EL 84s

Robert · Post by **Robert** » 8 Jun 2002 6:18 pm

I've got a twenty-watt amp that runs on two EL 84's. I understand they "run hot" and tend to wear out quickly. I've had this amp for not quite a year, and it currently is sounding a little raspy around the edges, and lacks in articulation and punch. I don't have any prior experience with EL 84's. Does this sound familiar - re-tubing every six to nine months? The tubes aren't expensive and there are just two, so it's not a terrible expense . . . thanks.

Rob Yale

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 8 Jun 2002 7:00 pm

How long a set of tubes will last depends on a lot of factors...playing style, volume, total hours use, type of tubes used, ambient temperatures, and so forth. Sure, try new tubes. They're fast and easy to replace. If that's not the problem, then go to a tech and have him trouble shoot it, especially the speaker and coupling caps, each of which could cause the problem you describe.

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 9 Jun 2002 7:32 am

When I was using EL84's I needed to replace them every 6 months. My amp was a VHT and it ran pretty hot. I think that a clean steel tone with a focused low end can be hard on tubes.

Bob

Jerry Erickson · Post by **Jerry Erickson** » 9 Jun 2002 7:44 am

If the amp also has a tube phase inverter(12ax or at7,usually) it would be a good thing to replace this tube also as this tube gets worked almost as hard as the output tubes.

Robert · Post by **Robert** » 10 Jun 2002 5:42 pm

Thanks to each of you. I went ahead and replaced the two EL-84s, and the 12AT7. The power tubes were definitely the problem. The 12AT7 didn't seem to make a difference. I really should have put in three new 12AX7's, too, since one of them probably does reverb recovery. The reverb doesn't sound as good as it normally does. I'll get to it in the next few days!