[fauxsuper]

Tried a set of (Electro Harmonix) EL-34's in the amp today at band rehearsal.. They don't get quite as clean as the 6L6's,but they do have a more gradual curve when they start to distrort. I also think they play a little louder.

I don't notice quite as big a difference between the "Fender" and "Marshall" voiced inputs with these tubes, they seem to put more of their sonic signature in the mix. The change between the two voices is not as distinct. Still, the two tones are usefully voiced with the M channel having a little more bite and sparkle. Oddly, I never got around to turning off the feeback loop with these tubes in place as I was still twiddling with knobs.

I have another 25 watt amp (loosly based in a tweed Deluxe) which can also use several different output tubes and I put the 6L6's (that were in the Freznel) in that amp. Through my Morley (Geroge Lynch model) "tripler" AB-Y box I run inputs to both F and M inputs on the Freznel and one into the other amp and use a ElectroHarmonix Holy Grail to add reverb in a wet/dry combination. So, now I can have three very different sounds that are also available in six different combinations. Today I ran through various 12" cab combinations with Alnico and Ceramic speakers in closed and open cabs.

The El-34's seem to have a more articulate distortion voice, and are seemingly more touch sensitive along with being a little brighter and complex. And the midrange is more full than with the 6L6 tubes, so you get a little more early overdrive, and as I stated early on, they never quite seem as completely clean as the 6L6's. At any rate, the ability to use different tubes has proven to be more than just a novelty. It really sounds like a different amp, not just a frequency response change you can dial in or out, but a fundamental change in the amp's voice. The way it feels and responds, more than anything.



But, the cool thing is I now have another color to my arsenal, and by using the other amp I've got an amazing level of versatilitly as well as the ability to have a nice clean rhythm tone at a fairly high volume by using both amps. The two of them have a very complex signature when both are turned on and I'm sure I'll dial this in more as time goes on. I'm still very excited by the Freznel and needless to say amazed by the amp's versatility. The master volume is one of the most natural sounding and useful ones I hyave used, With the two gain controls and the master volume you have a whole world of organic, non buzzy tones that can be easily dialed in. If anything, the EL-34's are more responsive than the 6l6's that I thought were already quite "vocal" in sound. Moreover, every guitar I feed into it sounds good, from my Ibanez AS-100, (The Ibanez gets amazing, nearly clean sounding feedback at humane levels.) to my Les Paul, and my whole assortment of Fender and Fendri-ish solid bodies.

I like the sound of the EH EL-34's well enough that I think it will be worthwhile to buy a new set of tubes as the EH's are a few years old, and I've heard some of the new EL-34's have more NOS-like character. Any advice on current EL-34's????