EL84...what do you like?

[captain_rusty]

So I'm retarded

I can't tell the difference between an N and a P

It's a very easy mistake to make - the Russian letter "n" is pronounced p. The Russian letter "p" is pronounced r. Etc...

[David Root]

And in the cyrillic alphabet H means N and so on. It is very confusing. At least the numbers are the same!

[quayhog]

When I sold my `61 AC30 it had Amperex Bugle Boys in it. They were great. While I currently don't own an amp which uses 6BQ5 tubes I have a quad of NOS Tung-Sols waiting for a project. I've had these in my caddy for twenty years just waiting for the right moment. I think I also have a quad of new GE 6BQ5's. I have GE's in my old Scott HiFi amp.

I have a transformer set for an AC-15/18 watt amp I just need a chassis and time.

[dehughes]

Personally, I prefer the EH's to the JJ's in my EL84 amps. I find that while the JJ's are a more robust and warm sounding tube, the EH's have a certain upper midrange clarity that lets the chime come through quite well. In a more Marshally application, fine...use the JJ's....but for a Voxy jangle articulate vibe I prefer the EH's. The JJ's seem too dark and smoky for my tastes/applications...but I'm in the minority. Now, if only the EH's could handle life in my AC30 creation as well as the JJ's do....

I've not sprang for a NOS set, however, as I'm a bit too cheap, though the consensus seems to be that they are far better than new production, on the whole.

[dartanion]

Personally, I prefer the EH's to the JJ's in my EL84 amps. I find that while the JJ's are a more robust and warm sounding tube, the EH's have a certain upper midrange clarity that lets the chime come through quite well. In a more Marshally application, fine...use the JJ's....but for a Voxy jangle articulate vibe I prefer the EH's. The JJ's seem too dark and smoky for my tastes/applications...but I'm in the minority. Now, if only the EH's could handle life in my AC30 creation as well as the JJ's do....

I've not sprang for a NOS set, however, as I'm a bit too cheap, though the consensus seems to be that they are far better than new production, on the whole.

Just take a few chances on some used ones on fleaBay or pay a little more from a reputable vendor. Brent Jesse usually has a lot of good used tubes. Got some used Mullard EL84s from that are the bomb.

[philmanatee]

I can't say enough about used mullards. A friend of mine came into a bunch of heathkit power supplies a few years ago, they all had mullard el-84's in them. He made me a bunch of quads based on current draw and sold them to me for $8 apiece! I've ony had on go south on me, in a marshall pa 20. The difference in tone between the used mullards and any new el-84 is unbelievable in most circuits. Some amps actually sounded better with new jj's, like my traynor bassmate, go figure! Phil