EL34 Lovers?

Dodd's 120 Monoblocks when I owned them, prior to switching to an amp with 845 tubes (Art Audio Quartets). The Dodds had great control over the speakers' drivers, while maintaining that tube magic in the form of a huge holographic soundstage and palpable mids. They are not only a great deal at their retail price, but a downright steal used.

Jean Hirraga's Lectron JH50. Modded by Doshi...very nice!

Enjoy all

I raise the question because one of my amps is the Ars Sonum which uses four JJ Tesla EL34L and I think it is a fantastic amp with my speakers (Merlin VSM)and I assume the use of the EL34L has a lot to do with it. Every wonderfully rich, organic midrange with resulution and quite a bit of tuneful and present bass, which I did not expect due to the rep of the EL34 and the fact that the amp is "only" 30 watts (I'm use to bass, one of my other amps is a CAT JL2 which SOTA bass from a tube amp). I get the sense that there is a beauty in the EL34 and amps that use them. At least in the Ars, the tube is not "slow" "over lush", etc.

Pubul-

I would try a tube change from your JJ tubes to a set of Siemens, RFT, Mullard, Sylvania or Telefunken if you can find the deal.

I have a Sonic Frontiers SFS 40 I use in my B system. I swapped out the JJ's in it for a quad of Siemens as well as the driver/input tubes with Valvo's and it transformed the amp.

What was a passably good midrange while suffering in the high and low end has changed to an excellent midrange with very good highs and quite acceptable clean tuneful low end .

If you are happy with the EL-34 sonic signature- a good set of American or German EL-34's tubes may send you over the rainbow.

Ralph

VTL MB-125. A phenomenal overall performer which showcases the EL-34's at their best. Any brand of tube you choose. Awesome amp.