Suggest me EL34 for VH sound in my QR..?

[sixstringking713]

Svetlana, Tung-sol, or Mullard? whatcha think

 

[Just Mike]

This has been said a gazillion times before, but if you're going for the VH1 sound, no EL34 will get you there. And on top of that, the preamp of the QR is more like a hot rodded JCM-800. TOo much preamp gain.

 

[hammered]

This has been said a gazillion times before, but if you're going for the VH1 sound, no EL34 will get you there. And on top of that, the preamp of the QR is more like a hot rodded JCM-800. TOo much preamp gain.

Not to hijack the OPs thread but if that`s the case then what might be a good EL34 for the high gain tones of 80s Dokken and Ratt ? I`ve got a Splawn Super Sport w/El34s

 

[peckhart]

Couple years back I compared Sino, Ruby, SED Winged C and JJ E34L in my '09 QR. It was easy to hear the difference in each. None were bad or clearly better or worse really. I ended up preferring the JJ E34L as they had the most aggressive growl and extended the low end giving the amp and overall broader sound.
Fairly minor differences here and nothing that really changed the amp or on its own recreated a specific tone.

 

[Just Mike]

Couple years back I compared Sino, Ruby, SED Winged C and JJ E34L in my '09 QR. It was easy to hear the difference in each. None were bad or clearly better or worse really. I ended up preferring the JJ E34L as they had the most aggressive growl and extended the low end giving the amp and overall broader sound.
Fairly minor differences here and nothing that really changed the amp or on its own recreated a specific tone.

But you would admit that those differences are pretty subtle, right? When we're talking Marshall flavored high gain preamp flavors,I've done a LOT of experimenting in these areas and I would rate them thusly;
Different EL34's...noticeable, but minimal
EL34's vs 6L6...a little more noticeable, but not remarkable
Speaker change...BIG difference and IMHO, the only one worthwhile.

If you're a tweaker and in the never ending pursuit of a specific sound you may disagree with me.

 

[CP5150]

This has been said a gazillion times before, but if you're going for the VH1 sound, no EL34 will get you there. And on top of that, the preamp of the QR is more like a hot rodded JCM-800. TOo much preamp gain.

So he used EL34s. And I can't get his sound with them? Are you referring to the 6CA7 tubes Ed used? Same tube. US version of EL34 is 6CA7.

 

[Rick Lee]

This has been said a gazillion times before, but if you're going for the VH1 sound, no EL34 will get you there. And on top of that, the preamp of the QR is more like a hot rodded JCM-800. TOo much preamp gain.

So he used EL34s. And I can't get his sound with them? Are you referring to the 6CA7 tubes Ed used? Same tube. US version of EL34 is 6CA7.

I think he used Sylvania 6CA7s and those don't exactly grow on trees these days. I don't know how much they contributed to his tone. In his early live rig you see stacks of JMP heads and maybe his '68 Plexi and another one or two. But if you listen to the old bootlegs, he totally has the original Brown Sound of the first album. So I sort of wonder how much of it can be directly tied to just his '68 12000 series Marshall.

 

[crwnedblasphemy]

I don't like any current production EL34's. We have talked before on reliability from new ones. Scott's Chinese relabeled ones I blew a lot. I know they are money, but my best in the quickrod were two brown base teslas. E34L. Not jj. I only had two tubes in the middle spots and biased it up. Sounded warm and killer.

That being said, outta all current production EL34's, the new sensor Mullards sound best to me in splawns. For VH sound, grab a 1960bx greenback cab or similar.

 

[ghosty999]

Tung-sols suit me quite well. The EL34s are quite mid punchy but I found it gives a more fluid and less fizzy tone than stock chinese tubes. I had to knock back my mids a bit to compensate

 

[peckhart]

Couple years back I compared Sino, Ruby, SED Winged C and JJ E34L in my '09 QR. It was easy to hear the difference in each. None were bad or clearly better or worse really. I ended up preferring the JJ E34L as they had the most aggressive growl and extended the low end giving the amp and overall broader sound.
Fairly minor differences here and nothing that really changed the amp or on its own recreated a specific tone.

But you would admit that those differences are pretty subtle, right? When we're talking Marshall flavored high gain preamp flavors,I've done a LOT of experimenting in these areas and I would rate them thusly;
Different EL34's...noticeable, but minimal
EL34's vs 6L6...a little more noticeable, but not remarkable
Speaker change...BIG difference and IMHO, the only one worthwhile.

If you're a tweaker and in the never ending pursuit of a specific sound you may disagree with me.

100% agree. I could immediately hear differences. Enough to make me decide one over another for certain things I heard and preferred. But definitely not huge and if I 'had' to use any one of those 4 quads they would have done the job very well and not leave me disappointed. Honestly....nothing you would recognize in a band mix.

I can add that when I first got my original QR I only had a Marshall 4x12 cab with a mix of V30s and G12H30s. It sounded really good. I decided to order a matching Splawn 4x12 w/Small blocks. Sold my Marshall before the Splawn was in and I had to do a gig with my friends stock Marshall with GT75s. Huge difference and I hated the way it sounded. Enter the Splawn cab and I honestly felt it didn't sound much different than my V30/H30 Marshall cab.
I am ultimately glad I got the Splawn cab as it is overall better quality and I like the matching look. But had I been able to A/B them at the time I probably would have just kept running the Marshall. That cab really sounded great with that speaker combo. My friends was essentially the same with only the speaker difference and it was awful with the QR.
So that was a long way to validate that speakers make the bigger difference.

 

[Just Mike]

Couple years back I compared Sino, Ruby, SED Winged C and JJ E34L in my '09 QR. It was easy to hear the difference in each. None were bad or clearly better or worse really. I ended up preferring the JJ E34L as they had the most aggressive growl and extended the low end giving the amp and overall broader sound.
Fairly minor differences here and nothing that really changed the amp or on its own recreated a specific tone.

But you would admit that those differences are pretty subtle, right? When we're talking Marshall flavored high gain preamp flavors,I've done a LOT of experimenting in these areas and I would rate them thusly;
Different EL34's...noticeable, but minimal
EL34's vs 6L6...a little more noticeable, but not remarkable
Speaker change...BIG difference and IMHO, the only one worthwhile.

If you're a tweaker and in the never ending pursuit of a specific sound you may disagree with me.

100% agree. I could immediately hear differences. Enough to make me decide one over another for certain things I heard and preferred. But definitely not huge and if I 'had' to use any one of those 4 quads they would have done the job very well and not leave me disappointed. Honestly....nothing you would recognize in a band mix.

I can add that when I first got my original QR I only had a Marshall 4x12 cab with a mix of V30s and G12H30s. It sounded really good. I decided to order a matching Splawn 4x12 w/Small blocks. Sold my Marshall before the Splawn was in and I had to do a gig with my friends stock Marshall with GT75s. Huge difference and I hated the way it sounded. Enter the Splawn cab and I honestly felt it didn't sound much different than my V30/H30 Marshall cab.
I am ultimately glad I got the Splawn cab as it is overall better quality and I like the matching look. But had I been able to A/B them at the time I probably would have just kept running the Marshall. That cab really sounded great with that speaker combo. My friends was essentially the same with only the speaker difference and it was awful with the QR.
So that was a long way to validate that speakers make the bigger difference.

We must have the same ears. I love my V30-G12H30's.

 

[Deleted member 13074]

There is much to love in those amps
The QR, with all its Gears, it more versatile than a mere JCM800 clone
I played a stock 2010 QR through a V30 loaded 4x12 in a studio iso booth, and when cranked, it was telling me to play early VH licks
It was most like VHII as it was a thick powerful sound, and between me the engineer and a guitar playing buddy were very impressed
Power tubes do change the character of an amp, and that one was stock - is that JJs?
They are quite in your face, whereas a Svetlana I found added a haze that was pleasing
It depends how you find the amp

 

[peckhart]

They have used different brands on new builds over the years. Back when I got my first QR in '10 he was using Sino. My new one shipped last year with ARS. Not sure they ever created with JJs.

 

[Chris6870]

Ask Scott Splawn. Most of his demos are playing VH tunes.

 

[sjk]

They have used different brands on new builds over the years. Back when I got my first QR in '10 he was using Sino. My new one shipped last year with ARS. Not sure they ever created with JJs.

All ARS EL34's I've had (3 or 4 quads) in the last 5 years or more are relabeled JJ EL34's fwiw.

 

[peckhart]

They have used different brands on new builds over the years. Back when I got my first QR in '10 he was using Sino. My new one shipped last year with ARS. Not sure they ever created with JJs.

All ARS EL34's I've had (3 or 4 quads) in the last 5 years or more are relabeled JJ EL34's fwiw.

Ah, didn't know that. Wasn't really sure what they were.

I do have a brand new set of JJ E34Ls that I haven't even unboxed yet that I have been thinking about throwing in my QR.

 

[sixstringking713]

This has been said a gazillion times before, but if you're going for the VH1 sound, no EL34 will get you there. And on top of that, the preamp of the QR is more like a hot rodded JCM-800. TOo much preamp gain.

What? Are you high...? Gear 1 on my QR can get VH tones for days

give me a break

 

['63-Strat]

Eh, depends on what you consider "nail." IMO the type EL34s will be irrelevant at typical gig volumes, speakers play a much larger role and playing even larger still. Regardless of the type of EL34 no splawn will nail that tone the same as an old nmv marshall cranked to the gills, either. But close enough? Of course.

 

[Just Mike]

This has been said a gazillion times before, but if you're going for the VH1 sound, no EL34 will get you there. And on top of that, the preamp of the QR is more like a hot rodded JCM-800. TOo much preamp gain.

What? Are you high...? Gear 1 on my QR can get VH tones for days

give me a break

I'm not high and I will not give you a break.

 

[sixstringking713]

Eh, depends on what you consider "nail." IMO the type EL34s will be irrelevant at typical gig volumes, speakers play a much larger role and playing even larger still. Regardless of the type of EL34 no splawn will nail that tone the same as an old nmv marshall cranked to the gills, either. But close enough? Of course.

I run my QR @ 50W and I'm mainly talking recording for the purpose of this discussion.

I went and bought the tung sols, mullard, and svetlanas.. I'll try them each for a few days back to back (both w/ a new bias for each)