E
Econ
Well-known member
Thinking about getting a Bogner Ecstasy 20th Anniv, but not sure if I should go with an EL34 model or a 6l6 MODEL. Which one would you choose and why?
Wizard of Ozz
Well-known member
EL34s. Better crunch and lead sounds... and that is the tube the amp was designed around.
GOHOINC
Well-known member
Wizard of Ozz":1brfldbj said:
I think you have that backwards. I thought it was designed around 6L6.
Edit: from the bogner website "The 20th Anniversary amp was designed and features 6L6 power amp tubes standard but can be custom order with EL34's."
I don't have experience with the 6L6 version but from what I understand it has the best overall clean tone of the Ecstasy series. That being said I do have a classic and a 20th EL34. The 20th EL34 clean channel is great, not quite as good as the 6L6 shiva I had or the Dr. Z EZG-50 I had but close enough and still better than almost any non 6L6 clean tone I have ever had.
The blue and red channels on the EL34 20th are fantastic! More gain available but not as aggressive a voicing as the classic imo.
I don't think you can go wrong with either but pick your flavor, British style gain bliss (more mids) with a great clean or more american style gain bliss (extended low and high end) with a slightly better clean channel...
All that said, I have an El34 for sale so Im going to say EL34.
psychodave
Well-known member
Get either then get the amp modded to take both tubes.
SavageRiffer
Banned
New member
I owned the 6L6, but got caught up in all the hype about EL34s, so I sold it and got one of those. The 6L6 was just better overall. I was never able to recover from selling that one to get another 6L6, so I really miss the first one I had. Yes, indeed it's great with EL34's. The blue channel is a little bit better with EL34's. However, the clean and red channels are better with 6L6's. Essentially, for a slightly better blue channel, get EL34. For better clean and red channels + an arguably as good blue channel, go with 6L6's.
The low end high end are better with 6L6's in my opinion. The crunch on the distortion is also better with 6L6. If you have to have EL34s, go with the 101B. If you want the 20th, get 6L6. Some people will swear on EL34's, but I really think that's mostly just an EL34 preference. The 20th is actually a bit better with 6L6. The clean channel just isn't the same with EL34s. The red channel sounds kind of like the Ecstasy Red pedal with EL34s. There is also a difference in the touch sensitivity which is better with 6L6. However, having said all this, if I had either, I'd keep it and never sell it again.
The low end high end are better with 6L6's in my opinion. The crunch on the distortion is also better with 6L6. If you have to have EL34s, go with the 101B. If you want the 20th, get 6L6. Some people will swear on EL34's, but I really think that's mostly just an EL34 preference. The 20th is actually a bit better with 6L6. The clean channel just isn't the same with EL34s. The red channel sounds kind of like the Ecstasy Red pedal with EL34s. There is also a difference in the touch sensitivity which is better with 6L6. However, having said all this, if I had either, I'd keep it and never sell it again.
Wizard of Ozz
Well-known member
GOHOINC":19xhlqcv said:
Nope. I was referring to you the original 100B ... which all these variants were derived from. The 20th was at first only available with 6L6GCs... but due to customer demand, there is now an EL34 option.
Shawn Lutz
New member
It used to be Ecstasy 101A was 6L6's and 101B EL-34's. I have an older 101B (with the symbol serial number) and can't imagine it being any better than it already is 
GOHOINC
Well-known member
Wizard of Ozz":1rf78zea said:
Oh, ok. I thought you were referring to the 20th Ann.
fusedbrain
Well-known member
I'm assuming psychodave is talking about a bias switch mod here:psychodave":1ff5edzm said:
If both versions run the same power transformer, and it's spec'd for EL34's, than this is a reasonable idea.
If the PT's are different, then putting EL34's in the amp with the 6L6 PT could be problematic. EL34's draw ALOT more heater current, and the PT needs to be up to the task.
Output transformer may be different too. ( different primary impedance ) The impedance mismatch will affect the tone to some degree as well. Could sound great, could sound less than stellar. I don't know...
I'd double check with Bogner HQ.