and 6L6s in the old generation 2:90 you have to put the EL34s in the outer sockets, right?

(looking at poweramp from back)
EL34 6L6 6L6 EL34
EL34 6L6 6L6 EL34

 

[Triaxstasy]

Here´s the pics from eurotubes.com:

 

[Jackie]

Thanks very very much!

Anyone running this setup? How does it differ from the 8x6L6 setup? Tighter lows, more mids?

 

[tedsticle]

I'm curious in this, as I'm close to a retube. I don't have to do any biasing? I can just throw in some EL34's???

 

[Danimal]

I can't speak for the 2:90 but I run my 395 in this setup and love it. The EL34 (or E34Ls as they're JJs) give the sound more mids and more punch. With 6L6s in all the slots the sound was just always too "clean" to my ears. The EL34s give it more life and make that beautiful Simulclass sound even more 3D.

 

[Jackie]

Weren't the IIC+'s loaded with a mix of EL34s and 6L6 from the factory?

 

[elvis]

I just spoke with a tech at Mesa and he confirmed that EL34 can be used in the 2:90 without any circuit changes or rebiasing. He also confirmed the pic above for the blue light version. I didn't think to ask about the newer version tube locations - sorry! Though he did confirm that you can use EL34 with the new version, and the tube locations are different in the new version.

 

[Jackie]

Thanks - wow, that's really concrete solid confirmation. I have the blue light version so thanks, too bad you didn't ask for the new ones to, users of those would have gotten the OK for that.

 

[Rob227]

I'm pretty sure this has been asked before but is it possible to run a mixture of EL34's and 6L6's in either the 50/50 or the 2/50?

 

[elvis]

No. The tubes are paired, and the pairs have to be matching tubes. The 2:90 has 2 pairs for each channel, so you can run either 2 pairs of 6L6, or a pair of 6L6 and a pair of EL34.

The 50/50 is set up for 6L6 only, and has only one pair per channel. The 2:fifty has a bias switch on the back. you can run all 6L6, or all El34. But no mixing of types.

 

[Rob227]

Thanks for the confirmation. I guess I'll have to break down and buy a 2-95 or 2-90 if I want the mixed tubes. Either that or maybe a Randall RT2 50.