Some dude mentioned EL84’s don’t have enough ass?

Life Eats Life

Life Eats Life

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I’ve heard the “tone factoid” that EL-84’s
don’t have enough bottom-end or punch like
6L6’s, 34’s ETC.
-Or that they’re too bright and harsh my mellow’s.

My best ‘crude & caustic’ answer was:
“You played the wrong amp”.

Let’s clear that up, real quick.
I‘ll let Eddie handle the rest,



 
20 watt amp demo on the Youtubez to settle it once and for all??? Hmmmm..... not even a little suspicious.

Suspicious Season 3 GIF by Parks and Recreation
 
Would love to try one of those Lenz amps - been following Eddie's channel for a while, his stuff sounds killer.
 
Take a Mark V:25 and crank that 80 Hz slider and you'll see that EL84's can give you more than enough low end. Will they have the headroom to stand up to a rock drummer when set like that? LOL, doubtful. But it's not like EL84's have some inherent, aggressive hard low frequency cuttoff point or anything.

That video in the OP sounds killer, btw.
 
Could it be that some EL84 amps have a "different" kind of low end or girth than their bigger brothers?

I use an H&K GM Deluxe 40, and that amp has NO shortage of low end, BUT, it's not exactly the "same" low end/girth as some 100 watt, EL34/6L6 amps that I've owned/tried.
 
It all depends on the circuit design, power and output transformers. Traditionally, EL84s are associated with Vox and 6V6 with Fender and other tweed designs. Fenders tend to be voiced a bit more girthy in the low end whereas Vox has more low cut but more upper mids and presence. Generally speaking. It's the circuit that is dictating most of that. Tubes have their limits and when pushed to those limits their idiosyncrasies will be more apparent. But in normal operation there is not much difference (circuits being equal of course). I say this as someone that has experimented, modded and built tube amps.
 
Baba said:
Could it be that some EL84 amps have a "different" kind of low end or girth than their bigger brothers?

I use an H&K GM Deluxe 40, and that amp has NO shortage of low end, BUT, it's not exactly the "same" low end/girth as some 100 watt, EL34/6L6 amps that I've owned/tried.
Click to expand...
Interesting question. I’ve rotated 6L6 and EL34s EXTENSIVELY in an old rev G recto a decade ago and the EL34 definitely produced a thinner low end that felt “faster” if that makes any sense. I feel like I notice the difference between 6L6 and EL34 more than I notice the difference between EL34 and EL84.

I’ve not heard many people complaining about the Mini Rectifier, Mark V, and Badlander 25 watters lacking balls so it probably just depends on the amp, the cab, and the players ability to dial it in.

My only EL84 amp is a Budda SD-18, but that thing sure doesn’t sound small either.
 
el84’s are like having a V6 mustang, like technically you have a mustang but you’re not allowed in the club due to inadequacy type of deal, like you’d really probably be cooler with a ford focus
 
I don't get the EL84 hate. Hate the circuit, not the tube.

My take is that guitar doesn't need a ton of low end. My last EL84 amp was the Victory VC35 and that had the right amount of beef to it. Boosted with the right drive it did do higher gain tones rather well too.

I'd rather have an amp that is a bit lean on lows than something so tubby it's hard to dial it out.
 
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