# Anyone using EL34B's ?



## JeremyallenGTR

I just bought a matched Quad set of Tung-sol EL34B's. Anyone out there using them?:headbanger


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## jcmjmp

I have a new set but haven't tried 'em yet.  I should.


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## JeremyallenGTR

Cant wait to get them! Stoked!!!!!!!


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## JeremyallenGTR

Okay, I got my Quad matched pair of Tung-Sol EL34B's installed and I have been playing them since my last post around January. 

Heres what I found: The Tung-Sol EL34B's have tremendous bass presence compared to the stock EL34. They were noticeably different in the way they sounded. The Tung-Sol EL34'B had better, fuller, brighter, and all around warmer tone. At low volume they sound similar to 6L6 tubes but once you crank them up you get that gooey EL34 tone but with more saturation, presence, and volume. I definitely recommend these tubes. A couple days ago I switched out my EL34B"S and put the stock tubes back in. The sound was subpar and flimsily compared to the EL34'B and very noticeable difference.

I switched back to the Tung-Sol EL34B's after a couple of hours playing the stock tubes.

I have my DSL 100 Biased at 85 for a little better clarity and saturation.


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## PaoloJM

Thanks for the review. 
Haven't tried them myself yet, but I will now!!


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## kharvelan

so what is the difference electronically between the el34Bs and the regular ones? Do they use more voltage, etc?

could they cause issues with your preamp section?


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## MartyStrat54

kharvelan said:


> so what is the difference electronically between the el34Bs and the regular ones? Do they use more voltage, etc?
> 
> could they cause issues with your preamp section?



They are a direct replacement. They use the plate voltage supplied by the amplifier. They are a slightly higher impedance tube which means they will bias differently that a regular EL34 (but still within the range of the bias pots). They will not damage your preamp tubes.

Review:

The Tungsol EL34B is likely to become the #1 choice of currently produced EL34 tubes. The build construction is great all around and the move to welded plates will likely keep “EL34 rattle” to a minimum over time. The manufacturer claims that this tube has a hint of 6L6 in its tone thanks to manipulating the plate impedance. This is absolutely true, but the effect is most notable when playing clean and to a lesser extent when the tube is driven hard. At lower volume settings you hear a very pure balanced tone with a bit of the 6L6 sparkle in the higher frequencies while providing a midrange that is a little less prominent than most EL34 tubes. The tubes were very open and airy. The bottom end was percussive in the 2x12 open back combo. When driven into distortion it starts off a bit crunchy like a 6L6 but as you push it, the sound blooms into that singing EL34 tone with great sustain and modest compression. I love these tubes. Over the years I’ve tested many tubes but this is the first time I’ve had to tell myself to stop playing and get on to the next set!

The above taken from the Tube Store.

Marty


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## solarburn

Fat, big, warm tone.


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## Optimus Prime

Does Anyone have opinion about Tube Amp Doctor TAD EL34B tubes???..... the price is very good


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## Ken

JeremyallenGTR said:


> Heres what I found: The Tung-Sol EL34B's have tremendous bass presence compared to the stock EL34. They were noticeably different in the way they sounded. The Tung-Sol EL34'B had better, fuller, brighter, and all around warmer tone. At low volume they sound similar to 6L6 tubes but once you crank them up you get that gooey EL34 tone but with more saturation, presence, and volume. I definitely recommend these tubes. A couple days ago I switched out my EL34B"S and put the stock tubes back in. The sound was subpar and flimsily compared to the EL34'B and very noticeable difference.
> 
> .



+1 
I also have Tung-Sol 34B's and They sound wonderful. My old EL 34's were a little too bright I thought; these really mesh well with G12H speakers which have a flatter frequency curve than the standard G12T 75's. I think these tubes would work well with any speakers though.

Ken


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## spiritdave

Hmm, maybe I should try these out in my Jubilee?


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## Optimus Prime

Optimus Prime said:


> Does Anyone have opinion about Tube Amp Doctor TAD EL34B tubes???..... the price is very good



any opinion?


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## TwinACStacks

Yep. +1 I've been using TungSol EL34B's for about 1/2 a Year now. 1st I put a Quad in My DSpLexi and Now a Pair in My JCM 800.

They Fuckin' ROCK. I'm VERY pleased with the sound. I have to run Bass at 2 or below, they've got BOTTOM!!!!!

I'm biased at about 65% dissipation.

 TWIN


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## TwinACStacks

spiritdave said:


> Hmm, maybe I should try these out in my Jubilee?



OH Yeah.

 TWIN


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## MajorNut1967

I have used the Tung-Sol EL34B in about six amplifiers now. Overall these are a good tube they excel in the upper mid range and in the top end, very glassy and smooth in the top end. The bass is very tight no flubbyness at all. If you have an amp that is particularly boomy this will iron that out right away without losing your thunder. One thing to be careful with is I have found that the glass on these is a bit delicate and brittle so they don't do well with rough handling or drops. They seem to last well one of my customers has had a set of these in his hundred watt for the last three years and they are still running great. I personally recommend the use in non-master volume Marshall Amps, try a set give them a short period to break in I think you'll be pleased.


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## diesect20022000

MajorNut1967 said:


> I have used the Tung-Sol EL34B in about six amplifiers now. Overall these are a good tube they excel in the upper mid range and in the top end, very glassy and smooth in the top end. The bass is very tight no flubbyness at all. If you have an amp that is particularly boomy this will iron that out right away without losing your thunder. One thing to be careful with is I have found that the glass on these is a bit delicate and brittle so they don't do well with rough handling or drops. They seem to last well one of my customers has had a set of these in his hundred watt for the last three years and they are still running great. I personally recommend the use in non-master volume Marshall Amps, try a set give them a short period to break in I think you'll be pleased.



Based on this response throwing a quad in my DSL wouldn't really yield desirable results? Or just for the fact that with a master volume your driving your preamp for distortion being your reasoning? I like the idea of a slightly 6l6ish tone for the clean side of the spectrum. I was going to run some KT-77's in it but, i'm worried about the top end getting spikey. I do play metal and even detuned metal but, i hate ice pik distortion.I'm perfectly content with my DSL honestly but, the tubes are stock and i'll have to replace them eventualy.I like 80's shred too like Yngwie,Batio,Vai,Satch. I'm really all over the place though when playing as you know..when you really love guitar it's good to be open and to learn styles you may not otherwise be into.


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## rjohns1

I have a quad in my 6100. They sound great. I've only put about 12 hours on them though, so I can't speak of reliability yet.


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## MajorNut1967

diesect20022000 said:


> Based on this response throwing a quad in my DSL wouldn't really yield desirable results? Or just for the fact that with a master volume your driving your preamp for distortion being your reasoning? I like the idea of a slightly 6l6ish tone for the clean side of the spectrum. I was going to run some KT-77's in it but, i'm worried about the top end getting spikey. I do play metal and even detuned metal but, i hate ice pik distortion.I'm perfectly content with my DSL honestly but, the tubes are stock and i'll have to replace them eventualy.I like 80's shred too like Yngwie,Batio,Vai,Satch. I'm really all over the place though when playing as you know..when you really love guitar it's good to be open and to learn styles you may not otherwise be into.



No I don't have enough experience with the DSL amplifiers, so I couldn't recommend EL34B one way or the other on the DSL, big Dooley might be able to help you there. But I think trying a set the KT 77 power tubes would give you that 6L6 cleanness at lower volumes, but when you wind them up they will growl at you with some nice sustain not quite the compression you'll get with an EL34 but it might be worth your while to try them. Again ask Dooley he seems to be the DSL guy on this forum.


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## big dooley

MajorNut1967 said:


> No I don't have enough experience with the DSL amplifiers, so I couldn't recommend EL34B one way or the other on the DSL, big Dooley might be able to help you there. But I think trying a set the KT 77 power tubes would give you that 6L6 cleanness at lower volumes, but when you wind them up they will growl at you with some nice sustain not quite the compression you'll get with an EL34 but it might be worth your while to try them. Again ask Dooley he seems to be the DSL guy on this forum.



ME??? "THE" DSL-guy???? 
i sold mine!!! ask anything about the JVM and i'm at your service....

but serious... yes, the DSL can be bright on the ultra gain channels... that's one thing i remember of that monster... 
KT77's add low end and a bit high end, so the latter would normally won't mix with your wishes... 
but let's face it... metal players are getting their distortion most of the time from the preamp, giving them better control via the tone stack circuit... most of them want a poweramp with a lot of headroom... if the poweramp breaks up the already heavily distorted signal, the thing becomes a big pool of uncontrollable mud....

KT77's add headroom (i'm not familiar with the EL34B's)... so the only downside on the KT77 is that they add a bit more high end... since you are most of the time battering the preamp, why don't focus on that? JJ's preamp tubes for instance are known for their dark sounding nature... they don't have that grit the EH or tungsol pre's have and are more rounded off... many around here find them bland sounding but i like them....

the reliability of KT77's in my experience is very good...
where most EL34ás have a max screen voltage of 450/500Vdc, the KT77 can take much more


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## Ken

big dooley said:


> but serious... yes, the DSL can be bright on the ultra gain channels... that's one thing i remember of that monster... more



Yeah, there's no getting around the different voicings on the two DSL channels. You have to use that as a feature instead of a drawback. 

The EL34B's made both channels better though when I put them in, although anecdotally speaking, to me they seemed to highlight that difference even more. I've changed my settings with them: I use the red channel now exclusively for the distortion tones and keep the green very clean for fingerpicking interludes. When I want a cleaner distortion I use my Tube Screamer on the green. 

Before the EL34B's I'd use the distortion on the green channel a LOT more, but the red is so warm and less buzzy now I've switched over.

Ken


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## diesect20022000

big dooley said:


> ME??? "THE" DSL-guy????
> i sold mine!!! ask anything about the JVM and i'm at your service....
> 
> but serious... yes, the DSL can be bright on the ultra gain channels... that's one thing i remember of that monster...
> KT77's add low end and a bit high end, so the latter would normally won't mix with your wishes...
> but let's face it... metal players are getting their distortion most of the time from the preamp, giving them better control via the tone stack circuit... most of them want a poweramp with a lot of headroom... if the poweramp breaks up the already heavily distorted signal, the thing becomes a big pool of uncontrollable mud....
> 
> KT77's add headroom (i'm not familiar with the EL34B's)... so the only downside on the KT77 is that they add a bit more high end... since you are most of the time battering the preamp, why don't focus on that? JJ's preamp tubes for instance are known for their dark sounding nature... they don't have that grit the EH or tungsol pre's have and are more rounded off... many around here find them bland sounding but i like them....
> 
> the reliability of KT77's in my experience is very good...
> where most EL34ás have a max screen voltage of 450/500Vdc, the KT77 can take much more



I do play most styles though and i adjust my pre gain with volume accordingly too and even with metal i'm the oddball as i LIKE the power tube breakup and compression that most metal players dread. Yeah the preamp shapes the tone but, those i'm pretty comfortable in what i plan on using and i'll have to retube the power section sooner. I definitely appreciate the input too. I actualy use tung sol's in my v1 sometimes but, they are a little too linear for me. JJ's are good all around but, i noticed the chinese (sound decent) and GT12ax7(california tested) fatten up the preamp and sound pretty good even though i'm not typicaly a big GT fan. I was originaly debating the E34L but, i really like my tone as is too so i may just have to isolate the original bran names of the Marshall relabled tubes. My DSL sounds great now which is actualy WHY i'm concerned about tubes. Usualy i use 6l6 amps and JJ or ruby power tubes but, this amp's my baby.


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## big dooley

diesect20022000 said:


> I do play most styles though and i adjust my pre gain with volume accordingly too and even with metal i'm the oddball as i LIKE the power tube breakup and compression that most metal players dread. Yeah the preamp shapes the tone but, those i'm pretty comfortable in what i plan on using and i'll have to retube the power section sooner. I definitely appreciate the input too. I actualy use tung sol's in my v1 sometimes but, they are a little too linear for me. JJ's are good all around but, i noticed the chinese (sound decent) and GT12ax7(california tested) fatten up the preamp and sound pretty good even though i'm not typicaly a big GT fan. I was originaly debating the E34L but, i really like my tone as is too so i may just have to isolate the original bran names of the Marshall relabled tubes. My DSL sounds great now which is actualy WHY i'm concerned about tubes. Usualy i use 6l6 amps and JJ or ruby power tubes but, this amp's my baby.



KT77's need to be pushed a bit more before they break up, but once they do...
what are your volume settings by the way?


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## Alexonguitar

Someone said you could just stick the tungsol EL34B's into a DSL100 without biasing. Could you just stick them into a TSL122 without biasing also? Let me know as I know nothing about biasing.


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## jcmjmp

Alexonguitar said:


> Someone said you could just stick the tungsol EL34B's into a DSL100 without biasing. Could you just stick them into a TSL122 without biasing also? Let me know as I know nothing about biasing.



You can't install EL34 in a Marshall without biasing them.


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## Michael1987xl

JeremyallenGTR said:


> Heres what I found: The Tung-Sol EL34B's have tremendous bass presence compared to the stock EL34. They were noticeably different in the way they sounded. The Tung-Sol EL34'B had better, fuller, brighter, and all around warmer tone. At low volume they sound similar to 6L6 tubes but once you crank them up you get that gooey EL34 tone but with more saturation, presence, and volume. I definitely recommend these tubes. A couple days ago I switched out my EL34B"S and put the stock tubes back in. The sound was subpar and flimsily compared to the EL34'B and very noticeable difference.





MartyStrat54 said:


> Review: The Tungsol EL34B is likely to become the #1 choice of currently produced EL34 tubes. The build construction is great all around and the move to welded plates will likely keep “EL34 rattle” to a minimum over time. The manufacturer claims that this tube has a hint of 6L6 in its tone thanks to manipulating the plate impedance. This is absolutely true, but the effect is most notable when playing clean and to a lesser extent when the tube is driven hard. At lower volume settings you hear a very pure balanced tone with a bit of the 6L6 sparkle in the higher frequencies while providing a midrange that is a little less prominent than most EL34 tubes. The tubes were very open and airy. The bottom end was percussive in the 2x12 open back combo. When driven into distortion it starts off a bit crunchy like a 6L6 but as you push it, the sound blooms into that singing EL34 tone with great sustain and modest compression. I love these tubes. Over the years I’ve tested many tubes but this is the first time I’ve had to tell myself to stop playing and get on to the next set!



From both of those reviews, it seems that the EL34B's might sound a whole lot like KT77's. The following is also from The Tube Store and, from my experience with the KT77's, is dead-on balls accurate:



> For audiophiles, the Genalex/Gold Lion KT77 tubes have full, yet tight and dynamic lows. They have great clarity in the mid-range as well, and extended highs. Many audiophiles that have previously enjoyed the Winged "C"/SED EL34 tubes have reported that these KT77 tubes are noticeably better.
> 
> From our review in guitar amps: "The Gold Lion KT77 is a drop in replacement for an EL34 or 6CA7. The sound however is not typical of an EL34 or 6CA7. It is more of a hybrid. The tube delivers all the mid punch you would expect in an EL34 but also has a top end that is more open and bright. It’s definitely got a bit of a 6L6 designed into it. I tested it in Marshall 2205 50w head and was able to get that 70’s rock sound but with some bias adjustment could also dial in a VOX-like chime."



Am I getting this right?


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## big dooley

yep, the same would apply to EH 6CA7's and JJ 6CA7's and E34L's... 
they all have their own characteristics, but the main thing indeed is more low and high end


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## bloozman_1

is there any mods you need to do to use the EL34B's in a JCM800 "1959" ? sorry noob and all that but need to replace valves i think and looking at what everyone is saying these are the valves for the job are they just a straight plugin or do you need extra Kit ? thanx for any help ...


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## wakjob

The EL34B is a fine tube and should work out well for you Blooz. They are rugged and sound great. 
If your amp is an EL34 amp already, there's no further mods needed.


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## EndGame00

I'm curious about those EL34B.. It appears they sound great with amps that has no presence control. It helps opens up the tone a bit.


Has anyone use them before? Any feedback/comment/criticisms are appreciated..


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## chadjwil

For what it's worth, I have 2 DSL100s (my main amp since about 1999) and have been running the TS EL34B's in both for about a year. Best sounding tubes I've ever used in those amps, although I'm not that guy that spends $400 bucks on multiple sets of tubes that I'd just like to try out. I don't have any experience with 77's or 6CA7's so I can't compare the TS to those.

As for the TADs, I haven't tried those yet but I did put a quad of their 6L6GC-STR's in a friends 6100 and they were straight KILLER in both our opinions so in my mind I would have absolutely no difficulties trying their EL34s. I have actually been debating about going with those or 6CA7s when its time for my next tube change.


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## Ken

I've been using TS EL34B's for 4 years now, but I just ordered some Ruby EL34B's instead. I'm not expecting a huge difference, in fact I'm not expecting to hear much difference at all being a DSL. Which is good since I like the TS a lot. I'll report back when they're in if anyone is interested.

Ken


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## jball1985

I was using winged c's. When it came time to buy a new pair the price had increased by about $30-40. So I went with Tung Sols. They sound great. More snap, less compressed than what I remember from the winged c's on the classic channel. I'm a heavy blues player... I bought the early break up version from Doug's Tubes. These are near perfect for my style. I couldnt give you a responsible critique of the red channel though as I don't get to use it much (amp must be cranked and I mean cranked). Tung Sol EL 34B's imo = Great friggin power tubes for my 1923C. I use tung sols in v1 and v2 too. Ive also used the Ruby el34 bstr's, these would be my second choice. They seemed to sound a little more beefy on the bottom end.


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## damienbeale

That's because it's not really an EL34. The B designation seems to indicate beam forming plates, which make them more like an EL34/6L6 hybrid.


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## Blacque Jacque

So would that give it some characteristics more like a KT of some kind ?


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## damienbeale

Not necessarily kinkless tetrode , but general beam tetrode characteristics yes.


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## FutureProf88

I've read that the Tung Sol 34B's have a fair share of reliability issues. Anybody experienced this?


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## EADGBE

Are you guys still diggin' the new Tung-Sol EL34B?


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## charveldan

JeremyallenGTR said:


> I just bought a matched Quad set of Tung-sol EL34B's. Anyone out there using them?:headbanger


Been using them about 5 to 6 years now. They're superb.
Make sure they're matched.


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## Micky

I had a pair in my DSL for a while until I converted it to 6550's.
They really opened it up and everything seemed to work & sound better.
TAD EL34B STR: http://www.marshallforum.com/thread...-information-thread.53780/page-12#post-941017


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## paul-e-mann

I had some Shuguang EL34B and they were splendid, nice crunchy sparkle, I'm sorry they left with an amp I sold.


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## anitoli

I have them in my blue anniversary and i have no complaints. They sound great.


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## Adieu

Got a quad of EL34B-STR's (whatever that means) in a head I picked up yesterday.... sounds kickass after changing the burnt out HT fuse that got me a $400 discount

Much better than I remember a stock TSL sounding. Although that might just be the better cab and speaker complement (solid heavy duty frontloader, top row g12-65, bottom row g12-K85; previous experiences were with usual 1960A w/ T75's)


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## What?

Time for a retube in my DSL-50. I think I'm going to try a pair of the Tung Sol EL34B's. The current tubes are some old =C= and the price on those has went too far north. Might as well try a couple of different V1 tubes too. Any recommendations for mid-gain classic rock playing? I would like to lean toward the warmer side, away from that chinese too bright sound but not murky.


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## wakjob

I can't really rate CP 12ax7's, they all sound very gainy and strident since using old stock tubes for quite a while now.

Especially for v1...
treat your amp to a few extra bucks on NOS or used/strong.


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## What?

wakjob said:


> I can't really rate CP 12ax7's, they all sound very gainy and strident since using old stock tubes for quite a while now.
> 
> Especially for v1...
> treat your amp to a few extra bucks on NOS or used/strong.



I'm doubting that NOS would make any major difference in a DSL, other than possibly longevity.


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## wakjob

What? said:


> I'm doubting that NOS would make any major difference in a DSL, other than possibly longevity.



V1...yes, it will make a difference.
The rest down the line...diminishing returns.


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## What?

wakjob said:


> V1...yes, it will make a difference.
> The rest down the line...diminishing returns.



It's a degree of how much of a difference. Having tried a range of tubes in V1 of this amp on multiple occasions (including some old RCA's and various 80's tubes), I haven't heard any major differences among them in this amp. Some are a touch brighter or mellower, or a little more gain or a little less, or this or that, but nothing major. Nothing that the controls on the amp count account for. If anything, I wouldn't mind trying something new production on the warmer side that is least likely to develop any rattling or microphonics.


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## solarburn

What? said:


> It's a degree of how much of a difference. Having tried a range of tubes in V1 of this amp on multiple occasions (including some old RCA's and various 80's tubes), I haven't heard any major differences among them in this amp. Some are a touch brighter or mellower, or a little more gain or a little less, or this or that, but nothing major. Nothing that the controls on the amp count account for. If anything, I wouldn't mind trying something new production on the warmer side that is least likely to develop any rattling or microphonics.



Have you tried an AC7HG+ also named Preferred Series 12AX7 in V1 yet? By the way the HG in the name stands for high grade not high gain. I really like it as a CP offering. It's on the warmer side to my ears.


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## wakjob

What? said:


> It's a degree of how much of a difference. Having tried a range of tubes in V1 of this amp on multiple occasions (including some old RCA's and various 80's tubes), I haven't heard any major differences among them in this amp. Some are a touch brighter or mellower, or a little more gain or a little less, or this or that, but nothing major. Nothing that the controls on the amp count account for. If anything, I wouldn't mind trying something new production on the warmer side that is least likely to develop any rattling or microphonics.



Gotcha...little DSL experience here.

Sounds like my friends Mesa Mark V. We rolled tubes in amps like that which have multiple gain stages, relays, ect... Any differences we heard weren't worth it.

The simpler the circuit, the more benefit of tube swapping.


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## marshalltsl

*JeremyallenGTRNew Member*
I just bought a matched Quad set of Tung-sol EL34B's. Anyone out there using them?:headbanger




I have a matched pair or them. I tryed with my Astoria and my JCM900 mk3. Good tube IMO. Great for bright sounding amps.


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## ampmadscientist

This is really funny.
An advertisement for EL34B tubes.
I love the way they try to pretend it's not advertising...but they could have done a more convincing job.
We are supposed to believe that this isn't an ad planted in the forum by vendors?
It obviously is.... a script.


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## What?

solarburnDSL50 said:


> Have you tried an AC7HG+ also named Preferred Series 12AX7 in V1 yet? By the way the HG in the name stands for high grade not high gain. I really like it as a CP offering. It's on the warmer side to my ears.



Nope. Haven't tried that tube, and that is the first I have heard about it.


ampmadscientist said:


> This is really funny.
> An advertisement for EL34B tubes.
> I love the way they try to pretend it's not advertising...but they could have done a more convincing job.
> We are supposed to believe that this isn't an ad planted in the forum by vendors?
> It obviously is.... a script.



Maybe right on that. Marketing is everywhere and in everything these days. Yackkk.

What got me looking at the Tung Sol EL34B is welded plates (possibly better durability against mechanical noise as the tubes wear) and the claims of more thickness and tighter bottom over other current production EL34's. I have definitely had tube rattle issues with current production stuff, and the DSL-50 does lean on the mushy and thin side with =C= in it. So the Tung Sol EL34B sounds like it could be an improvement. But what I have read on that is probably more advertising. :\


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## What?

wakjob said:


> Gotcha...little DSL experience here.
> 
> Sounds like my friends Mesa Mark V. We rolled tubes in amps like that which have multiple gain stages, relays, ect... Any differences we heard weren't worth it.
> 
> The simpler the circuit, the more benefit of tube swapping.



I should probably just quit screwing around with this amp and get a super lead or super bass. But either way, it still needs to be retubed at this point.


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## marshalltsl

marshalltsl said:


> *JeremyallenGTRNew Member*
> I just bought a matched Quad set of Tung-sol EL34B's. Anyone out there using them?:headbanger
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have a matched pair or them. I tryed with my Astoria and my JCM900 mk3. Good tube IMO. Great for bright sounding amps.



An ad to my advertisement for Tung Sol EL34B tubes.
Right now they are stored to spare part. I use the JCM 900 with winged C and the Astoria with 5881.


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## jball1985

I'm using them in a DSL50, they sound great and have lasted, well, a damn long time. I couldn't say for sure, but it's been years since I installed them. I like the low gain crunch side of things much better with these (EL34B's) as opposed to my old winged C's.


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## What?

jball1985 said:


> I'm using them in a DSL50, they sound great and have lasted, well, a damn long time. I couldn't say for sure, but it's been years since I installed them. I like the low gain crunch side of things much better with these (EL34B's) as opposed to my old winged C's.



To be clear, you're talking about the Tung Sol EL34B's or another brand?


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## Kinkless Tetrode

What? said:


> To be clear, you're talking about the Tung Sol EL34B's or another brand?



That's a good point. The most common Chinese EL34 is also called an EL34B. The TAD and Ruby EL34Bs are these. The Chinese EL34B is a beam tetrode actually. It sounds like a pentode EL34 to me, though. They do make a true pentode EL34 which they call the EL34A. I have never seen one in the wild.

The Russian Tung Sol branded EL34B is a pentode. However, they claim it has more of a 6L6 bottom end, and a touch of 6L6 glassiness up top, by having manipulated the impedance of the tube slightly. It sounds like an EL34 to me. It has welded plates for a rugged construction.

The Russian Mullard branded EL34 is built by the same people, but it has crimped plates. It is warmer sounding.


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## What?

Kinkless Tetrode said:


> That's a good point. The most common Chinese EL34 is also called an EL34B. The TAD and Ruby EL34Bs are these. The Chinese EL34B is a beam tetrode actually. It sounds like a pentode EL34 to me, though. They do make a true pentode EL34 which they call the EL34A. I have never seen one in the wild.
> 
> The Russian Tung Sol branded EL34B is a pentode. However, they claim it has more of a 6L6 bottom end, and a touch of 6L6 glassiness up top, by having manipulated the impedance of the tube slightly. It sounds like an EL34 to me. It has welded plates for a rugged construction.
> 
> The Russian Mullard branded EL34 is built by the same people, but it has crimped plates. It is warmer sounding.



I wonder what all those last letter designations of EL34's actually represent. A, B (beam? bass?), L (low frequency?), M (Mullard?), STR (special tube request).

I needed some power tubes yesterday for my DSL-50 and grabbed a pair locally, which are JJ EL34L's. They definitely have more low frequency content, are rounder and softer, fuller, and I think as a result they have a perceived attenuation effect in the mids where in comparison to an old set of winged C's, these EL34L's don't sound nearly as cutting and aggressive. The overall effect is a tradeoff of more roundness and warmth for less amplitude. I wouldn't describe them as dark or murky, just not nearly as bright (no glaring highs) and cutting and with an overall fuller and softer sound. They sound good, in a different way than those old winged C's did. Even when rolling off the bass and upping the mids and treble, they still sound warmer and fuller in the lows. For most of the stuff that I play, I think I like them better than the winged C's that were in this amp, because they are easier on the ears and have more of a compressing feel to dynamics rather than a hard compressed sound. More aggressive players might not like them for these reasons. They do lean heavy toward the low end roundness and softness in feel. I have no idea how they will hold up over time (internet folks say that they don't hold up too long). But if nothing else, they will make for a backup set of tubes, and they may have prevented me from killing something more expensive in my amp, such as the output transformer, by pushing on with those old winged c's.

Any way, I'm interested in trying a set of those Tung Sol EL34B's because of the welded plates (hoping for good durability, low mechanical noise over time), and the claims of more warmth over the winged C's sounds attractive to me.


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## Kinkless Tetrode

What? said:


> I wonder what all those last letter designations of EL34's actually represent. A, B (beam? bass?), L (low frequency?), M (Mullard?), STR (special tube request).
> 
> I needed some power tubes yesterday for my DSL-50 and grabbed a pair locally, which are JJ EL34L's. They definitely have more low frequency content, are rounder and softer, fuller, and I think as a result they have a perceived attenuation effect in the mids where in comparison to an old set of winged C's, these EL34L's don't sound nearly as cutting and aggressive. The overall effect is a tradeoff of more roundness and warmth for less amplitude. I wouldn't describe them as dark or murky, just not nearly as bright (no glaring highs) and cutting and with an overall fuller and softer sound. They sound good, in a different way than those old winged C's did. Even when rolling off the bass and upping the mids and treble, they still sound warmer and fuller in the lows. For most of the stuff that I play, I think I like them better than the winged C's that were in this amp, because they are easier on the ears and have more of a compressing feel to dynamics rather than a hard compressed sound. More aggressive players might not like them for these reasons. They do lean heavy toward the low end roundness and softness in feel. I have no idea how they will hold up over time (internet folks say that they don't hold up too long). But if nothing else, they will make for a backup set of tubes, and they may have prevented me from killing something more expensive in my amp, such as the output transformer, by pushing on with those old winged c's.
> 
> Any way, I'm interested in trying a set of those Tung Sol EL34B's because of the welded plates (hoping for good durability, low mechanical noise over time), and the claims of more warmth over the winged C's sounds attractive to me.



The E34L has a max plate dissipation of 30 watts instead of the more common 25 watts of most EL34 famly tubes, so take that into consideration if your using them in an amp that you need to set the bias on.


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## What?

Kinkless Tetrode said:


> The E34L has a max plate dissipation of 30 watts instead of the more common 25 watts of most EL34 famly tubes, so take that into consideration if your using them in an amp that you need to set the bias on.



When I searched on this (yesterday), it seems that JJ used to rate these tubes higher, but they are rating them the same as regular EL34's these days. https://www.jj-electronic.com/en/e34l

Maybe the higher max rating had something to do with opinions of these tubes having a short life, if everyone was biasing them hotter according to JJ's old specs.


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## Mike cooper

Micky said:


> I had a pair in my DSL for a while until I converted it to 6550's.
> They really opened it up and everything seemed to work & sound better.
> TAD EL34B STR: http://www.marshallforum.com/thread...-information-thread.53780/page-12#post-941017


You have any sound clips of your dsl?ive been wanting a 6550 tube amp and have a dsl I could convert


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## yafal

The Chinese EL34B is a beam tetrode actually. It sounds like a pentode EL34 to me, though.[/QUOTE]
Hi ! It's because, in the case of Shuguang EL34B, the data (provided supposedly from China) is wrong. They are pentodes. Sound and feel great in a DSL. If in doubt, compare them just visually with say a 6L6. The construction differences are obvious.


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