6L6's VS EL34's

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zepplin490

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Ok guys im going to be getting a an RM50HB and its outfitted with EL34's I have never played any amp (to my knowledge) with EL34's. What are the tonal differences? I hear that they will help my marshall modules sound a bit more authentic but what will happen to say an Angel B? or a JF UltraLead?
-mp-
 
EL34's will give you less bottom and more mids. More of a classic Marshall platform in tonal characteristics.
 
Marshall/British sound is traditionally associated with EL34s...Modern Metal would be closer on the 6L6 side as well as anything really spanky clean...

If you don't play at really loud levels, it will matter less which you choose...

I personally like EL34s best as well as the variations like KT77, 6CA7, EL34L, etc....I find 6L6s nice too and in an RM100- that is a nice blend...But for an RM50 you gotta just pick one...

Having said all that, I would recommend JJKT77s or EH6CA7s...Both are cheap and will give you the characteristics you desire in the Marshall tone but will give you the deeper bass and more headroom than a standard EL34...
Matched pair, of course as your RM50 only has one bias adjustment...
Hope that helps... :D
 
Let us not forget my all time favorite tube for my Eganter Mod 50 and that is the Tung-Sol 5881. Just an amzing tube that does everyhting well.
 
EL34s also hit harder than 6L6GCs, yet compress sooner. There are pretty bassy EL34s around (such as the RFT), so I would say that the greatest difference in EQ is in the high end, where a typical 6L6 is classier.

Then of course you have the KT series which are more defined than either and otherwise a great blend between the two.
 
My new RM50 Head came with what was left of a set of JJ EL34's I was psyched to put my 59rr custom and my plexitweed in for a test drive but alas the shipping gods were against me so ive gotta bias up a set of 6l6's today to test the head and make sure the power tubes and the reverb tank are the only victims and wait for the new incoming set of EL34's..
-mp-
 
my velocity valve showed up last night in a POS posterboard box, I am afraid to open it and then hafta loose it. hopefully i can crank that up this weekend and all will be find so i wont mind ripping out the RT2/50 PD boards to send off for modding!
 
dcg8 said:
Let us not forget my all time favorite tube for my Eganter Mod 50 and that is the Tung-Sol 5881. Just an amzing tube that does everyhting well.

The MOD50 I recently got came with these in it. The amp sounds really good and not what I would expect for a 6L6 type tube. Getting some great mid grind and a really deep and punchy low end. Only running a 2x12 these days, but it sounds big and full.
I looked at the bias last night and it seems to be set a bit cool. I plan on bumping it up a bit and also trying some EL34s soon, but I gotta say I dig these 5881s.
 
6CA7's have impressed me as of late. More bottom, more rounded top and clarity I found over the EL34. Great crunch. Just straight up cheapo JJ 6Ca7's. Save money and sound great!
 
Kapo_Polenton said:
6CA7's have impressed me as of late. More bottom, more rounded top and clarity I found over the EL34. Great crunch. Just straight up cheapo JJ 6Ca7's. Save money and sound great!

I mix these with Winged C 34's in a RM100. It rocks.
 
eyeball987 said:
Kapo_Polenton said:
6CA7's have impressed me as of late. More bottom, more rounded top and clarity I found over the EL34. Great crunch. Just straight up cheapo JJ 6Ca7's. Save money and sound great!

I mix these with Winged C 34's in a RM100. It rocks.

Yes, yes ya'll...I do that in an RM100 too...Sounds awesome...
 
Mattfig said:
eyeball987 said:
Kapo_Polenton said:
6CA7's have impressed me as of late. More bottom, more rounded top and clarity I found over the EL34. Great crunch. Just straight up cheapo JJ 6Ca7's. Save money and sound great!

I mix these with Winged C 34's in a RM100. It rocks.

Yes, yes ya'll...I do that in an RM100 too...Sounds awesome...

In my head I am hearing the old 80's anti-pot commercial:

"I LEARNED IT FROM WATCHING YOU!"
 
eyeball987 said:
Mattfig said:
eyeball987 said:
Kapo_Polenton said:
6CA7's have impressed me as of late. More bottom, more rounded top and clarity I found over the EL34. Great crunch. Just straight up cheapo JJ 6Ca7's. Save money and sound great!

I mix these with Winged C 34's in a RM100. It rocks.

Yes, yes ya'll...I do that in an RM100 too...Sounds awesome...

In my head I am hearing the old 80's anti-pot commercial:

"I LEARNED IT FROM WATCHING YOU!"

Sorry, lost interest after reading anti-pot... 8)
 
Sadly, it's not us guitar players, it's our stupid day job companies that are anti-pot.. :cry:
 
And in my case my doctor is anti-pot and demands monthly drug tests even though I haven't had a dirty test in 2 and a half years. Just because she prescribes my klonoins she's all worried that I might smoke pot ...
-mp-
 
Strangely one of the best sounds I ever got was with a 50 watt JCM800 with 2 6L6s in it (I was using it like a power amp and running rack gear into the front end of it though).
 
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