Favorite New Production Power Amp Tubes For Your Marshall Amp

[marshalltsl]

To hear different tone on power tubes you need play loud IMO. I like all of them except JJ tubes. They sound dark IMHO, it's not a bad tube. They are reliable.
The Svetlana fits great in Marshall amps but other brands sounds great too. My favorites are Svetlana but on my JVMHJS I use Mullard. Anyway it's a matter of taste.

 

[pittbull]

Has anyone compared(tone wise)the Electro Harmonix 6ca7(big bottle) vs The Electro Harmonix EL34

 

[EndGame00]

Mullard reissue for me... they crunch early....Shuguangs are airy with good amount of headroom compare to other el-34’s

 

[GodofWar]

What’s your favorite new production power amp tubes for your Marshall amp,I don’t know where to start EL34 wise I’ve been using the Electro Harmonix big bottle 6CA7,I’m looking for less headroom and more crunch

I've been using the higher end new production Tungsols, including the 12AX7s. I've been so happy w/ my Marshall that I started using them in other amps as well.

 

[Astra Planeta]

For open crunch you want EHX EL34's, same with their 12ax7's. I think they suit marshall circuits best.

Also people slag off JJ a lot but Angus Young uses their EL34's so...

 

[TheOgre]

Good morning forumites!

Taking into account the world economic situation, with the situation here in Brazil still kind of in the beginning and with the exchange rate fluctuating a bit, I have no way of thinking about importing valves at the moment!

So, the options I have in the domestic market are (increasing price):
- Shuguang EL34B
- Svetlana S EL34
- JJ KT77
- JJ EL34
- EHX EL34
- Mullard Reissue EL34

For a DSL100H, which I use basically with gain of preamp and boosters, would anyone have any tips? The amp still has the original valves, in relatively good condition (almost 03 years of bedroom use and just a few gigs), but I would like to get a matched quartet to keep in reserve! Let's say I don't miss power saturation that much with this amp (that already has tons of gain in the preamp), and I know will hardly achieve this without also using an attenuator, but a little more body would be interesting! Some folks say this amp is to bright/brittle in the top end, and I don't know how exactly, but am using it with relative good results with unexpected adjustments in an bedroom volume enviroment (below):
Resonance 8 / Presence 5 / Bass 8 / Middle 10 / Treble 8 / Lead-I Volume 1 / Lead-I Gain 8 / Crunch Volume 1 / Crunch Gain 8 (Deep Switch OFF)

 

[jazzdj]

What’s your favorite new production power amp tubes for your Marshall amp,I don’t know where to start EL34 wise I’ve been using the Electro Harmonix big bottle 6CA7,I’m looking for less headroom and more crunch

There are ONLY TWO companies that actually make all the Tubes MADE in Europe, (and then the crap from China), so what difference are you looking for???

 

[pittbull]

What ????? Differences??There are 3 companies you forgot Slovakia(JJ Tubes)

 

[formosa64]

Not to highjack OP but are there tubes which provide more "micro-details" (my word) of the guitar... meaning finger sounds etc. I played through a JTM-45 Marshall once at House of Guitars in Rochester NY and the amount of "micro-detail" was amazing even with gain (nothing special about the strat - so I assume the amp/tubes). Really added to the sound. Probably was the amp, but I have a DSL-2000 and am ready to change out the factory tubes, no experience... Thanks.

 

[abkeller1]

Of course, this is SO dependent on the amp / speaker combo - but I do hear more low end and tighter low end with the JJ E34L. Some folks notice a loss of top end with these, so they can be perfect to help tame a brighter amp. I have recently circulated a quad of JJ El34-II through my amps and I hear more lows, but with no sacrifice in top end as some note with the E34L.

I agree, had Svytlana in my JCM 2000 put JJ's in EL34's and it booms.

 

[abkeller1]

Not to highjack OP but are there tubes which provide more "micro-details" (my word) of the guitar... meaning finger sounds etc. I played through a JTM-45 Marshall once at House of Guitars in Rochester NY and the amount of "micro-detail" was amazing even with gain (nothing special about the strat - so I assume the amp/tubes). Really added to the sound. Probably was the amp, but I have a DSL-2000 and am ready to change out the factory tubes, no experience... Thanks.

No, completly different amps. Those old amps give the feel. A JCM 2000 has too much gain in the preamp you will never get that feeling. I bought a Silver Jubilee Mini and it has that feeling that' s missing in the JCM 2000.

 

[jason_s]

I currently have JJ EL34II’s in my TSL122 and like them. The JJ 6CA7’s I had in before these were good too, a little darker sounding.

 

[Blazerocker56]

I have used jj kt77s and el 34s on my TSL 100 and they both sound good kt77s have a tighter sound with less pearcing highs imo.

 

[jeffb]

What ????? Differences??There are 3 companies you forgot Slovakia(JJ Tubes)

Yes JJ and Sovtek/New Sensor are the two in Eastern Europe which is what jazzdj stated. Then Sino/Shugang in China.

Not to highjack OP but are there tubes which provide more "micro-details" (my word) of the guitar... meaning finger sounds etc. I played through a JTM-45 Marshall once at House of Guitars in Rochester NY and the amount of "micro-detail" was amazing even with gain (nothing special about the strat - so I assume the amp/tubes). Really added to the sound. Probably was the amp, but I have a DSL-2000 and am ready to change out the factory tubes, no experience... Thanks.

Thats what NMV amps , especially those with tube rectifiers sound/feel like. Tube swap in your DSL wont do anything to get you there- they are the opposite of touchy feely, but they cover up your mistakes a heck of a lot better than old NMVs.

 

[junk notes]

Is it like all original collectors edition?
Or is it non- all original / been worked on before?

I have one, plus there’s a master volume on the amp

Marshall plexi 50 watt

For what amp?

I’m looking for bright/open/crunch any ideas??

He must have missed that question @ampmadscientist, but I am going to take a good guess that it is his Rockitt Retro 68 Plexi 50 watt clone.

 

[southbound suarez]

Well the winged c's are no longer a production tube but were always a standard go to tube for EL 34 amps. The EH kinda took their place as a no- nonsense tube but they certainly dont last long. To me I always thought EL34 amps sound best when they are biased very low for maximum idle plate dissipation. Unfortunately none of the current tubes last very long under such demands. The JJ is the one tube that can survive brutality but it doesnt get the tone when driven like that. I think JJ output tubes are plenty robust but never felt they were all that and only mediocre and generic tonewise. I have yet to try the TungSol reissue in the EL 34 variety but given my experience with all the other various flavors of the reissue Tung Sol , I am very impressed. Their preamp tubes are stout and quiet with no microphonics (hope I dont jinxx myself) Their american style beam power tubes are excellent and I currently have an all orig. '72 American Export Superlead with the Tung Sol 6550's. Those reissues are as excellent as you can get in one of these 6550 amps. So I am betting on their EL 34 reissue. Funny thing? Did they make an orig. EL 34 tube?
I am really curious to try the Mullard reissue tubes now too.
It is a funny thing about
how all these reissues are all being produced by the same factories that are producing every reissue brand too? So how much tooling do they actually change for all these various specific reissue brands? The best EL 84 And EL 34 tubes in superlead/plexi I have ever heard has been the orig. vintage Telefunken! But who is going to spend that kinda dough these days! But definately everything and every bit legendary as they are said to be.... I have some that I use strictly as tubes for testing an amp for its genuine tonal potential!
As for 6ca7's I think that the EH does a great reproduction of the late sylvanias and that it is a very good sounding tube, but I dont feel that is the tube for marshall tone. Interesting thread. Enjoying everyones opinion and taste preferences.

 

[jetiii]

Winged C are probably among the best for Marshall’s

 

[ken361]

Has anyone compared(tone wise)the Electro Harmonix 6ca7(big bottle) vs The Electro Harmonix EL34

I know the EH34 have a smooth top end that worked good in the dsl. Just tried a set in the SV the other day seem just fine compared to the stock JJ not too much difference but i will try again tonight. Need to try Mullards next. My old dsl40 ate the EH up in months on 2 sets BTW.

I liked Rubys, Tungsols, JJ El34II have not tried any different ones in the SC yet!

 

[DC135er]

Well I don't have a "new production" amp. I do have the JCM 900 and JJ's work just fine. I'm not sure what the OP is asking for here but aside from maxxing out the bias or altering the preamp circuit, there's very little you can do inside the amp to change the sound. Personally, I like my bias set at 65% of max to protect it. If I need to change my sound I'd change my pickups or my guitar instead. Dependability is of the utmost importance and the amp is something I need to be 100%, all the time.

 

[ken361]

EH are crunching nicely with mini plexi!