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Tubes Asylum Questions about tubes and gear that glows. FAQ |
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Tubes Asylum Questions about tubes and gear that glows. FAQ |
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In Reply to: Could you be pushed to say posted by jusbe on March 24, 2005 at 06:37:58:
I started out with a modified Dynaco ST-70 that my friend Kevin Kennedy rewired for me, and he helped install his circuit in. I still own that amp and a second Dyna ST-70. The EL34 "sound" wired in triode was very easy to listen to for a number of years. To me listening to the EL34 strapped in triode, well it became more relaxed sounding and the soundstage changed for the better. My first EL34 were JJ's that blew up within weeks of use. I then went to EH EL34 tubes and they sounded outstanding wired in triode in my modified amp. I got well over two years from those EH EL34 tubes, and I used that amp for hours most every day. A rectifier took out a el34 tube that got me to finally change to Mullards. My amp was measured on the bench by Kevin Kennedy for fun. He found it put out an honest 19 wpc strapped in triode before clipping was observed. The THD was less than 1% at full power. The results really surprised Kevin because it meant the iron everyone seems to diss in humble old Dynaco amps was actually better than we had expected. Kevin told me that to better that amplifier in sound quality I would have to spend over $2K on a new tube amplifier. Kevin can build a mean pair of custom 300b amplifiers by the way so he knows a lot more than me to be sure. I used to be invited to his house to listen to his wonderful 300b pp amps driving large Maggies. That was always a treat for me until he moved after selling their home near where I used to live. Anyone who says a stock Dynaco ST-70 sounds the best has not heard a good modified example like my amp. The ST-70 was chosen because at the time I got it I was still recovering from 21+ surgeries and unable to work. So the lowly Russian EL34 tubes served me quite well. It was not until I went back to work that I started collecting and buying audio gear for fun. Listening to Mullards the sound I heard was a huge leap forward for me. IF anyone using EL34 tubes can afford to spend the $400 for a quad of used good testing "matched" tubes it is well worth the money. This is all apples and oranges because the EL34 sounds different in every single amplifier that I owned that used EL34 tubes. In my old CJ Premier 4 that used 8 Mullard EL34 amps the folks at CJ described the sound as holographic. I agree with them. I am a bass person and the EL34 has to my ears very good tight bass, and a excellent perhaps sweeter midrange wired in triode. If anyone wants to hear what a good EL34 amp can sound like without breaking the bank a used CJ Premier 4 will give you a glimpse at a very low price. That 90 pound 100 wpc monster EL34 amplifier was just too powerful. My Dad is elderly and I had the fear that he would forget to turn down the volume at start up and blow the tad td-4001 drivers in his HF horns at start up. The EL34 amps I use now are my Klimo Kent mono blocks. These are different still to my ears in the EL34 sound. These Klimo mono amps are not tube rectified, but then neither is my Welborne 300b DRD ultimate mono amps. I used to think only tube rectified sounds the best. I was wrong yet again.. I seem to learn something new every day in tube audio or so it seems to me. I am constantly switching beween the 300b and EL34 amps to drive my bass bins in my 2-way set up. I have also used the 1.8 wpc 45, 8 wpc 300b, 35 wpc Klimo EL34 amps to drive my 2-way speakers before I got the Marchand tube speaker crossover. Each tube has its own flavor to my ears. The 300b amps have a very lush midrange and good high end. I was surprised that the 1.8 wpc 45 tube amps could actually drive my 100dB efficient 2-way horn speakers and produce decent bass. But I could easily listen to Mullard EL34 tubes wired in triode and not feel that I am missing the end of the world. I like the sound of most all tubes. With the exception of some REALLY nasty Russkie 6922 tubes that made my ears bleed in my old Kora Triode preamp that I sold. In my 45 amps that are playing now the sound is more refined still. I think the sound stage is maybe more realistic but then my speakers are ruthless as to how they sound with different equipment and sources. At my apartment I have a tiny 11 wpc 6v6 pp amp driving my JBL L300 speakers. I will go back to the ST-70 when it is fixed. To me the speakers are the single most important part of the home audio chain. The last EL34 variant I would like to try is the SE EL34 8 wpc project by Claus Byrith. The plans can be found below. EL34 in SE is prolly the one variant I have not heard in the EL34 tube amps I have owned. His SE EL34 project would have to be built with good iron of course. Maybe even in mono block form. Have fun and always remember that all audio is very subjective at best. None more so than tube audio and horn speakers. Always use your own ears as the best way to figure out what sounds the best in your home stereo. This is rambling 'cause I am tired. John C.
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Follow Ups
- Re: Could you be pushed to say - John Chleapas 03/24/0521:16:35 03/24/05 (1)
- Thanks for your thoughts. -t - jusbe 01:45:12 03/25/05 (0)
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