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Post by (8^D) on Aug 9, 2023 16:58:40 GMT -7
Finally repurchased a Route 66.
Curious what EF86 other owners have gravitated towards over the years.
Cheers
-Dan
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Post by hogwylde09 on Aug 10, 2023 3:33:15 GMT -7
🍿
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Post by Paul (TRANE) on Aug 10, 2023 17:53:47 GMT -7
EF86 NOS Here is what I have found. Of course just my opinion here. GEC - flatter response. Sweet high end. Mullard - more low mids. Everything else is still there... Just thicker. Telefunken - lots of snarly mid growl Amperex - more treble response than the rest. Still gets thick but more treble comes through.
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Post by sharkboy on Aug 10, 2023 19:17:42 GMT -7
This seems almost kooky to me, but I’ll tell you anyway. I have a good clone of an HC-30 that was my main amp for many gig years before I bought a few Zs. I didn’t care for the Winged C tube much in the HC-30. It seemed lifeless. I rolled a lot of EF86s through it. I think I settled on a Valvo. I liked the more airy ones more than the darker ones (maybe EFT and Tesla?) I also rolled a few through a Cub-30iii. Each of the non Winged C tubes also sounded better through the Cub.
Okay, now the weird part: since I acquired my RT66, I haven’t even been tempted to try another tube than the Winged C that it came with some years ago! I either have a great tube and/or the amp was extremely well voiced for it.
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Post by gfreak on Aug 11, 2023 4:05:58 GMT -7
I use the Winged C that came with it.
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Aug 11, 2023 7:47:36 GMT -7
With Z amps, I use the stock tubes. Doc designed and tweaked the circuit around those tubes, not 50 year old unobtainium ones.
Other amps (I'm thinking old Fenders) seem to benefit from old RCAs or other tubes of the amp's era. I've got to think that Leo tweaked his circuits to fit those old tubes (like Doc does his with currently available tubes). So tube rolling is fun and has it's place, but some amps are going to benefit way more than others.
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Post by (8^D) on Aug 11, 2023 13:59:33 GMT -7
Right on! Appreciate that.
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Post by perryr on Aug 13, 2023 22:31:10 GMT -7
Z uses winged C, which are the fullest and biggest sounding EF86 made IMO. I have 2 route 66's, in one I have a 50's Mullard square getter which has a tight bottom, even mids and a sweet top end, beautiful sounding EF86. My other 66 has a Telefunken which has the solid plate and like described above can have an aggressive character.
The thing about Euro EF86's is there were several manufacturers and they all rebranded, so without looking at the etched tube code there is no knowing what it is. The only ones I never seen rebranded was GEC and telfunken. I have or have had Mullards, Dario, Valvo, Amperex made by MBLE (Belgium). Valvo, Amperex and Dario made by Valvo. Mullards Made in Blackburn and Mitchum ( look different too), as well as solid plate and mesh plate made by Mullard. Amperex made in France. And Mazda made by Mullard. Dario never made an EF86, they were Philips brand so many were made by Amperex/Philips but that brand was also used on tubes by MBLE and French tube factories.
For the 66, the Telefunken and Solid Plate Mullard and both rockin tubes. For a bit sweter character up top I like the 50's Mullard long mesh plate with square getter and the short mesh plate 50's Amperex by philips (X code).
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