Testing Tubes: EL34 vs 6L6 - in the same amp.

EL34 vs 6L6 - does one make your amp sound British and the other American? How much difference does it really make. Tested in the same amp, same settings, same recording chain.

[@florabee9283]

Great demonstration! A big factor that can tend to minimize the differences in the power tube types is the negative feedback designed into nearly all amplifers that use pentodes or tetrodes.

[@AndiPicker]

Absolutely right - great point. The THD BiValve is a real class A amp, no neg feedback on this one, so the differences here are more pronounced than on most amps. 👍

[@k9er233]

Thank you for this comparison Andi. Having an audio/visual representation of these two valves/tubes is very helpful.

[@AndiPicker]

Appreciate that.

[@WolfmanAndy]

Thanks for this research. The results are pretty much what I found having wasted my money on some 6L6s!

[@AndiPicker]

Always easy to spend more money :-)

[@jeffsherman9638]

I am hearing some lows coming through on the cancellation (EL34?). I understand that the EL34 have a lower frequency range but not hearing the "mid range scoop" as the EL34s are advertising. Great video!

[@jackdarby6080]

Excellent video. I've owned 6L6 and 6V6 amps. I much prefer the dynamic range as opposed to the compression you get in EL34s. I almost never use compression pedals in my rig either. Guess I'm that kind of player.
However, just for the sake of having something different, I might just get an EL34 based amp anyway. I have a dead Fender Blues Deluxe, might use the chassis as a donor. We'll see.

[@digitalchris6681]

Fascinating. You've answered a question I've been mulling for ages ( current Marshall 1987x's use EL34 but many second hand ones from the 1990's use 6L6; so which is more "Marshally"? ) but don't have the kit to resolve myself. Trouble is, I'm not quite certain how to interpret the answer - yes there's a difference, but which do I prefer? Dunno.....

[@blgdinger3]

6L6 babyyyyyy!! I play death metal so of course I'm looking for more JUICE!!

[@wrongchordsrecords]

Hi Andy thanks , an interesting video. when i had my first valve amp i remember changing the ecc83s for ones which were sold as having extra gain but there was minimum difference . it seems to me as though the valves you're testing were mainly selected in USA/Britain as they were cheaper or more readily available in the particular region. i recently bought a 70s fender that someone has jammed EL34s in to.im not sure if the owner happened to have spare el34s at hand or was in search of a heavier sound- however based on your video i don't think he found it!

[@AndiPicker]

Thanks, appreciate your comments. I have some decent glass that I've acquired over the years, but to be honest, once you get past bad tubes that are microphonic or noisy, I'd spend my upgrade money on speakers and pedals long before I started serious tube rolling.

[@sesa2984]

I'd love to see this with a real non-plug-in setup.

[@kevon217]

Thanks for making this comparison!

[@richardjosephnovak]

To me the one on the top sounds orange and the bottom one sounds yellow.

[@rafaelgonzalez-rb8yq]

THD BI VALVE EXCELLENT