• WARNING: Tube/Valve amplifiers use potentially LETHAL HIGH VOLTAGES.
    Building, troubleshooting and testing of these amplifiers should only be
    performed by someone who is thoroughly familiar with
    the safety precautions around high voltages.

EL34 types

Status
This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.
HI

I was shopping for some new sparepart tubes for my amp and found out that there is some different tubes out there.

I have not cared about this before but now I started to think about it.

There is the usual EL34 and then there is EL34G, EL34WXT, EL34EH ect

What is the difference between these tubes and other letter variations?

What I have heard is that the G stands for graphite.

Does this mean that the EL34G has graphite plates?


And does they have different performance like the 6L6 types?
 
diyAudio Senior Member
Joined 2002
Hi,

There is the usual EL34 and then there is EL34G, EL34WXT, EL34EH ect

EL34G, the G suffix normally stands for GLASS as opposed to METAL.
To the best of my knowledge no EL34M (metal version) ever existed so I suppose you can just as well ignore it.

The USSR (probably Reklector) EL34WXT should be a ruggedized EL34 with extended life (aka long life version) similar to the NOS E34L professional standard.

EL34EH, the EH is just a vendor's suffix and stands for Electro Harmonix.
EH sometimes has some types especially made for them according to a NOS manufacturers' specs.

And does they have different performance like the 6L6 types?

Most I know of have all very similar electrical specs but there probably is an audible difference between various types.
This is kind of sound tuning is always popular among guitar players.

TUBE TASTING

Cheers,;)
 
Status
This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.