EL34 options Radford STA25

[WESTLOWER]

I was led to believe that changing the power valves (EL34s) in my Radford STA25 mk3
Wouldn’t give much if any change in presentation due to the circuit used.

But ... I had the opportunity to swap out the valves to KT77 (gold lion) over the weekend.
I didn’t much care for the results, just a bit too ommphy for me (although I didn’t give these new valves long and I suspect things may have changed given time?)
Anyway they were only on loan.

But they were certainly different to the JJ El34s

This quick experiment has stoked my curiosity into EL34 options
And if ‘better’ results can be had with different EL34s, either new or NOS..

I am currently using the JJ brand valves that came with the amp,
which in all fairness sound good to these ears but I’m intrigued..

Any thoughts?!
Appreciated

[mik_rik]

Russian 6p3se (preferably gold grid types).Sound good and a helluva lot cheaper than nos Mullards.

[CliveG]

This quick experiment has stoked my curiosity into EL34 options
And if ‘better’ results can be had with different EL34s, either new or NOS..

Not sure about "better" results but I certainly hear differences on my STA15.
NOS Mullards - best mid-range, my overall favourite for all genres.
NOS TESLAs - tighter bass, punchier than the others and my preference for rock and jazz.
NOS Svetlanas - lighter more delicate sound but very pleasant to listen to, best with classical and female vocal.
I found other cheaper options to sound surprisingly good, so the amp design may well iron out a lot of the differences between valves, but some experimentation with NOS may bring you some improvements that you like.

[WESTLOWER]

Not sure about "better" results but I certainly hear differences on my STA15.
NOS Mullards - best mid-range, my overall favourite for all genres.
NOS TESLAs - tighter bass, punchier than the others and my preference for rock and jazz.
NOS Svetlanas - lighter more delicate sound but very pleasant to listen to, best with classical and female vocal.
I found other cheaper options to sound surprisingly good, so the amp design may well iron out a lot of the differences between valves, but some experimentation with NOS may bring you some improvements that you like.

Interesting Thanks Clive.
It obviously its expensive experimenting NOS so your notes on the brands helps a lot.

just don't want to make costly mistakes, obviously.

[Vrajbasi]

I have been collecting tubes for many years currently have around 500 el34 tubes the main production countries were netehrlands and Blackburn, some were labbled as Brimar, mullard, phillips and Valvo.

As far as Mullards go I like the ones from around 1957 to 1962 they have a double ring getter the base wise much wider than the glass itself the bases them self can vary. I found the ones without the guiding pin sound best they have a sense of ease and openess in the midrange which is very nice.

The more common tube is the brown base Mullard where the base is the same size of glass. I have seen the exact tube with the Valvo and brimar logo they sound the same to my ears this tube says made in black burn production was up to 1968. The sound is way more congested and thicker than the earlier tube. It is still very musical.

The 1954 with the code 5x kek flat ring el 34 with the large metal base and flat getter is a great tube I have seen the same tube as a Valvo and brimar its a very powerful sounding tube amazing base needs a adaptor to work.

Dont get me started on 300b and 211 tubes now they can really drive me potty.

I have learnt without trying them in ones system its very difficult so sadly costly mistakes become the norm when trying to find perfection.

There are many many variants I could write about some have different logos etc. I like the Phillips tube with the code xf3 lx lxx with its bakerlite base now this is one beast of a el34 its so so fleshed out in the midrange comes out and simply hugs you. The bass is deep and controlled the top is sweet and liquid. This tube was made in Sittard Netherlands I have not seen this as a mullard or brimar etc. The more common Phillips tube is the one with xf4/5 again stunning.

There were some rare german production el34 tubes that had a flat ring getter I have some not even sure who labbled them they say made in germany I have a code of SYA DX. I think those are great very robust not soft and rounded very controlled.

[WESTLOWER]

I have been collecting tubes for many years currently have around 500 el34 tubes

Nari... I only need 4 !!

[Edward]

Adam, I'll get the same once you decide.

I'll trust your judgement once you have tried variations of all the possibilities.

§

[WESTLOWER]

Adam, I'll get the same once you decide.

I'll trust your judgement once you have tried variations of all the possibilities.

§

Damn! I was hoping you'd take the plunge and loan me for a night!!

[Barry]

Not the same amplifier, but I use a matched quartet of Mullard (Blackburn Road) EL34s in my Radford STA15 Mk.III. The Radfords were designed with Mullards in mind and that's what I use.

(Despite that, the small signal valves in the amp are Telefunken and Siemens & Halske.)

[IHP]

Hi Adam,

I have the very same amp and did the very same thing (tried GL KT77 in place of the JJEL84). First of all I'd say that I find JJs to be mighty fine and reliable tubes as well as being great vfm. I did find I preferred the Gold Lion - I won't go into detail but they seemed to emphasise the 'modern' sound the Radford has, which does appeal to me. Having said that there was so little in it that I did wonder why I'd bothered sometimes !

I haven't really got a conclusion other than from this and past experience tube rolling can empty a pocket quickly with no huge leaps forwards. The bottom line is that I believe the STA 25 will sound tremendous with any valves that are performing to spec.