Favorite New Production Power Amp Tubes For Your Marshall Amp

[Kinkless Tetrode]

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

The EH 6CA7 has a more headroom. It is actually pretty faithful to the original Sylvania in construction. Not exactly like the Sylvania in sound but it occupies that space in between an American tube like a 6550 and a European EL34.

If you want early compression and breakup then the EH EL34 is better for that.

 

[Kinkless Tetrode]

The EH 6CA7 is brighter than the EH EL34, though.

 

[What?]

I love JJ E34L. The JJ E34L is the closest to the SED =C= EL34 in regards to low, mid, and high end response (especially the low end tightness) as well as their extremely quiet operation.

Strange. That is the complete opposite of what I hear. The old winged C's I have are mid focused and maybe a little light in the bottom. The JJ EL34L's have too much bottom, not in a tubby sort of way, but in a puffy and soft way. Swapping from the winged C's to the EL34L's, there is a big increase in lower frequencies and a perceived big volume drop (less mids) at the same amp settings no matter how the EL34L's are biased. But on the whole, I don't think that one sounds better than the other. They just have a very different sound from one another. I mean, neither one makes me think that I'm hearing something special. But the old winged C's are better overall balanced across the frequency spectrum, if you ask me.

 

[JCMDOUG]

Mullard reissues just seem fuller so far they are my #1 for JMD and JVM
EH amps I want to add some bite
JJ in amps I don't use much or rent out DSL JCM 900DR

 

[matttornado]

I tried SED Wing Cs in my 1959 Superlead once about 12 years ago and they were just OK -nothing spectacular. I couldn't understand all the hype about them. The JJs I replaced them with sounded better - more crunch.

 

[pittbull]

Here’s a question which one would have a faster attack faster response a EHX 6CA7 or a EL34

 

[Rds]

Winged c's for me. Previous amp carvin x100b, current amps tsl 122, tsl 100 head and cab's. All have winged c's and sound great in my amps. I'm sure others are great too.

 

[Trapland]

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

LOTs headroom and more crunch means Chinese current production tubes. They have tons of complex mids and high harmonics. But be warned their low price belies thier actual cost.

1. It’s not uncommon to have 25% failure rate either when new or shortly after.
2. Bias will drift for awhile.
3. They don’t last as long as others.

‘For a 50 watt amp I’ll buy a quad from TAD. Then I test them all, usually toss one and have one for backup in case there is a problem on the pair in the amp. With this method I can get a couple years from a quad.

So why bother? Well I really like how they sound. Crazy crunch and gain. But they are like running a dragster on the bloody edge of the engine coming apart, great performance but risky. I recommend biasing a bit cool.

I don’t use them in valuable vintage amps that have original OT transformers. But new amps I love them. But I’m also the guy that’s happy to loves rolling power tubes and don’t mind tweaking bias a dozen times if needed until the tubes stabilize.

After saying all this, my go to valves are always old European. I love RFT/Siemens.

 

[Trapland]

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.

I find some modern high gain amps have to clamp down on harmonics as the signal progresses through the preamp and although it gives you lots of gain you lose some of those delicate touch characteristics. This is done to give you lots of gain without the map becoming unstable. A jtm45 or JMP NMV really only has 2 preamp gain stages. And they run on the edge of stability. Most of them will occillate wildly if played out of their shielded cabinet.

I love all that string noise , power tube crunch-control, and chime from simpler designs. European amps designed up to 1981 are my favs. Blackface Fenders not so much, they sound amazing but always feel like they are fighting me with negative feedback.

‘As for tubes? Most anything but JJs and older Russian. People like them but they really sound and feel like they dampen those high airy micro-details.

 

[Trapland]

I tried SED Wing Cs in my 1959 Superlead once about 12 years ago and they were just OK -nothing spectacular. I couldn't understand all the hype about them. The JJs I replaced them with sounded better - more crunch.

part of that hype was good reliability.

 

[pittbull]

I won’t buy Chinese Fuck China

 

[What?]

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.

Higher end? The only new production Tung Sols I see are EL34B's.

 

[wakjob]

I probably don't run my Marshall's up far enough on the volume to where the output tubes make a say so in breakup/distortion or dynamics. But I do hear a marked difference in the EQ-ing of the amp from set to set. I could probably just run an eq pedal in the loop, and approximate just about any EL34.

Got small box full of X2f's I've been saving.
RFT's are...unique to my ears. Clean & Clear.
Winged C's sound just better than any other CP's I've tried.
JJ EL34L's in more preamp based Marshall's like JCM900's rip.
Shuguang EL34B's are fantastic in 3203's and JDM-1's.
EH's are just great. They are stable, robust, and sound like an EL34.
Shocked to find Sovteks in my latest 3203 that sounds amazing stock.

 

[FutureProf88]

Can the Winged C even be considered current production anymore?

 

[jeffb]

Can the Winged C even be considered current production anymore?

Nope. I don't consider them current. They haven't been making them for many moons now. The current Svetlana from New Sensor/Sovtek is the replacement.

 

[EADGBE]

The regular JJ EL34 and the new Svetlana. I also liked the Groove Tubes EL34M. I had some Ruby EL34 STRs that sounded good. But I blew a fuse with them so I'm afraid to try them again. I'd also like to try the new Tung-Sol EL34 and maybe the JJ 6CA7.

 

[harleytech]

I have EH EL34's in all my Marshalls... They sound good to me...
And Tung-sol 12AX7's in all V1 & V2 positions and Sovtec 12AX7 LPS's in all V3's
Perfect for me...
YMMV...

 

[matttornado]

From my experience, the Chinese Ruby EL34 BSTRs are more reliable than the JJ & EH tubes I used in the past. I think the Chinese (Ruby) got it right and are making great sounding / reliable tubes. The Chinese make some great musical products IMO.

 

[ken361]

From my experience, the Chinese Ruby EL34 BSTRs are more reliable than the JJ & EH tubes I used in the past. I think the Chinese (Ruby) got it right and are making great sounding / reliable tubes. The Chinese make some great musical products IMO.

The Ruby EL34BSTR's/EL34BW are a new high gain tube developed by Ruby and manufactured by Shuguang. They have a gold plated grid and extra thick glass. Perfect for modern gain, these have unique a wall of sound break up, very articulate. Ruby Tubes are matched both by plate current and transconductance and come with a 6 month warranty. For use in applications where the plate voltage is less than 450 vdc. For higher voltages, use the Ruby EL34BHT's.
CUSTOM

 

[ken361]

http://www.dougstubes.com/power-tubes/el34-kt77-6ca7/sed-el34.html
winged C singles