Dipping my toes into EL84 tubes
As I am researching amplifiers, it occurred to me I don’t have experience with el34 (though I have heard a Leben 600), el84 which people seem to like, 300b or any of the major tubes really.
so based on the seemingly overwhelming love people have for EL84, I’ve been looking for cheap but decent integrated or power amp based on EL84. Used is fine and under $1k USD. If you’ve heard it and thought it was pretty darn good for the money let’s hear it.
ST-35 is a nice EL-84 amp. I like the ST-35's EL84 tubes in push-pull ultralinear configuration because they're more linear than a standard pentode, more efficient than triode, and naturally quick and open at the top end. It puts out about 17.5 watts. That power ceiling means you'd better have speakers with a 92 dB sensitivity or better and a decent output impedance curve – that is, no deep impedance dips in the bass |
For under $1000, I'd look here: https://glow-audio.com/collections/amplifiers Nice value for the $$ and with the Amp Two, you get a bit more power. Once in a while, you can find a used Decware for just a bit over $1000. The best sounding amplifier I ever had was my older Decware Taboo. I needed a bit more power so I sold it, unfortunately. |
I’m always curious, I found this interesting https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EL84 I’m guessing the ’extra gain’ is why Luxman used them in my SQ-N150 https://www.luxman.com/product/detail.php?id=33 which sounds quite nice, just enough power (10 wpc @ 6 ohms) for my office AR-2ax (sensitivity 90), to let me use preferred tubes without heating up the room. Just saying, it’s beyond your budget, beyond mine too, but the size, etc was ideal, and years later, I’m very glad I spent the extra money. I often say ’Think Long’, and ’sell some stuff, stop going out so much, .... whatever it takes to get you there, for a long time, perhaps I’ll have it checked out in a few more years, and it will ’see me out’. Another thread, someone wants an amp to last 20 years. Better think about if the company will still be around, and if they have a history of supporting their equipment for a long time. btw, when I bought it (very lightly used), I had return option because I never saw or heard such a dinky little power tube. Oh, I kept it.
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@elliottbnewcombjr +1 Good advice, think long. The audio merry-go-round is quite expensive and consuming. A one time quality purchase lasting 20 years actually more economical than 3 different purchases chasing. https://www.manley.com/products/hi-fi/hifi-amps/stingray-ii I’ve run the EL 84 based Mahi Mahi and they were incredible. Didn’t really sound like tubes; quick and very good bass control. I’m sure the Stingray would deliver same profile, just not quite as refined. Used around $3500. Good hunting.
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