6L6s Vs El34s

[DeathIsMyJustice]

All the tube amps Iv had in the past have ran 6l6s but I fancy trying some el34s out but whats the main advantages and disadvantages of them? I know the 6l6s are very us sounding and the EL34 are classic Brit, Iv heard that the 6l6s are ment to be more ballsyer and take more pushing to get power tube overdrive...

[markD]

Re: 6L6s Vs El34s

all i know is that to me 6L6's sound very hard. what i mean is that they don't seem to "give" the way i want. my tone sounds harsher. i love EL-34s. they break up the way i want and grind the mids. they "feel" better to me also.

of course this is all based on no tech knowledge what so ever...

[rodrigo_echeverri]

Re: 6L6s Vs El34s

I had the Mesa 50/50 (6L6) power amp and I quickly changed to a Mesa 20/20 (EL34). I REALLY felt a difference in my sound. The 20/20 sounded waaayyyy better (as in warmer, more responsive, better dynamics and harmonics) for what I wanted (80s rock and metal). At this point, I already know I dont want to spend money in a power amp if it is not an EL34 based one (unless I get a really good deal on a 6L6 one).

[horns666]

Re: 6L6s Vs El34s

5881s or 6l6s by far ...I always hated El34's

It's exactly the very thing I don't like about my Uber...I wish it had 6l6s or even better Kt88s in it...Amps are always focused on the MIdrange dept ...and I always hear the El34s "HONK" when you crank 'em...they are not good at all for that really nice and full bottom end..NOT AT ALL...just a low mid humpin' fart..that you have to try and dump with an EQ

I always gravitated to tube amps that are loaded with 6l6s ..they just sound so much warmer to me and chunkier to me...I could get all the midrange I need from any amp...any amp...I don't need it to be all midrange...like a friggin Car horn..

one reason why I'm not a fan of Vintage 30s as well...too much mids..

I understand that Guitar frequs are nothing but midrange..but too much just sucks...

so for me it's 6L6s or KT88s...I haven't owned a EL34 amp that I was totaly happy with...not even the uber...and for that very reason.

I want to keep the value of the uber...one reason why I don't butcher it and change anything..it sounds AWESOME at moderate levels...better than any amp I've ever heard...ANY amp...but when those El34 start to do there thing at high volume levels...they can kiss my fukkin' ass.

fukk you EL34's ...I hate you...you suck....I want to kill all the EL34s I ever see..They're my enemy of the tube world...I want to put all EL34s in Tube concentraton camps...and slowly kill every last one of them...I want to see them pop

OH I hade two 100 watt Ampeg Lee Jackson heads one loaded with 6550s and one loaded with EL34's...guess which one sounded like TOTAL ass to me..No comparison...not even with the 6550s..

My Marshall 9200 is the early one loaded with 5881s...and it kills any EL34 9200 that I ever heard..fukk EL34s...that my very strong opinion.....just plain fuggem.

[horns666]

Re: 6L6s Vs El34s

Hi Rodrigo...what's happening ...haven't seen you around much...I'm glad you like those damn El34s...my ears just hate them..

Hows things...good I hope. [img]/images/graemlins/toast.gif[/img]

[Boxcar Willie 84]

Re: 6L6s Vs El34s

I'm with Bill, for years I wondered what about Marshalls I didn't like and recently I have realized that I gravitate more towards 6L6s...they just sound more full and saturated to me.

[markD]

Re: 6L6s Vs El34s

see that's funny, cause what horns describes about what he likes about 6L6's is exactly what i hate about them. just goes to show how subjective everything is!!

i like the heavy mids from a cranked EL34. it helps my EVM loaded cabs (4x12 and 3 1x12 cabs) sound fat!!

[guitarsjb]

Re: 6L6s Vs El34s

My Crate has 6L6's..and I love my tone..JMO.

[rodrigo_echeverri]

Re: 6L6s Vs El34s

Hey Horns, what´s up.. I have been showing up aroung here lately cause I am going to get some gear and get playing again. I always try to keep in touch with John (Cleveland)...

Hey, so I take it you dont like white lion, do you?... [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Dreamland_Rebel]

Re: 6L6s Vs El34s

hey rodrigo, those arn't el34's in your 20/20.

those are el84's

[Dreamland_Rebel]

Re: 6L6s Vs El34s

btw i love white lion!

[rodrigo_echeverri]

Re: 6L6s Vs El34s

Ouch. I should have never been away from the forum.. I am rusting. You are damn right Dreamland thanks!...

[Dreamland_Rebel]

Re: 6L6s Vs El34s

el84's rule!

[DeathIsMyJustice]

Re: 6L6s Vs El34s

some passion about tubes hear I see... anyhow I think Ill just get some nice pairs of both 6l6s n el34s and see what my new amp likes

what tube companys do you guys normaly go for anyways? I can get some fine deals on the EH tubes but Iv normaly gone svetlana

[noodlesatf]

Re: 6L6s Vs El34s

Add another person to the "screw EL-34 tubes" list. To me, 6L6 tubes ARE metal. Thick saturation, punishing bass, and a lack of midrange honk. I play through a Peavey Triple XXX, and love it. They had a modded one at the store with EL34's, and it sounded like a castrated version of my amp.