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Character of EL-84 amps

I did a lot of auditioning of ProAc speakers at Arizona Hifi...super excellent guys. I listened for the first two visits to a Leben EL-84 integrated, with around 20 wpc. It sounded lovely. Maybe the nicest amp I have ever heard. On the third visit I switched mid visit to the big Leben and pre, with 6550s. A much different sound. But, I keep thinking back, and think that I really liked the EL-84 sound. It seemed lighter, airier, less thick and heavy. More pleasant and easier to listen to. At the time I thought it possibly a bit thin. Now I think maybe I want that sound.

I have not heard other EL-84 amps. There is the RM-10. Manley makes one with 4 EL-84s per side. I have a Scott integrated I never liked, but maybe I can mod it.

Is it generally true of EL-84 amps that they are lighter and airier, more delicate, in sound than EL-34/6550/6L6 etc amps? Or should I not assume what is true with Leben is true with all EL-84 amps?

Thanks,
Jim
river251
clio09
2,978 posts
 
I would not buy into the theory that the EL-84 is lighter, airier, and more delicate in sound than those other tubes you mentioned. I have owned both a Music Reference RM-9 and RM-10 and while the RM-10 has about a third of the power of it's EL-84 big brother, it has balls. Then again where most designers are hard pressed to squeeze 15 watts out of an EL-84 design, Roger Modjeski gets 35 watts. The extra power gives this little amp a bid sound versus some of the lower powered EL-84's I have heard. There is a 6moons review of this amp worth checking out.
grimace
624 posts
 
I think the Manley Snapper is EL 84 based also. Another nice thing about the EL84 is that great vintage tubes are generally a heck of a lot cheaper than bigger vintage power tubes like the 6550, KT88 and EL34s which can be several hundred dollars each.
hifiharv
351 posts
 
I use EL84's daily. Love my vintage Fisher amps. Had Cary with KT88's...sold. Adcom 565's...sold. This tube can have a special character. Light, airy, but not lean. Fast, stop on a dime speed when needed, but also able to linger long enough to show full and realistic tone. Colorful, but not colored. Bass may have limitations at the absolute extreme compared to higher watt tubes, but it's tunefull tightness makes up for it. Some systems/rooms do better with this level of bass performance. Every brand sounds different and you can literally tailor the sound you want by choosing accordingly. The current Gold Lion EL84 is a great sounding tube for not alot of money compared to NOS stuff. They aren't lasting as long for me though. But, for $120,00 a quad, you can retube every year.
mt10425
1,138 posts
 
Sfar, I didn't mean to infer that they were interchangble. By variation, I meant characteristics in sound, nothing more.
viridian's avatar
viridian
4,184 posts
 
I like the EL84 and have quite a few amps that take the tube, as well as its stouter brother the 7189.

The RM10 is an excellent amp if you are buying new. Very fast and direct sounding with nice power delivery.

The Eico HF-81 integrated is just what everyone says, a magic amp.

Now, if I could have only one EL84 amp it would be the Acrosound Stereo 20-20. In designing the amp Keroes went back to the Loftin-White direct coupled circuit for the 2A3 amp and adaped it to EL84s, so unlike any other commerical EL84 amp, it is direct coupled, without any coupling capacitors in the signal path, and it sounds that way. Super fast, facile, balanced, immediate and powerful. The legendary Acrosound output transformers don't hurt, but these amps are worth every penny that one pays for them.
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