Name your Power Tube Poison

[MasterTrax]

(I also posted this at the Gear Page.)

Me, I'm a rocker. I write and record music which ranges from classic-rock-like material to very modern and heavy. I'm definitely a 6L6 and EL84 kind of guy. Nothing says "Run For Cover" like a pissed off 6L6 powered head into a flock of 12" speakers, and for me nothing says lovin' like EL84's in the oven for anything from crying passages to screaming leads.

What kind of tube head are you?

Do a pair of 6V6's make your socks roll up and down?

Do you have to have that 6L6 thunder?

Or do you need a row of EL34's howling away behind you?

Maybe you crave the chime and scream of EL84's?


So give it up....what kind of power section makes YOUR filaments glow dark red? And why?

M

 

[qball]

Always been a el34-man myself but now as a proud Dual rec. owner I´m expereing the power of the 6L6 and I´ts really awesome...I´ve yet to play a AC-30 type of amp but I really love the sounds i hear from them..

 

[Russ]

I used to and still play my Marshalls with EL34s. I don't care for 6550s in them. However, I do love the sound of the 6L6s in my Mark IV. I am thinking about getting the 6V6s in there but just haven't gotten around to it yet. I have heard some great things about running the 6V6s. EL84s in the right amp can sound incredible.

 

[disassembled]

Each tube has it's own place in the tonal spectrum. For me right now, I need as little power as possible(for a band situation) with as much tone as possible. This only leads me to one place: EL84s in stereo at 20 watts a side (Mesa 20/20). I have not checked the bias on the amp but it sounds great with JJ's.

I still would much prefer a 6L6 or EL34 for a head and 4X12 setup but my current living situation would not make it worth while one bit. I have heard nothing but rave reviews of the KT77's(El34 type) that JJ is now manufacturing. I wonder if those would convert any diehard 6L6 fan?

 

[3SpeedChicken]

A Quad of JJ 6V6's and 2 GZ34's for my Roadster. Produces great clean tones, and less mid-scooped distortion tones. But still has the gain and power to vaporize small farm animals.

 

[Guitarzan]

A Quad of JJ 6V6's and 2 GZ34's for my Roadster. Produces great clean tones, and less mid-scooped distortion tones. But still has the gain and power to vaporize small farm animals.

Nice..that's my Heartbreaker set up! I do like JJ6L6's and KT-88's.

 

[Russ]

Jackiethejokeman on here sold me a set of KT77s that he didn't care for in his Stiletto. I have been loving my 6L6s too mucht o try to swap them into my Mark IV. They might find a home in my old JMP though.

 

[redmax61]

I've always preferred the sound of EL-34's. Since I picked up my Dual Rectifier, I've found that to my ears, it sound best with THD Yellowjackets and EH EL-34's. I've never been into the sound of EL-84's but they sound fantastic with a pair of 34's.

Just for giggles, I'm going to try a set of JJ EL-34L's in it next retube.

 

[noodles]

I'm a metalhead, so nothing but 6L6 all the way for me. They have that tight bottom and clear top that I need.

 

[Guitarzan]

I'm a metalhead, so nothing but 6L6 all the way for me. They have that tight bottom and clear top that I need.

Try the KT88's

 

[MesaENGR412]

6L6's + silicon diodes=my sound. I do the semi-scooped, 'tallica thing, so it works good for me (EMG-81's add plenty of mids, so I have to use the amp to get some of that out!!). I would like to try some KT88's and GZ34's though, just ain't got the xtra cash to retube a Triple right now. :lol:

-AJH

 

[trendkill1168]

I'm a metalhead, so nothing but 6L6 all the way for me. They have that tight bottom and clear top that I need.

Try the KT88's

Can you run the KT88's safely in the Boogie? I have a pair of JJ's laying around. I was running an integrated quad of 2 JJ KT88's on the outside and 2 JJ E34L's on the inside of my Randall RM100 when I had it and it sounded HUGE!! I would love to try a quad of KT88's in my Tremoverb. Those 88's have some growl to them.

 

[songrider]

Well in my Stiletto I put a matched sextet of JJ E34L's in it from Eurotubes and so far it has worked out perfect.

In my Dual Rectifier I currently have JJ 6L6GC's..... I still havent decided if thats the way I am going to go on that one.

 

[tele_jas]

Wow.... I like a few different (the 3 main ones)

* 6L6's for the warm compressed tone
* EL34's for a lead that cuts through and a tighter feel
* and more recently I really like EL84 amps (got a Vox AC30cc).

Luckily I have a Road King and can run 6L6's and EL34's at the same time or for whatever I want with the turn of a knob.

Did I mention I got an AC30?? I can see why these things have been so popular since the 60s! But my RK is still #1.

 

[Guitarzan]

I'm a metalhead, so nothing but 6L6 all the way for me. They have that tight bottom and clear top that I need.

Try the KT88's

Can you run the KT88's safely in the Boogie? I have a pair of JJ's laying around. I was running an integrated quad of 2 JJ KT88's on the outside and 2 JJ E34L's on the inside of my Randall RM100 when I had it and it sounded HUGE!! I would love to try a quad of KT88's in my Tremoverb. Those 88's have some growl to them.

Scroll down about half way and read what Bob at Eurotubes has to say.

 

[Platypus]

EL34 for me all the way.. there's nothing that can beat that british crunch/roar, tight focused attack, clean chime. I'm a big fan of the JJEL34L tube, sounds wonderful in my Dual Rec.

 

[JamesD]

Has anyone had any expericnce with the retube kit that bob has as his personal favorite? I am interested to see what people have to say. I play a modern/heavy rock and the warm cleans and warm disto sounds tempting. Currently i run stock Mesa 6L6's with GZ-34's.

 

[DirtyNoise]

this is what I'm running as of now. It's really nice with SD sh-2/4 and also I'm really happy with the using the 81/60's

Preamp: v1- Tung-Sol reissue 12ax7, in V2 a Sovek 12AX7LPS. Then 9th gen Shuguang 12AX7C's in V3-V4 and a balanced Sovtek LPS in V5. In the poweramp, RUBY 6L6GCMSTR's

 

[ti479]

do you have to have your amp rebiased when switching to 6v6's?

 

[Cleekster]

Well back in the 80's and 90's i would use 5881's and 6CA7's because they have tighter lows,more headroom,and a darker sound...unfortunately these tubes today are just "relabeled" 6L6GC's and EL34's and i really am trying to avoid paying NOS prices