Character of EL-84 amps

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.

Sfar, I didn't mean to infer that they were interchangble. By variation, I meant characteristics in sound, nothing more.

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.

Marty (Viridian), do you have any experience with or comments on the Pilot SA-232?

I have one that I use occasionally in a third system, in my basement. It functions well, but I've never taken the time to work it over thoroughly (replacing caps, rolling tubes, etc.), or to assess it in my main system.

I know it is generally well regarded. I'd be interested in any comments you might have on it.

Regards,
-- Al

Viridian, I think you told me about the Acrosound once before when I posted a question about neutral (non-fat) tube amps. I'll keep an eye out.

I have been leaning toward an RM-9 but maybe the RM-10 is worth considering too.

Clio99 have you heard any other EL84 amps?
The Snapper is out of my budget but it also uses more ouput tubes than the others... I do push my 8B to the limit with my ProAc One SCs in my small room. Bad ears I guess but I always listened to music very loud.

Good to know about the Gold Lions HifiHarv. Yes that's not why I am thinking about the tubes but the prices are attractive.

Have any of you head the smaller Leben integrated ($3500) with EL84s? It sounded shimmering and delicate, with so much more going on with the cymbals and space, than the larger integrated ($7k) or the 6550 amp and preamp ($17k).

Thanks everyone.
JohnnyR, if you are a Music Reference dealer, I would like to talk to you offline, if that's allowed. jkk251
at gmail
dot com
guess I'll find out. shame we can't pm.

Jim