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Best EL 84

J

JLH

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Looking at all of the choices in tube manufacturer's, what is, in your experience the best sounding EL 84 tube (also consider cost/value)?
 

bluesforstevie

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Mullard are the best, the longest lasting...and yes, one of the most expensive. Worth it IMHO.
 

Black58

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What BFS said! Gots a set, myself + a set of their 7189s. BAD MAMAJAMMAs! :jim
 

reswot

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As above, Mullards.

Note that there are many Mullards that have been relabeled, too....

If not those, I like the US-made GEs, too. I note US-made, cos I've seen some Mullards labeled as GEs.
 

Cottage

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In the real world, outside of the bedroom, I vote for JJs. Very good tone and reasonable enough price-wise that I can replace them every 4 or 5 months. This you must do with ant EL84s if you are gigging regularly.
 

Black58

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In the real world, outside of the bedroom, I vote for JJs. Very good tone and reasonable enough price-wise that I can replace them every 4 or 5 months. This you must do with ant EL84s if you are gigging regularly.

:lol The set I'm runnin' 'been goin' strong fer 5 YEARS, gig regularly/rehearsals/practice/pleasure! As the sayin' goes, "Buy cheap, Buy twice". ... Maybe, MORE! :wah
 

zombiwoof

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I see Telams and Ultrons(German) for sale, anyone have any experience with these?

Al
 

xray

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Mullards are great but Amperex El84 edge them out slightly in my book and they are very hard to get.
 

bluesforstevie

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Mullards are great but Amperex El84 edge them out slightly in my book and they are very hard to get.

Amperex have a little more "air" to them...but their build quality isn't nearly as rugged as Mullard. I've had many more bum Amperex tubes than Mullard.
 

Cottage

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:lol The set I'm runnin' 'been goin' strong fer 5 YEARS, gig regularly/rehearsals/practice/pleasure! As the sayin' goes, "Buy cheap, Buy twice". ... Maybe, MORE! :wah

Its not that the JJs are blown, but given the wear and tear and heat prodeced by EL 84s, its better to be safe than sorry. That's amazing that those have lasted you 5 years, I could see it with 6L6's, but 84s? Maybe I should change my thinking on this. Anyone else had this kind of longevity? I'm talking regular rehearsals and a gig at least once a week.
 

reswot

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A lot of people really seem to like JJ tubes, in general, but I've never found one that I liked.... I've tried the ECC83s, the 6V6s, and the El84s. I wasn't fond of the tone with any of them, and, believe me, I wanted to be. I'd much rather like cheap, new tubes than expensive, old ones!

On top of that, one is as likely to get a bad tube as a good one with JJs....
 

Black58

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Its not that the JJs are blown, but given the wear and tear and heat prodeced by EL 84s, its better to be safe than sorry. That's amazing that those have lasted you 5 years, I could see it with 6L6's, but 84s? Maybe I should change my thinking on this. Anyone else had this kind of longevity? I'm talking regular rehearsals and a gig at least once a week.

... and they're in a class A (or what's considered to be, anyway) amp! My supplier/amp tech's got his shit together. :jim
 

sickboy79

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For NOS stuff I like old Tesla and JAN Philips. Somewhat reasonably priced compared to Mullards, Brimars, etc. Sound 10x better than any of the new stuff.
 

Desertdawg

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Cottage.....I had the orignal Mullards in my AC30 from 1965 to 1995...and I'm still not sure if replacing them was a good idea. :hmm
 

sugarloaf

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Cottage.....I had the orignal Mullards in my AC30 from 1965 to 1995...and I'm still not sure if replacing them was a good idea. :hmm

I'm in the same boat with my '65 AC30...trying to decide what to put in it. I have been using GEs but can't find another set. I'm lukeworm on the JJs.
Has anyone tried the TAD EL84?

thanks
Dave
 

Desertdawg

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Sugarloaf, it depends on how you "play" the amp. Do you play that jangly sound with a Gretsch or Ric, smooth overtones with an archtop, or do you overdrive the amp?

I've had good results with the Electro-Harmonix EL84 tubes primarily because of their low noise floor in my amp. The GEs are excellent too but using GE 12X7s or 5751s in the pre-amp section will get you really close with a EH EL84 set.

Still, these days I hardly ever overdrive the amp preferring it with a Ric 330. :wah
 
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