Tube Swap in Dual Rectifier-6L6 to EL34's?

[boogie1]

So I'm considering a tube change in my Dual Rectifier head. I still have the original 6L6's it came with. Nothing wrong with them. I'm just wondering how it would sound with EL34's. I have only had one amp with EL34's, it was a Laney Pro Tube Lead 100 watter, and it had awesome gain and sustain. Only thing is it was a one trick pony single channel. The good thing is that the Mesa Boogie is self-biasing, so all I have to do is flick the switch from 6L6 to EL34. Anybody done this with a Dual Rec?

[jgcable]

Just buy a Marshall and stop fooling around!

If you want a Rectifier with EL34's the Stiletto is a great choice.

Seriously... putting EL34's in a Rectifier is like clipping a birds wings.

[Twisteramps]

I preferred EL34s in my two Dual recto rackmounts and in my really low SN reverse chassis head. I think they sound great.

Pete

[Boxcar Willie 84]

actually i dont think the dual rectifier with EL34s sounds like a marshall or a stiletto at all...i think i replied to your post on the hamer site

[SEAN RAF]

http://media.putfile.com/dist-el34

Here's a clip from the Petrucci forum of a Dual Rec with EL34's. I tried EL34's in mine (Electro Harmonix), but I couldn't get that sound...should've asked the guy which brand he had. If I could have got my Dual Rectifier to sound like this, I'd have kept it. The track is double tracked though...

[sl2lover]

Svetlana Winged C's!!!!

[toejam]

Forget the regular EL34s. Just go with KT77s!

[Dave L]

A guy I shared a rehearsal space with (and did a lot of jamming with) swapped to EL34´s in his Recto, and it came out pretty darn good to my ears. I didn´t get to hear an A/B-test, so I´m not a 100% reliable witness, but I did comment on the positive change in tone before he told me that he´d changed something in his rig... so there probably is a real difference to be noticed there. I remember hearing a shift in the bass range, mostly.

[Valeck]

6550, KT88, KT90, thoses are wild tubes if you want huge tone

[slayer]

Try an in between tube. The EH 6CA7, it biases like and EL34 and has qualities of an EL34 and 6L6. I love them.

Jack

[nhspike]

For what it's worth:

I just ended up with a nice used Mesa Rectoverb 50, and promptly ran over to the local music store to get two new sets of power tubes (6L6's & EL-34's) so I could test drive each... since it had that nifty little bias switch, and I didn't think I could sleep if I might be missing some tone.

I would say they are both good, but different, if that makes sense.

In a smaller room, with more reflection/hard surfaces (less people? hehe), I think I like the "mud" of the 6L6 power tubes works killer.

In a larger room, where more cut is required (more soft items/people to absorb the high-crispies) I think the EL-34 type may be more suitable, very mid/high end sounding to me... not thin, but emphasis on that area, with maybe a bit more gravel to the overdrive.

Perhaps my brain is just telling my ears what to hear or something...

BTW: I installed a brand new V1 position pre-amp tube (one of the Mesa-high grade/over-priced ones with the little black condom) within minutes of getting the amp, since I had one... so the amp would be as quiet/fresh as possible in the preamp dept.

Bottom line, for small venue/bedroom/lower volume, the 6L6's work well, at least with this single recto.

Cheers!

[horns666]

There is no comparison in a Marshall 9200..the 5881 (6L6) absolutely destroys the EL34 version in every way shape and form. BUT, Marshalls are not known for low end and girth..they're beloved for their distinct singing midrange and definition. The 6L6s is what is cool to my Marshall's tone. In fact, Clevo John along with two other local friends bought the EL34 version and always liked my tone better..just thicker and tighter bottom end in general ..with a very nice mid "cut" and glassy high end.

Intially, I didn' like the EL34s in my Bogner and was ready to swap them to 6550, 6L6, Kt88 or KT77, and conferred with Pete about this. Luckily, I blew a 12ax7 which led me to a matched set of Tung Sol preamp tubes with the advice of "Dan" from the tube store, who stated this is a common complaint c/w the Ubershall. Fortunately, he wasn't bullshittin' me..The darker, hotter Tung Sols are a great balance to the stock JJ El34. Not only did it remedy my ongoing complaint of the midrange "honk" at high volume levels, it also gave more tight low end. I always had the lows full up, now I can't turn the lows past 12:00 without getting too bloated sounding..not flubby, just too much lows, never thought I'd ever say that.. So, it just worked out in my favor.

I also owned two Lee Jackson VL-100s. One with 6550s which sounded pretty nice and one with EL34s that sounded like shit when A/B together..both w/ matching Ampeg 4/12" cabs w/ 75 wt celestions..

Pete mentioned that 6L6s sound better than EL34 in the JSX as well. I liked the tone of the JSX w/ EL34..but I'm sure I would agree. We both come from similar school tone wise.

I owned the first series Dual Recto..what I did like about it was the chunky low end. what I didn't like about it was that it sounded "buzzy' to me, no matter how I dialed it. I'd check out a Stilleto like Box sugessted first. But IMO losing any of the Mesa's girth by putting in EL34s..it would be losing the one thing I did like about it. Clipping a bird's wings as John put it.

Generally, I prefer 6L6 over EL34 if I want a tighter, better bottom end at higher levels..but many modern high gain amps seem to do quite well with tight lows and girth these days with EL34s.

Good luck.

[Cygnus X1]

Umm...
May I just mention,
+1...
And I'm an old Fender guy. Same logic applies.

[jgcable]

Here is another .02 from me.
If you want to be felt... 6l6's
If you want to be heard... EL34's

[madryan]

I liked my Dual Rec better with EL-34's.