EL34's

[wingobingo]

I'm looking for the "best" new production EL34 - not just for tone - but from a mechanical noise perspective. Something that will last more than a few months. Let me know what your favorites are and why.
thanks!!

[Noval_novice]

I'm using a Mullard Reissue in an AX84 HO amp and have been pleased with it. So that's an N = 1.

[JamesHealey]

I've never had a JJ EL34 fail or go bad on me.. they tend to be really robust and low microphonics etc.

Not the best sounding valve but not bad either.

[wingobingo]

The amp is a combo (Alessandro Working Dog Doberman) so its subject to a good deal of vibration. It came with the Mullard reissues as orignal equip. I sent back a pair of SED "Winged C" and pretty much destroyed one of the pair of Tung Sol reissues. How are the JJ's on the high end?
Any other thoughts greatly appreciated!!

[selloutrr]

+1 for the JJ good work horse.

Basically as long as it's not produced in China it's a decent tube.
Tone depends on model and plant it was manufactured in.

Winged C are my fav current production EL34 but pricey.

Sovteks have proved they are a solid work horse tube, and often used as the OEM tubes supplied by manufactures.

[M Fowler]

I thought I was alone in the use of current production JJ EL34's, good tubes in my opinion.

Mark

[Cliff Schecht]

I use JJ when going for new production myself. If anything I can say that JJ's give a consistent sound from batch to batch. Not the best sounding in all amps but usually never the worst either. Heck in some amps they sound fantastic. My SE KT88 build absolutely killed, clean and dirty, which I attribute in part to the great new production JJ KT88 (and preamp tubes) that I put there, as well as a great circuit design .

[teleslinger73]

Best new production el34s i've tried have been the tung sol el34b, they are getting great reviews as the best new production el34. Ive tried them in my own amp and it is a great sounding tube, a little more flat sounding at lower volumes, and then when pushed that great midrange growl.

Chris Breaux
roaneamps.com

[Richie]

Basically as long as it's not produced in China it's a decent tube.

I wouldn't group all of them together. Shugang makes some good tubes. And i think some of those are made using the old GEC tooling machines.

The older brown base EL34B were good tubes.

[M Fowler]

The China tubes I have been getting are good such as the 6550, 6SQ7, 6SL7 and waiting on a 6N7P.

Mark

[Structo]

I have read several sources that claim the Chinese tubes are improving their quality all the time.
It is in their best interest to make the tubes as well as possible.

[Phil_S]

I wouldn't group all of them together. Shugang makes some good tubes. And i think some of those are made using the old GEC tooling machines.

The older brown base EL34B were good tubes.

I feel like I don't know much but have been following with interest. Quite a while back, I built a JTM45 circuit with iron from an Arkay FL-30. I employed a recycled chassis and it turned out the existing octal holes were too closely centered for big bottle tubes like KT66. I bought a pair of Shuguang EL34B, mostly because I didn't feel like spending any more on the project. I think these sound just fine. I don't use the amp much because I don't play out and who needs this sort of wattage at home? But I wouldn't hesitate to use these tubes again, especially at the low price point they have.

[billyz]

Guess I'll be the spoiler and say I have not been impressed with the Quality of the JJ el34 and KT77 tubes. Oh, they sound ok, but one in 3 have not been reliable and drift horribly or fail outright. So I quit using them about one year ago. OK, I have even even had the winged C's fail immediately,(filament short right out of the box), rough handling prior? The replacements were excellent sounding and reliable so far. But for my money the Sovteks still rule, may not be the best sonically but very low failure rates for many years now. Just my experience YMMV.

[Zippy]

I ... pretty much destroyed one of the pair of Tung Sol reissues.

What do you mean by that???

Are there amp issues that are negatively affecting tube life? I wouldn't call vibrations inherent to being in a combo as notoriously deleterious.

[Colossal]

I would also have to say that the Mullard reissue EL34s sound pretty good and don't have anything bad to say about them in Marshall circuits. n=2.