Recommend new EL84 tubes


Hi all, I have been contacted by a good friend asking me to source 8 X EL84 for his Manley Stingray which is a parallel P-P integrated amp.

He has had the original valves for about 10 years, which I think are rebranded Sovteks or Electro Harmonix 6Pi14Pi-EB.  

2 sets of matched quads will do. He is looking to improve on the originals. The amp has individual bias pots for each valve so perfect matching is not paramount.

He also needs a pair of 12AT7's. Best quality needed for this position.

lemonhaze

There's a blurb (somewhere) about the Gold Lion N709/EL84 not lasting long in certain amp designs.

 

Been to so many tube sites I don't recall which one, but think it was a dealer.

 

DeKay

Never heard of NessTone. The price seems very fair, perhaps too fair. Are they rebranded Chinese?

@dekay, That's is a little disconcerting. Perhaps because they have been used in guitar amps which usually overdrive them. Some audio amps also drove them hard when they should have been using 7189's. I suppose back in the day the manufacturers were chasing performance rather than longevity.

NessTone probably are but they’re cheap enough to try and if they don’t work for you the investment is pretty small. I’ve used them for years and have had good service out of them. I liked them better than the Electro. Harmonex for what’s that’s worth.

LH:

 

Found it here, and it has to do with the bias design of the amp (so something to check out).

 

 

 

 

PS:

 

I played electric guitar from the early 60's to 1986 and, IMO, guitar amp reviews of tubes have little to do with how the same tubes will perform in HiFi amps.

 

DeKay

Sure, if the tubes are overdriven they won't last. Perhaps Kevin doesn't sell the Gold Lions. 🙄   In his video he's talking about putting an EL34 into an amp that is biased to run KT88s and so driving the plates beyond their rated max. dissipation.

I am considering the Gold Lion EL 84 because the Manley has provision to set the bias individually via trim pots. Have you heard these tubes? I am, of course interested in how they stack up to the originals