Recommend new EL84 tubes
Hi all, I have been contacted by a good friend asking me to source 8 X EL84 for his Manley Stingray which is a parallel P-P integrated amp.
He has had the original valves for about 10 years, which I think are rebranded Sovteks or Electro Harmonix 6Pi14Pi-EB.
2 sets of matched quads will do. He is looking to improve on the originals. The amp has individual bias pots for each valve so perfect matching is not paramount.
He also needs a pair of 12AT7's. Best quality needed for this position.
Maybe try some new old stock matched EL84M Sovtek tubes. You can get them from Viva if not others. Not too bad, decent value, tried them in a test amp based on a recommendation from a friend. Give them 48hrs to burn in, they’ll open up. Also, I've been running PSVANE 12AT7s for the past year as input tubes in my mono amps, replacing some really good Mullard Blackburn plant mid 1960 tubes being stored away. Not a bad tradeoff, sound pretty good, lasting so far.
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to @lemonhaze There are older 2-3+ year old PSVANE and newer versions I've tested throughly, comparing 2012-2014 versions to 2019 yr plus and the newer 12AU7 and 12AT7s sounded better to me, notably. What changed, I don't know. As for EL84s, hard to say, you are on your own there unless others speak up having tried and compared to other EL84s. I believe Peter at Audio Note is using PSV in his own line relabled, so it would be a roll of the dice to try them, and I only recommended the EL84Ms from Sovtek since more than a few I know had luck with them. |
Similar experience here with 7189/EL84M. They were a little softer, not as deep of a sound stage or detailed as other NOS EL84s, but still very nice. I liked them. Like others here, I also tried the Tungsram EL84, and it was bit more detailed, and airy, yet not as smooth as the Sovtek EL84M military tube. Pick your flavor. Same with the Tungsram 12AU7, 12AT7s, detailed, not as smooth as PSVANE, or NOS Mullards hoarded away. |
