I've only tried the Tung Sol EL34B's and they sound great. Maybe a tad on the bassy side but still nice and I do like them better than the stock Mesa 6L6's. I'm mainly looking for a comparison of how the Winged C EL34, Mesa 447 EL34 and JJ EL34L sound in the Mark V. 8)
What brand of EL34's have you tried in the Mark V?
- Thread starter bradg
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MusicManJP6
Well-known member
JJ E34Ls sound pretty dang good IMO. I swap between the stock 6L6s and the E34Ls. The E34Ls are crunchier, and the 6L6s are ballsier.
LPJunky
Well-known member
I installed inexpensive Chinese Shuguang EL34-B (supposedly Ruby Tubes!?) as a test two weeks ago and I'm keeping them in. No fizz just fine. Just rounder. I have little sonic memory when it comes time to compare subtle texture changes in sound but what I can say is I didn't have any irritating sounds of any kind since I switched so for me its the way to go. I cover regular Rock and HardRock.
http://thetubestore.com/shuguangel34b.html
I had used them in a THD Univalve for years and when I tried a Mullard EL34 that lasted only a couple of month before it grilled.
Read the comparative tests of EL-34 and you'd be surprised at the rating and comments for it.
http://thetubestore.com/shuguangel34b.html
I had used them in a THD Univalve for years and when I tried a Mullard EL34 that lasted only a couple of month before it grilled.
Read the comparative tests of EL-34 and you'd be surprised at the rating and comments for it.
lesterpaul
Well-known member
copy/paste from a thread we posted some time ago...
JOEY B. wrote:
The MkV head owned by Mike ( aka "lesterpaul") was run with STR-440's in the outer sockets and STR 450's in the middle sockets today in a test session. NO issues whatsoever in the 90 and 45 watt power settings. In fact, with this tube layout and the bias select in 6L6 mode, we got SCARY close to the original simul/EQ/Rev C+ sound with the MkIV mode of the MkV. The 10 watt power setting is the only thing different with the MkV power section (aside from the inner pair being the ones with the hotter bias, instead of the outers on the older Marks), and if you go there with a "blended" tube setup, you do so AT YOUR OWN RISK.
**** skippy a few el 34 thoughts ...it was nice in the cleans with a Les Paul..which has "fatness"...cant comment on a superstrat (yet...)-more growl with the proper EL-34's ..we tried the 450's,the GT El 34M, and the Sylvania 6CA7's..(****!!)..
the skinny...the EL's had warmer highs,and were THE DEAL in Mk 1mode!!!less bottom end compliments the MK 1 mode, which is TOTALLY BADASS with good 34's in there...we were in MArshall mode a few times, with classic tones bouncin' off the walls...we were able to get a good transition between all 3 channels using fat or tweed on 1/crunch on chan 2/IV mode on 3......IMO, MK 1 mode is a specialized application available with this amp..if you MUST use chan 3 in conjunction with chan 2, you almost have to be in extreme setting, due to the vast diff. in eq...I really dig it(mk1)...as Joey stated , we got scary close blending the tube types...(thats why I bought some tubes from JB before I left...)if you are new to Mk amps, take note of what JB printed in above post regarding tube positions,etc...
bottom line, this is a mark amp-it allows you many different applications with a the swap of a few tubes....we swapped quite a few today in 4 plus hours of aural assault, and got quite a few different results...when she is cranked, the differences in power tubes are very apparent/even between the 34's we played with today
and yes, if you are trying to get more Metallica-fied, I would think el 34's are the way for you
-I have a simul runing a combo and a coli running ALL 6L6's, so the all el 34 V is a nice and no brainer compliment-IF you can get your hands on some old Sylvania glass, however, the V enters a class all by itself(as you would expect with any MK)
JOEY B. wrote:
The MkV head owned by Mike ( aka "lesterpaul") was run with STR-440's in the outer sockets and STR 450's in the middle sockets today in a test session. NO issues whatsoever in the 90 and 45 watt power settings. In fact, with this tube layout and the bias select in 6L6 mode, we got SCARY close to the original simul/EQ/Rev C+ sound with the MkIV mode of the MkV. The 10 watt power setting is the only thing different with the MkV power section (aside from the inner pair being the ones with the hotter bias, instead of the outers on the older Marks), and if you go there with a "blended" tube setup, you do so AT YOUR OWN RISK.
**** skippy a few el 34 thoughts ...it was nice in the cleans with a Les Paul..which has "fatness"...cant comment on a superstrat (yet...)-more growl with the proper EL-34's ..we tried the 450's,the GT El 34M, and the Sylvania 6CA7's..(****!!)..
the skinny...the EL's had warmer highs,and were THE DEAL in Mk 1mode!!!less bottom end compliments the MK 1 mode, which is TOTALLY BADASS with good 34's in there...we were in MArshall mode a few times, with classic tones bouncin' off the walls...we were able to get a good transition between all 3 channels using fat or tweed on 1/crunch on chan 2/IV mode on 3......IMO, MK 1 mode is a specialized application available with this amp..if you MUST use chan 3 in conjunction with chan 2, you almost have to be in extreme setting, due to the vast diff. in eq...I really dig it(mk1)...as Joey stated , we got scary close blending the tube types...(thats why I bought some tubes from JB before I left...)if you are new to Mk amps, take note of what JB printed in above post regarding tube positions,etc...
bottom line, this is a mark amp-it allows you many different applications with a the swap of a few tubes....we swapped quite a few today in 4 plus hours of aural assault, and got quite a few different results...when she is cranked, the differences in power tubes are very apparent/even between the 34's we played with today
and yes, if you are trying to get more Metallica-fied, I would think el 34's are the way for you
-I have a simul runing a combo and a coli running ALL 6L6's, so the all el 34 V is a nice and no brainer compliment-IF you can get your hands on some old Sylvania glass, however, the V enters a class all by itself(as you would expect with any MK)
scott7d
Well-known member
MusicManJP6 said:
Can you explain the tonal differences between balls and crunch? :lol: :lol:
With my tax money, I was going to grab some JJ 34's and compare em'. Can't wait to try it out!
MusicManJP6
Well-known member
scott7d said:
I'm not that good at describing sonic differences, but I'll try. It has to do with the character of the mids. The focus is shifted upward a little with E34Ls and there is more noticable 'crunch' with a smoother top end and less boomy bottom end although the bottom end is not quite as tight and crisp as with 6L6s, but it's not far off with the E34Ls at least. I think they sound very balanced tonally. Does that help at all? Haha.
