EL34 vs 6L6 tube comparison in Laney IRT120

[Claudio Passamani]

Hi Guys. Im new here and heres my first contribution, doing a viedeo review comparising the sound of my Laney RT120 loaded with EL34 Tubes vs. the original 6l6. the amp itself has a bias switch that can be set both to EL34 or 6l6. Whats you choice of tubes?

[km6xz]

Welcome Claudio. That was an interesting test and more interesting playing. I have a few quibbles however: A/B testing needs to be done with very fast comparesons samples because memory of complex tones is short in humans and 15-20 seconds is really too long if trying to reduce the variables to just the sonic changes between tubes. Beam Power tubes have a different curve and style of compression than pentodes which the EL34 is so drive signal is critical for sonic character comparisons, a slight difference in drive will have a large difference in compression knee point. By adjusting the drive a little, many of the differences can be compensated for.
I am not sure if that was the attempt on the first clean demo of the 6L6 but it was recorded 6db down from the Clean EL34 demo.
A way to reduce that variable is to record the sample directly from the guitar with no eq, just impedance transformation, and then use the recording to drive both amps and switching quickly between them. Then set the level out of the "re-amp" source to a higher or lower level to compare using the different drive level so each tube's sweet spot for compression knee and rate would be heard.

Personally, I do not care, as long as the song and interpretation is interesting and the tone is chosen to complement the particular composition. In other words, I would rather listen to you play than test tone which is more like testing tires by putting them on a dyno-roller, instead of just driving and interacting with the many variables that become available to control in real time by the driver.

[Claudio Passamani]

Welcome Claudio. That was an interesting test and more interesting playing. I have a few quibbles however: A/B testing needs to be done with very fast comparesons samples because memory of complex tones is short in humans and 15-20 seconds is really too long if trying to reduce the variables to just the sonic changes between tubes. Beam Power tubes have a different curve and style of compression than pentodes which the EL34 is so drive signal is critical for sonic character comparisons, a slight difference in drive will have a large difference in compression knee point. By adjusting the drive a little, many of the differences can be compensated for.
I am not sure if that was the attempt on the first clean demo of the 6L6 but it was recorded 6db down from the Clean EL34 demo.
A way to reduce that variable is to record the sample directly from the guitar with no eq, just impedance transformation, and then use the recording to drive both amps and switching quickly between them. Then set the level out of the "re-amp" source to a higher or lower level to compare using the different drive level so each tube's sweet spot for compression knee and rate would be heard.

Personally, I do not care, as long as the song and interpretation is interesting and the tone is chosen to complement the particular composition. In other words, I would rather listen to you play than test tone which is more like testing tires by putting them on a dyno-roller, instead of just driving and interacting with the many variables that become available to control in real time by the driver.

In first of all thank you fro your complements about my playing and composition. I find very intersting your analogy about tires. This video is exactly that: A guy driving his car in a track with different curves and long straight courses with two kind of tires. is not a full lab olscilloscope db meter nasa analysis about the electric and electonics. I respect the technical entusiasm from several people and this tech geek is very important to development of new porducts and improvment of existing ones.

But to valve amplifiers has two simple pleasures. toplay guitar and to listen what is played. the intention was to play with the 2 kinds of tubes without changing of presets ( ok maybe the slider in clean of el34 could be slip a little) and let the ears do the job. In my musician ears even with those "long changing time" the difference beetween the tubes is very clear. But i respect your tech talk and thank you for watch the video!

best regards.

[big_teee]

I also enjoyed your playing and test.
I thought the 6L6s sounded best clean and the EL34s sounded best loaded up.
I have a 50 Watt 2204 Clone, and it is the same way, better crunch with the EL34s, and good cleans with the 6L6s.
Good Luck,
Terry
PS: Play some more for us!
I especially liked the metal cords at the end!
T

[big_teee]

Here's a 6L6 vs EL34 I found, that is interesting to Me!

[silverfox]

That was interesting Tee- I couldn't tell much of a difference in that vid. Must be something about the output tube design as for me, there was hardly any difference between 6L6 or EL34.

I did notice a difference in the first demo above so I think if there be a difference in tone it depends also on the output section design.

Silverfox.