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

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?

"can it match the natural 'beauty' inherent to the EL-34?"

I won't say that the 845 isn't a quality tube capable of making beautiful music in the right design, but to answer your question very specifically, and with the understanding that "beauty" is in the ears of the listener: When I hear someone ask for a beautiful sounding tube, the 845 doesn't spring to the forefront of my thoughts. One might call it a different beauty, somewhat akin to the difference between incandescent light and the flickering light of a fire.

Now there is an outstanding point.

I've heard a few EL34 based amps and all have had a quite different sonic signature. One set in triode, two others in Pentode, Not sure which #34 tubes in each. JJ's or someother popular brand I think... nothing high priced or NOS.

To date... the Thor 30wpc mono with two 34s in each block running in tri, have been the ones to beat IMHO!

Thanks for the tips on the 77s.