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Post by zpilot on Mar 17, 2016 9:17:08 GMT -7
I've recommended TAD EL84's a few times recently and I need to retract that. I started using them in my MAZ about a year ago and liked the way they sound but I have gone through 3 pairs now and have not gotten more than 100 hours on any pair. I am back to using my stock of 10+ year old JJ's for now. I have enough to last 2 to 3 years but I'd like to find something else I like rather than use these all up. I'll probably try some new JJ's. If I remember the main reason I stopped using those was because of the rattle which I can live with. I didn't care for the Russian Mil Surp tubes. Anyway, I'm off the TAD EL84's. I still like their new 6L6's though. Time will tell on that.
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EL84's
Mar 17, 2016 17:15:53 GMT -7
Post by digs57 on Mar 17, 2016 17:15:53 GMT -7
As much as I wanted to like them...they were better in my old blues jr than my maz I felt...too mid forward...one developed some crackle on start up...A certain vendor said "as long as it go's away youll be alright"...sure and if its your money?...didn't want go there again and you gave it creedence not to get them again...I was looking at the 7189 and you said all the right reasons I don't care to try them(other thread)...I am really fond of the Electro harmonix...but they are all so different in there performance...it would be nice to be able to rely on a certain parameter of tonal palate...but these are as sweet sounding as I have found for the money...im questioning tung sol's...
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Post by Paul (TRANE) on Mar 17, 2016 17:25:24 GMT -7
I love JJs for EL84s so far. I have tried a few but something just seems right around how the JJs sound to me.
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Post by BritInvasion on Mar 17, 2016 17:45:00 GMT -7
I wish tube makers would just get it right and stay consistent. The top-of-the-heap tube today can be the clunker 10 months from now. I really liked TAD's , and now they've slipped too. Before that JJ's were the thing then they went downhill - but now up again? The tube merry-go-round...
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Post by Albert on Mar 22, 2016 17:07:47 GMT -7
Not so fast ... I just purchased a matched quad at CME and one of them red plated on me .. they will replace the pair in question ... I always liked JJ tubes and TAD tubes from KCA so I will probably just buy from him exclusively for now on ... I won't use anything NOS in a cathode biased EL84 amp no point in burning good money on them ..
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EL84's
Mar 22, 2016 17:15:56 GMT -7
Post by BritInvasion on Mar 22, 2016 17:15:56 GMT -7
Not so fast ... I just purchased a matched quad at CME and one of them red plated on me .. Was it JJ's or TAD's that red plated?
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Post by Albert on Mar 22, 2016 17:40:59 GMT -7
Not so fast ... I just purchased a matched quad at CME and one of them red plated on me .. Was it JJ's or TAD's that red plated? Sorry, they were JJ tubes ...
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Post by daveyk on Mar 22, 2016 21:43:22 GMT -7
Bought some JJ el84's from eurotubes a few months back. They burn in their tubes for 24 hours before shipping. When I got them in the mail, I immediately put them in my Maz 38 and within a few minutes, one had red plated. Of course eurotubes replaced the tube, which was great. I think the main thing is buying from a dealer/seller who will warrant their product in case you run into a hiccup.
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Post by digs57 on Mar 24, 2016 19:52:04 GMT -7
Bought some JJ el84's from eurotubes a few months back. They burn in their tubes for 24 hours before shipping. When I got them in the mail, I immediately put them in my Maz 38 and within a few minutes, one had red plated. Of course eurotubes replaced the tube, which was great. I think the main thing is buying from a dealer/seller who will warrant their product in case you run into a hiccup. seems that's all you can do these days...nothing out there bullet proof...I guess I would rather have great sounding tubes for a reasonable amount of time than a indestructible meh sounding tube...
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EL84's
Jun 23, 2016 2:15:19 GMT -7
Post by eggman on Jun 23, 2016 2:15:19 GMT -7
Howdy,
I've had good luck with Sovteks and older JJ tubes (from 5+ years ago). For new EL84s, I'll probably go with Sovteks, as they're rugged and cheap. But please, let's not discuss tone, shall we?
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Post by sharkboy on Jun 23, 2016 4:28:46 GMT -7
I'm happy with the 7189s in my ZWreck. I hadn't used them before getting it. If they aren't a lively tube, I can only imagine what my old Ei EL84s would be like in that. Several years ago, I rolled almost every modern EL84 through my DC30 clone to find the best tone. I settled on the Shuguang EL84s and they've been in that amp for about 10 years without needing replacement. That was my main amp until, I got my Z. I think I paid about $6-8 a tube for them. I liked the Ei tubes better, but knew they couldn't survive a lot of torture. I also have a few NOS USA tubes that didn't sound better than the Shuguang ones. The JJs didn't really sound like EL84s to me- just a bit dark.
These things are all very amp and listener-dependent.
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Jun 23, 2016 14:53:38 GMT -7
I just bought several pair of 6n14n EP tubes that are USSR NOS. Great sounding tube, said to be long lasting and high voltage capable. They've got great tone, we'll see about the longevity.
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EL84's
Jun 24, 2016 10:45:44 GMT -7
Post by calfzilla on Jun 24, 2016 10:45:44 GMT -7
I just bought several pair of 6n14n EP tubes that are USSR NOS. Great sounding tube, said to be long lasting and high voltage capable. They've got great tone, we'll see about the longevity. I bought some of those off eBay... Unfortunately didn't know one or two were microphonic!
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EL84's
Jun 24, 2016 12:55:21 GMT -7
Post by wubberdubber on Jun 24, 2016 12:55:21 GMT -7
I've had a pair of Tubestore 7189's in my MAZ 18 for a couple of years now. JJ's sound fine to me , but I've not gotten that kind of lifespan out of them. The EH's are just too muddy to me in whatever I've tried them in.
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