Happiness is A Warm Set of EL34's


OK - don't get too started on this one (I think I set myself up). I am the happy owner of a pair of Cary SLM-70 amps that have been modified for triode (the switches reveal that triode sounds MUCH better than ultralinear). Boy, these amps bring out the definition of each instrument, and spatially, in my Quad 988's. Each amp currently has a quad of JJ EL 34L tubes in them. I love the transparency, but am seeking a bit more warmth (without losing much clarity).

Does anyone have suggestions? I've reviewed the threads. Certainly, two matched quads of Mullard XF2's would be wonderful, but it's a lot of dough and I repeat the question "is it really worth it". Some like the Svetlanas, some the cryo'd Svets, some the Siemens and Telefunkens.

I'm looking for some guidance. Please advise from experience. Thanks, Peter.

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peter_s
I found the Tesla, predecessor to the JJ, E34L a bit crisp in my amp and used the Svetlana EL34's which I found warm to neutral in comparison - That was in a Sonics Frontier Amp. FWIW.
Like Newbee, I've also found the JJ tubes to be a bit brisk in my Jolida. Not overbearingly so, but noticably when compared to the Svetlanas, which are warmer but with no less detail. I've heard that the ElectroHarmonix EL34 are most impressive. I have a quad but have not opened the boxes as the Svetlanas are doing just fine right now. I'd love to hear the Mullards some day, but...$$$$!
I have Cary SLM 100's. I had Svetlanas, switched to the SED's, a bit warmer and harmonically richer. Cary also did a circuit modification to my 100's that decreased the amount of negative feedback, increased warmth, may be able to do same for you.
Found the same results as above comparing tesla (JJ) e34l's to svetlana's el34's, in particular a modified stereo 70. In fact, evan prefered the svets for their open mids at the expence of the 'crisp' jj's, which would have served to help the amp.
In my experience using them in guitar amps, I found the comparisans between the two to not only be the same as using them for hi-fi, but that the svets stayed cleaner longer (didn't break up when pushed) AND was harmonically richer, and broke up smoother, evan though it is a less powerful tube than the jj. I know this is not what you will use them for, but I thought this may help being as the svet's very obviously respond better to more different variables than the jj's, such as changes in negative feedback, bias levels, gain and so forth with curcuit changes, and that seems to be an important aspect to what you are using them for.