Tube 'Characteristics' - EL-34 and 845 and 211

I went from Conrad Johnson Premier 12s (140 wpc pp, 6550 output tubes) to a friend's design SET monoblocks (12 wpc 845 outputs, EL34 drivers, 6N7 inputs) because the 845 SETs sounded MORE powerful and open, with exceptional dynamics and just plain musicality. That was 4 years ago and I never regretted the change for a minute.

I'm using metal plate 845Ws, no longer available, if only temporarily. The input and driver tubes make a big sonic difference too, and the Mullard xf1 EL-34s I formerly used have given way to much less expensive reissue Russian KT77s by Genelex/Gold Lion. These are sensational tubes, IMO.

Bottom line: Yes, moving to 845 SET monoblocks will be a major upgrade IF they have robust trannies. Mine are humongous Magnequests. Good luck, Dave

Dopogue

Not trying to change the thread, as it interests me too, but would you mind indicating the diffs from 34's to 77's?

I use the CED winged C 34's presently in my mono blocks.
Thanks.

Actually the common wisdom is that triodes are more 'beautiful' and truthful than pentodes (or anything else), and directly-heated triodes doubly so. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with EL34s (especially strapped triode) but you aren't going to lose "beauty" with a good DHT amp (of basically any sort).

It seems to me that the closer you get to an 'ideal' amp the more tubes sound similar, the more single-ended sounds like push-pull, tubes sound like transistors, having output tranformers sounds like OTL, and so forth. For example, a Viva Solista 845 SET amp would be hard to nail as an 845 SET since it doesn't sound fuzzy, rounded, or rolled-off like most of them (excluding top brands). At all. But it still does have a bit of DHT glow, which is why I suspect the designer uses DHTs.

I've been looking at an Art Audio Quartet (50 watts class A with two 845's per side); haven't brought it home for an in-house audition yet but I probably will. At the dealer driving some Usher floor standing speakers I thought the Quartet sounded quite good.

The Gold Lion KT77s surprised the heck out of me. I had earlier tried JJ KT77s TWICE (the first pair plagued by various well-known teething problems) and assumed the Gold Lions would be similar. Instead, they took all the best qualities of the Mullard xf1's and bettered them -- better dynamics, clarity, openness, with no downsides I can find. I should point out, though, that my Mullards were not exactly fresh tubes (unknown hours) and tested just barely into the "good" range on my Eico tester.

Paul, I've never heard an 845 SET amp sound "fuzzy, rounded, or rolled off," but I guess if you say so, they must be out there. Wimpy trannies maybe?