EL84 Vacuum Tube Comparison Using Yellow Jackets® Tube Converters
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- Опубліковано 15 вер 2024
- In this video, we'll compare 10 different EL84 brands in a JCM800 using the Yellow Jackets® YJS. The JCM800 typically uses EL34 tubes, but Yellow Jackets® allow EL84 power tubes to be used in place of most common guitar amp power tubes, providing a "self-bias" Class-A configuration for the EL84 so that no bias adjustment is required.
The first sound demoed is that of the EL34. There is a dropoff in volume when the EL84s are demoed due to the YJS's substantial reduction of maximum output power. This allows you to find that sweet, warm mix of preamp and power amp distortion at a lower volume.
The YJS used in this video is the pentode version, which reduces the output power by roughly 50% to 70%. The triode version of the YJS reduces the output power even further, from roughly 70% to 90%.
The YJS is also available in a shorter version, YJShort, for amps that have low clearance. To find out which Yellow Jackets® model is right for your amp, you can find more info on the Yellow Jackets® website:
www.yellowjack...
Yellow Jackets® also offer a convenient list of recommended models for common amplifiers:
www.yellowjack...
To purchase Yellow Jackets® directly, visit:
www.amplifiedp...
Amplified Parts also offers an EL84 sampler set if you would like to try out various EL84s in your amp, with or without Yellow Jackets®:
www.amplifiedp...
JJ 84 1:53
JJ 884 2:04
EH 2:15
Genalex 2:26
GT 2:36
Mullard 2:48
Sovtek 2:59
Sovtek M 3:10
Tube Doctor 3:21
Tung Sol 3:32
IMO, can't beat Groove Tubes with that low mid creamy punch. Worth the extra change.
Good demo, not a great deal of difference between them, still thought JJ sounded the best. Had the smoothest break up.
so based on this , i can just buy the cheapest tubes i can find 'cause they all sound very similar.
Learn to use your ears bud.
The video above made it easy to distinguish different tonal attributes of the different brands of EL84 tubes, at least to my ears.
Will these Yellow jackets work with a Blackstar Series One 10434 amp? just plug them in like that?
I bought these and used them in my 65 princeton reissue. The EL84s sound like they breakup differently and have less headroom overall. At lower volumes they sound more focused and glassy compared to the 6V6s, but are kind of thinner, too. One thing to mention is that my tremolo does not work when the yellow jackets are installed, everything else is fine, though.
Do you have to rebias?
@@tomwillaert3363 No - you don't have to rebias to use the Yellow Jackets. I checked their website, too which says:
'Yellow Jackets also convert the power tube bias to "self-bias" Class A so that no bias adjustment is necessary. You can switch back and forth between EL84s and your amplifier's original power tubes without rebiasing.'
did you check the bias every time you swapped tubes? I guess its a cathode resistor in the socket, are there a bypass capacitor over the resistor if that is the case?
Now I have go get my Smithereens CD out of the garage.
Over here you can get tad tone bones which are the same. I bought some and they crackled really loud each time I turned the amp, it sounded like the sky was falling
How do you handle the changed plate to plate load when using EL84s instead of for example EL34s?
Green Thoughts by the Smithereens!
Hopefully these are made better now. I bought some other brand that was made in the 90's or early 2000's with a red base and my '66 Super Reverb ate two sets of these. I do see they provide the same sound which is basically the same as using the original octal tubes. Maybe the triode version would provide a different tone???
Durability of the tubes you purchase such as in a tube combo would be a big deal. If the cabinet is shaking really poorly made tubes will be micro phonic and crap out quicker.
Nice! Now do one with humbackers!
I like the JJ and the Mullard. I think Groove Tubes has a strange midrange in this amp.
First, the loss in output was pretty obvious. That's why they didn't equalize the volume. Some of the EL84s were a bit louder than others. Second, the ironic thing is that maybe halfway through the demo there is something microphonic going on with this amp - - a gritty high pitched resonance that is really annoying! Pretty awkward for a demo on tubes. Lastly - - yes very Voxy and very Smithereens!
im pretty sure its the strings/springs on that bigsby. i was pretty annoyed with it too
Thanks good vid.
Trying to remember this group I have the album Green sthgggg (NOT GreenDay!) Isn’t Jimmie Vaughan playing it on album?
Sounds good great product!
Thanks, Brazos!
Should’ve brought the volume up on all the 84s to match the 34
Nope. Then you wouldn't hear the obvious loss of output volume. Doing it this way was actually helpful. Now you know the trade-off.
@@harveycan5820 I think they may have done the el 34s straight into the amp and then pumped that sound through the looper back in which would account for the even greater loss in volume. I have two sets of these this pair and the ones from Groove tubes, and they coincidentally sound the same, but that very big loss in volume I mean change in volume whatever you want to call it is not really that apparent live. They do drop the output, just because el84s don't put out the same volume as El 34s unless maybe the 34s were just beat to holy hell and the 84s were on steroids. But in my experience there is definitely some volume drop but not as much as you might have thought and there's a definite high end to the 84s that comes in which of course can be dealt with by tone knobs. They do add a different character but I don't think it's huge but I definitely think it's usable and no matter what make they do get hot they have to to burn off that extra current. The groove tubes might be built a little better, as the yellow jackets have distorted a little bit I mean the plastic has actually distorted from getting hot. It would be a good idea to have a fan exhaust some of the Heat. I don't recommend blowing fans on the tubes. It can work for some but it can actually cool some to where they don't sound as good. Somebody will probably start bitching at me but I've heard it. Maybe the amp was biased too cool I don't know, but exhausting heat away is not going to change anything except do good. Also it can get to be a tight fit so you may want to put the tubes onto the base before you put the bases in. I think it was my jtm45 small box that was really tight. All in all it's a fun concept and I liked em.
I’m telling the Smithereens you are playing there music without their permission
The one you want ???
Smithereens!!!
tungsol sounded brighter
INSTEAD, install an easy to install, PHASE INVERTER MASTER VOLUME* on your high powered amp! It's what has been THEE SOUND for 50 years! If arena rockers STILL prefer a Pinv MV on their amp as opposed to packing the power tubes in dry ice, what's that tell you? Alot!
* You can install a Pinv MV on your amp in less than an hour! and for less than $20! Just 3 components- 2 capacitors, and 1 dual potentiometer (pot). I am not affilated with this company, I just see they are a one stop place for a Pinv MV kit. - go to:
*MASTER* *VOLUME* *MOD* *KIT* *(PPIMV)* *-* *Triode* *Electronics* .
-- post amp attunuators are stupid. They kill your power tubes while turning your headroom into heat!
DO AN A/B TEST:
1)Turn your [[Phase Inverter Master Volume]] all the way up, it's as if it's not there.
2) put Attenuator on amp
3) Crank up amp's VOLUME knob.
4) use your attenuator to lower speaker volume
5) play for a while and remember how it sounds, then remove attenuator (remove attenuation)
6) Now turn down MASTER VOLUME and turn up amp's VOLUME....experiment with both knobs, and room volumes.
7) Okay, you've made the comparison. What sounds better?
8) Now doesn't it seem silly depending on the likes of attenuators and 'smaller output tube converters' to give you great tube distortion?
9) Attenuators squash your amps headroom into heat.
10) Bigger-to-smaller output tube converters, mismatch the tube to the potential of the output transformer, lessening the headroom as well.
11) A PHASE INVERTER MASTER VOLUME (or similar, see 'master volumes') does more than simply act as a gate for volume loudness so you can play a JCM 800 in your bedroom! No, it opens up your amp into a world of blissful crunch! Even at high volumes!