Stereo 2:50 or 2:100 users using EL34's?

[MesaGod666]

Ok Djents!

I'm thinking about picking one up in the near future. I have a 2:90 and love it, but I just need some additional diversity in my tone. I threw EL34s into my Mark V and was floored at how saturated and awesome that tone was. I don't use clean channels in my sound yet, but that doesn't mean that I'm not going to be using the clean channel in the future.

Will I be compromising my cleans by going with EL34s?

What would be the pros and cons of the 2:50 vs 2:100 (obviously power and perhaps headroom)?

What does the Triaxis/2:100 setup sound like?
I'm not a huge fan of the recto as that amp (at least when I owned it with 6l6s) sounded brittle and sterile (it took a bit of work to make it sound awesome).

Can I mix tubes with either amp a la Mark IV?

Are there other EL34 based poweramps that get the job done better (i.e. incorporate features of the 2:Ninety in a EL34 based power amp)?

 

[Jackie]

I think you can mix tubes in the 2:90 but I'm not 100% certain. There are pics on the net somewhere. Bias might be a bit dodgy but if you have a pot it shouldn't be a problem... even if you don't the EL34s might be run a little hot but I think that with MESA's bias setting they should be safe. Again, don't take my word on this.

I don't think you'd be compromising the cleans that much using EL34s but they might be a bit warmer and less "big" sounding because to my ears, they add some mids which take away a little of that 6L6 clarity. Here's a cool video showing the effect of EL34s (obviously it's a lot more dramatic here because it's quick A/B).
Sorry can't help you on the 2:50 vs 100 and TriAxis+100 thing, no experience there.

As far as other poweramps go, IMO if you want an EL34 poweramp, Marshall EL34 100/100 or 50/50 is the way to go. Yeees some might think it's "blasphemous" to run a boogie into a Marshall poweramp or some silly **** like that, but to me, it's one of the best tones I can get (TriAxis into JCM800 poweramp)... ran it like this just today and it's fuckin' MANLY! :mrgreen:
Oh, and I know of a guy who did it in the 80s and he's pretty famous now... xD
The Brunetti Silver Bullet is apparently another kickass EL34 poweramp, the guy who sold me my TriAxis told me it's the mutts nutts. Check it out. Can't be cheap by the looks of it though.