Valve Junior and JJ EL-84

tommyc · December 28th, 2007, 05:55 PM

Has anyone with a Epi Valve Jr head , swaped the Sovtek EL-84 for a JJ and if so describe the tone difference . I know the JJ is a better tube , I just want to know how much better the tone is . Today I swaped the stock Electro-Harmonix 12ax7 pre-amp tube for a vintage Jan-Philips 12ax7 and it sounds great . Its also not as noisy as the EH tube was .

teleman55 · December 28th, 2007, 07:47 PM

I really like those JJ EL84s. I got one in my Epiphone Valve Special and four in my Crate Palomino. Jan Phillips 12AX7 is a nice one too. Got one in V2 of my Pro Reverb and it sings quite nicely. I don't know about their otjer tubes but JJ has maybe the best new production EL84, IMHO

teleman55 · December 28th, 2007, 07:50 PM

I really like those JJ EL84s. I got one in my Epiphone Valve Special and four in my Crate Palomino. Jan Phillips 12AX7 is a nice one too. Got one in V2 of my Pro Reverb and it sings quite nicely. I don't know about their other tubes but JJ has maybe the best new production EL84, IMHO

.

chabby · December 28th, 2007, 11:37 PM

I went and joined the dam EPI Jr. club today too and didnt really have the money. But 109.99? How can you not?

Mine is just plugged into the DRRI's speaker. I really wanted the cab with the eminence speaker in it, but couldnt afford it right now cuz I also bought an OCD Fulltone OD box, misc cables, daisy chain etc.

Can you believe these head sfor 100 bucks???? What a great world we live in.
Only con is that they don't have reverb.

younkint · December 29th, 2007, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chabby

I went and joined the dam EPI Jr. club today too and didnt really have the money. But 109.99? How can you not?

Mine is just plugged into the DRRI's speaker. I really wanted the cab with the eminence speaker in it, but couldnt afford it right now cuz I also bought an OCD Fulltone OD box, misc cables, daisy chain etc.

Can you believe these head sfor 100 bucks???? What a great world we live in.
Only con is that they don't have reverb.

I've been trying to avoid one of these, but it sounds as though it's a lot less hassle to put it through my BFSR than it would be my little Gibson Les Paul, Jr. amp. Do these things match with the four speakers in my old BFSR with no mods?

As far as "...no reverb..." is concerned, crank it.

mistermullens · December 29th, 2007, 10:53 AM

I've got a JJ EL84 in mine, and I like it better than the Sovtek. I've also got a NOS Jan Philips 5751 in the preamp. I really like it, but I read on one of those tube store websites the EH EL84 is creamier than the rest so I may give that a shot

tommyc · December 29th, 2007, 12:02 PM

It has a 16 ohm , 8 ohm , and 4 ohm jacks on the back so yeah it will work with any speaker setup . Before I got the Epi cabinet I ran mine through my 68 Deluxe Reverbs speaker and it worked just fine . Im using a Route 66 compressor/overdrive , a H2O echo/chorus , and a BBE Sonic Stomp through mine with George Ls cable and it sounds great . The Sonic Stomp and the compressor together really gives you alot more highs and more clean headroom . The Valve Junior 1x12 cabinet really sounds great and is very well built . The Lady Luck speaker is a little darker sounding than my Deluxe Reverbs , but it still sounds great . For around $250.00 for the head and cab you cant beat the sounds you can get from these things . Im probably gonna get another head and cab and run them together .

tommyc · December 29th, 2007, 12:11 PM

Ive heard the JJ EL-84 is the best new EL-84 on the market , so I will probably go with it . Eurotubes will test your tubes for you and find one that will match the tone you want (more clean headroom) for example .

dibber124 · December 29th, 2007, 12:16 PM

JJ EL84's are the only EL84 we use in the shop, best all around new EL84 out there right now. Sovtek 84's are brittle sounding tubes when driven hard.

6942 · December 29th, 2007, 03:09 PM

I like JJ for new tubes..............
But I'm using NOS American glass for now.
Sylvania 5751 & GE EL84.

Steve

bassbuster33 · December 31st, 2007, 10:28 AM

I have a JJ's EL84 and a Tung Sol reissue in Valve Jr and they sound great. The amp is a little dark sounding and the Tung Sol helps that some. It still needs more help though.

bowlfreshener · December 31st, 2007, 02:53 PM

One of my Valve Junior Heads came stock with an EH 12ax7 and a JJ EL84, so I swapped the Sovtek 12ax7 and unknown EL84 in the other head I had for some great results.

madmark · December 31st, 2007, 03:05 PM

Eurotube hooked me up with some JJ's told him the sound I was looking for and I got them 2 days later. Sound awesome

tommyc · December 31st, 2007, 03:11 PM

Yeah I was gonna get my tubes from Eurotubes . Im looking for a little more clean headroom .

xStonr · December 31st, 2007, 10:43 PM

I find the JJ EL84 a little dark. I've tried the new Mullard EL84 in another amp and like them so I'll probably try one in my Epi VJ too.

December 28th, 2007, 05:55 PM	#1 (permalink)
tommyc Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Hendersonville TN Age: 37 Posts: 105	Valve Junior and JJ EL-84 Has anyone with a Epi Valve Jr head , swaped the Sovtek EL-84 for a JJ and if so describe the tone difference . I know the JJ is a better tube , I just want to know how much better the tone is . Today I swaped the stock Electro-Harmonix 12ax7 pre-amp tube for a vintage Jan-Philips 12ax7 and it sounds great . Its also not as noisy as the EH tube was .

December 28th, 2007, 07:47 PM	#2 (permalink)
teleman55 TDPRI Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: fox lake, il Age: 53 Posts: 82	Valve Junior and JJ EL-84 I really like those JJ EL84s. I got one in my Epiphone Valve Special and four in my Crate Palomino. Jan Phillips 12AX7 is a nice one too. Got one in V2 of my Pro Reverb and it sings quite nicely. I don't know about their otjer tubes but JJ has maybe the best new production EL84, IMHO

December 28th, 2007, 07:50 PM	#3 (permalink)
teleman55 TDPRI Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: fox lake, il Age: 53 Posts: 82	Valve Junior and JJ EL-84 I really like those JJ EL84s. I got one in my Epiphone Valve Special and four in my Crate Palomino. Jan Phillips 12AX7 is a nice one too. Got one in V2 of my Pro Reverb and it sings quite nicely. I don't know about their other tubes but JJ has maybe the best new production EL84, IMHO.

December 29th, 2007, 10:53 AM	#6 (permalink)
mistermullens Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Atlanta Posts: 1,590 56 Photos	I've got a JJ EL84 in mine, and I like it better than the Sovtek. I've also got a NOS Jan Philips 5751 in the preamp. I really like it, but I read on one of those tube store websites the EH EL84 is creamier than the rest so I may give that a shot __________________ Jonathan - Demos@purevolume.com When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace. - Jimi All I need is my Esquire - MM

December 29th, 2007, 12:16 PM	#9 (permalink)
dibber124 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Long Island, New York Age: 53 Posts: 1,167	JJ EL84's are the only EL84 we use in the shop, best all around new EL84 out there right now. Sovtek 84's are brittle sounding tubes when driven hard. __________________ "I feel that it is healthier to look out at the world through a window than through a mirror. Otherwise, all you see is yourself and whatever is behind you." - Bill Withers

December 28th, 2007, 11:37 PM	#4 (permalink)
chabby Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 1,114	I went and joined the dam EPI Jr. club today too and didnt really have the money. But 109.99? How can you not? Mine is just plugged into the DRRI's speaker. I really wanted the cab with the eminence speaker in it, but couldnt afford it right now cuz I also bought an OCD Fulltone OD box, misc cables, daisy chain etc. Can you believe these head sfor 100 bucks???? What a great world we live in. Only con is that they don't have reverb.

December 29th, 2007, 12:02 PM	#7 (permalink)
tommyc Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Hendersonville TN Age: 37 Posts: 105	It has a 16 ohm , 8 ohm , and 4 ohm jacks on the back so yeah it will work with any speaker setup . Before I got the Epi cabinet I ran mine through my 68 Deluxe Reverbs speaker and it worked just fine . Im using a Route 66 compressor/overdrive , a H2O echo/chorus , and a BBE Sonic Stomp through mine with George Ls cable and it sounds great . The Sonic Stomp and the compressor together really gives you alot more highs and more clean headroom . The Valve Junior 1x12 cabinet really sounds great and is very well built . The Lady Luck speaker is a little darker sounding than my Deluxe Reverbs , but it still sounds great . For around $250.00 for the head and cab you cant beat the sounds you can get from these things . Im probably gonna get another head and cab and run them together .

December 29th, 2007, 12:11 PM	#8 (permalink)
tommyc Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Hendersonville TN Age: 37 Posts: 105	Ive heard the JJ EL-84 is the best new EL-84 on the market , so I will probably go with it . Eurotubes will test your tubes for you and find one that will match the tone you want (more clean headroom) for example .

December 29th, 2007, 03:09 PM	#10 (permalink)
6942 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Western Maryland Posts: 1,297	I like JJ for new tubes.............. But I'm using NOS American glass for now. Sylvania 5751 & GE EL84. Steve

December 31st, 2007, 10:28 AM	#11 (permalink)
bassbuster33 Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Oregon Age: 41 Posts: 148	I have a JJ's EL84 and a Tung Sol reissue in Valve Jr and they sound great. The amp is a little dark sounding and the Tung Sol helps that some. It still needs more help though.

December 31st, 2007, 02:53 PM	#12 (permalink)
bowlfreshener Tele-Afflicted Join Date: May 2007 Location: Virginia, USA Age: 32 Posts: 1,310 6 Photos	One of my Valve Junior Heads came stock with an EH 12ax7 and a JJ EL84, so I swapped the Sovtek 12ax7 and unknown EL84 in the other head I had for some great results. __________________ RAMA LAMA FA FA FA

December 31st, 2007, 03:05 PM	#13 (permalink)
madmark Tele-Meister Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: New York Age: 39 Posts: 155	Eurotube hooked me up with some JJ's told him the sound I was looking for and I got them 2 days later. Sound awesome

December 31st, 2007, 03:11 PM	#14 (permalink)
tommyc Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Hendersonville TN Age: 37 Posts: 105	Yeah I was gonna get my tubes from Eurotubes . Im looking for a little more clean headroom .

December 31st, 2007, 10:43 PM	#15 (permalink)
xStonr Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Down in the Boondocks Posts: 1,231 4 Photos	I find the JJ EL84 a little dark. I've tried the new Mullard EL84 in another amp and like them so I'll probably try one in my Epi VJ too.