Taste Test......EL84s

[Blind Lemon]

Just got back from a Buddy's. I took the Purple People Eater over to his place to have him give a listen. He is a most excellent and long time (re:30 years) amp tech and builder. Anyway I was talking up the Saratov PTs and he said he had always liked the JJs. He had a new in the box set of JJs, so we did a quick taste test.

Guitar: American Strat with single coils

Both sets of tubes sounded great. The JJs were very chimmy and loud with good harmonics. The Saratovs were darker more mellow and rounded. I think the Saratovs didn't sound as loud because they were mellower and didn't have the top end briteness of the JJs. In my amp, as is, the JJs would cut through a manhole cover. I wish we would have had an LP or other Humbucker guitar to try with the JJs. Maybe next time.

My Conclusion: I still like the Saratovs better, more my tone, if I were to use the JJs I would probably try to knock some more of the briteness out of the crct. I like the tone stack as is so I would work with the coupling caps or brite cap.

Just my thoughts. YMMV

BL

[M Fowler]

Probably because I don't know any better I like the JJ and is usually what I buy. Having been around awhile I have had my share of old tubes and I just can't see what every one thinks is so great about certain tubes. To each their own. Besides I don't have the money to outfit every amp with high dollar tubes.

Mark

[Blind Lemon]

Saratovs are 48 a matched quad shipped. The tube store=JJs at 44 shipped so WT*. Guess I should have saved my money and bought a Starbucks

Nice add...........

BL

[gearhead]

Thanks for the review/info. I have a set to try out on my Liverpool when it gets completed. Already have JJ's, and wanted an alternative.

[dartanion]

My biggest beef with JJs is that they are inconsistent and peter out quickly. Tonally, they sound pretty good, but they just don't last and they drift. The Saratovs last a lot longer and sound sweeter over time. In fact, I have never had a Saratov fail on me, which I can't say for JJs.

[M Fowler]

Okay you convinced me to get some Saratovs to try I know others have said they liked them too. Thanks

Mark

[Blind Lemon]

I used JJs in the the preamp except V1 and have always had good luck with their 12AX7s and 6V6s. I have not had any good luck with there EL34s and have not really tried the EL84s before. For 6L6s and El34s I like Winged C. New stock that is...............

BL

[rawnster]

Hey Lemon, interesting post. I've always found JJ el84s somewhat dull and anemic. Don't know why but they just don't come to life for me. I've tried them current production amps (i.e., Tophats, 65amps) and in my rocket build. I can't find any love for them. The Saratov's, on the hand, made my rocket build come alive with nice chime and air...something the JJ's didn't offer.

Other than an old set of mullards, my favorite brand of el84s are Ei's. Dude, for me they chime and grind just right. Too bad they don't last long. The last quad set I had only lasted 3 months. They were in a Tophat King Royale.

[rawnster]

Lemon, if you like the JJ el84s but think they're a little too bright, you could always throw in a NOS Mullard GZ34 recto. That would warm it up quite a bit.

But wait, that's a topic for another thread.

[Tonegeek]

My biggest beef with JJs is that they are inconsistent and peter out quickly. Tonally, they sound pretty good, but they just don't last and they drift. The Saratovs last a lot longer and sound sweeter over time. In fact, I have never had a Saratov fail on me, which I can't say for JJs.

I agree JJ's are inconsistent but they sound pretty good at least in my D-clone. Recently I had to place 4 orders/returns for one EL-34 before i got one that worked. They seem to last about a year for me if they make it past the first 10 minutes. On my next order I am going to get them at a place that does their own QA testing - like Eurotubes.

[Zippy]

Lemon, if you like the JJ el84s but think they're a little too bright, you could always throw in a NOS Mullard GZ34 recto. That would warm it up quite a bit.

But wait, that's a topic for another thread.

Hey, I'm watchin' you.

[DustyBadlands]

For the money I like the Saratov's DB

[dartanion]

Again, use what sounds good to you. If JJs trip your trigger, use em. If not, use something else.

My personal preference for tubing an amp is to find the lowest noise tubes out of my stash, then select the ones that sound best in that amp regardless of new, used pull, or NOS. I always hope they will NOS so they will last and I won't have to go through the tubing process again. Keep in mind that Wrecks are extraordinarily picky about tubes. The Rocket less so than the Express and Liverpool.

[Blind Lemon]

I am not advocating using one over the other, this or that. And my experiance with EL84 JJ were the 5 or ten minutes we had them in, just a little food for thought.

rawnster; maybe that was the inconsistency TG was talking about and I read your rectifier post and I'm with ZipperHead on that one. But, I've been wrong before and will again..........

TG; instead of the JJ EL34 try the =C=, as said I've had good luck with them in Plexi builds and the tone is very good.

DB +1

Dart.....I'm with you, but this build was for a gigging musician and he was delighted with the amp with new issues. But, most of us have a few tubes to play with.

[dartanion]

Yes, Winged C (=C=) for new EL34s. They are clones of XF2 IIRC and are quite consistent.