Best EL34?

Gadget

Anybody got any recent experience of buying EL34s?

I need to revalve one of my amps with a new quartet, so I'm interested to hear any personal experiences. I'm not really looking for classic NOS, so recent / current production preferred.

Gassage

Svetlana Winged C.

Gadget

New ones?

I read some discussion about current production ones being different to c.2000?

thomasross20

Does it make a difference?

ICBM

thomasross20 said:

Does it make a difference?

Yes .

Personally I am not a fan of Svetlana/Winged C, I have found them unreliable. I think they're out of production now too.

The best I've found for reliability are JJs and TADs, and the best for tone usually EHs, although they don't last long usually.

Gassage

ICBM said:

thomasross20 said:

Does it make a difference?

Yes .

Personally I am not a fan of Svetlana/Winged C, I have found them unreliable. I think they're out of production now too.

The best I've found for reliability are JJs and TADs, and the best for tone usually EHs, although they don't last long usually.

In a Hiwatt, they're pretty much unbeatable.

Gadget

Those are all on my possible list.

I heard there are only two actual valve factories left now worldwide anyway and that therefore everything originates from these, no matter what the 'brand' (?)

Where are people buying from? Hot Rox? Watford Valves? Thomann?.... I hear good and bad things.

ICBM

Gassage said:

In a Hiwatt, they're pretty much unbeatable.

No they aren't.

Mullards and Siemens sound *much* better than any modern valve in a Hiwatt, as well as lasting a lot longer .

thomasross20

JJ are also some of the most affordable?
I think the ht5 sounds good but online reports say a valve change makes it even better

pintspiller

For current-production, there is really only JJ for bang-for-buck. But I imagine that anybody who tinkers would probably prefer Mullard XF2

Gadget

NOS do have a following and I do have a small collection of odds-and-sods, but for real world use (and sub-stratospheric budgets!) I have to keep to current / recent production, for power valves at least.

Bygone_Tones

Out of interest, what is considered to be the the best modern equivalent of the old Mullards? Is nobody making decent replicas?

Nomad

Where do Groove Tubes fit into the grand scheme of things?

ICBM

Nomad said:

Where do Groove Tubes fit into the grand scheme of things?

In the overpriced relabelled Russian and Chinese valves category. For some reason they seem to be able to select for unreliability as well… I've never quite understood how.

Bygone_Tones said:

Out of interest, what is considered to be the the best modern equivalent of the old Mullards? Is nobody making decent replicas?

No.

jpfamps

I've had good results with the latest production Chinese EL34-B.

This has had several improvements over the years and is now a good valve, unlike most other Chinese valves....

Ruby Tubes, PM and TAD sell this valve under their own brand.

ICBM

jpfamps said:

I've had good results with the latest production Chinese EL34-B.

This has had several improvements over the years and is now a good valve, unlike most other Chinese valves....

Ruby Tubes, PM and TAD sell this valve under their own brand.

I have to say it's very hard for me to even consider using a PM labeled valve, given the utter crap they were in the 90s - one of the main reasons I started using old valves, even before it became popular - but I suppose times change…

jpfamps

ICBM said:

jpfamps said:

I've had good results with the latest production Chinese EL34-B.

This has had several improvements over the years and is now a good valve, unlike most other Chinese valves....

Ruby Tubes, PM and TAD sell this valve under their own brand.

I have to say it's very hard for me to even consider using a PM labeled valve, given the utter crap they were in the 90s - one of the main reasons I started using old valves, even before it became popular - but I suppose times change…

They were indeed very poor....

The EL34-B though has been through a significant number of improvements though.

ThePrettyDamned

jpfamps said:

ICBM said:

jpfamps said:

I've had good results with the latest production Chinese EL34-B.

This has had several improvements over the years and is now a good valve, unlike most other Chinese valves....

Ruby Tubes, PM and TAD sell this valve under their own brand.

I have to say it's very hard for me to even consider using a PM labeled valve, given the utter crap they were in the 90s - one of the main reasons I started using old valves, even before it became popular - but I suppose times change…

They were indeed very poor....

The EL34-B though has been through a significant number of improvements though.

Makes me wonder when they'll be churning out stuff that's really close to the old kit. 

Gadget

ThePrettyDamned said:

Makes me wonder when they'll be churning out stuff that's really close to the old kit. 

I thought Mullard were supposed to be starting up again a few years back?

Cirrus

Just the brand, I think, rather than the knowhow. Does anyone remember tech tube?

Pete24v

I had a tech tube Preamp valve, it was very poor sounding and went michrophonic after a few gigs. 

I seem to remember the hype about using old Mullard equipment in the old Blackburn factory.. Didn't do the valve I had any favours.