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Favorite EL-84 amplifier?

albusark

albusark

Dynaco Fan
I just finished building two Decware Zen Kit monoblocks (each runs on two EL-84's) and while listening I thought they sounded extremely modern, analytical, ultra-detailed, and sometimes boring. The circuit made badly recorded recordings sound awful, and brilliantly recorded music sound truly divine. I want to emphasize that, great recordings on this circuit sound breathtaking. I tried various tube sets, including Amperex Bugle Boys, JJ Platinum matched, Blackburn Mullards, and it all generally sounded like music under a microscope. It just amplified the sound really well - that's how I feel. Really detailed, but no character.

I switched to my rebuilt Dynaco SCA-35 and wow. No comparison. The musicality, the coloring, the character, it was a revelation in comparison. Like Wizard of Oz in the beginning in black and white and then the Dynaco came in and it was all technicolor. The circuit has heart. No matter what you play on it, it sounds brilliant to an exponent.

So my question, since obviously I don't like analytical amplifiers, is - what's better than an SCA-35? I'd like to get further into the hobby.

What's your favorite EL-84 amplifier? What will give me a new angle on the EL-84 experience?
 
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I'm very fond of my modded Glow Audio Amp Twos that I'm using as differential mono blocks. FDFD5A7F-BFD0-4A83-9887-9E6772D9B8F5.jpg
13BCC31C-26B5-4BAD-AA0A-82C027C9B53A.jpg40C74858-4279-4A9B-B0A4-7538D512F074.jpg

They're handsome little buggers, not vintage, but are based on a classic circuit:
1753964306893.jpeg

When I got them, I thought they'd be a stopgap until I could afford something "good," however after rolling tubes and replacing capacitors with better grade electrolytics and films, I've stopped longing for anything else. I may upgrade the iron at some point, but I expect improvements to be somewhat marginal. Designed by Kara Chafee of DeHavilland EAC, but manufactured in Hong Kong for a US company, the amps are of significantly better quality than many, if not most Chi-Fi amps at their price point.
 
I'm guessing that Decware unit is push-pull since you say its got two EL84 per mono amp? Or is that one of their single ended stereo amps wired in mono mode, so its parallel single ended? Not sure which specific circuit you're working with but all of the Decware schematics I've found were either zero feedback triode-wired or plate to plate feedback setups with relatively low feedback levels. I wouldn't think that should make for an "analytical" sound, SE amps, especially ones with low or zero feedback tend to have very strong amounts of tube flavor.
 
Decware kit is either parallel or series (recommended by Deware) single ended triode.


@albusark

Have you ever heard a stereo SE84UFO with tube rectification?

2 single ended I like, unfortunately rare and hard to get, Vaughn Carina (T or UL) and Grommes PHI-26 (T or P).
The Almarro A205A (P) is also pretty good, but like above not for sale often.
 
so far it's my Dynakit ST-35. The Magnavox 9303 console amp I modified sounds pretty good too.
 

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gadget73 said:
I'm guessing that Decware unit is push-pull since you say its got two EL84 per mono amp? Or is that one of their single ended stereo amps wired in mono mode, so its parallel single ended? Not sure which specific circuit you're working with but all of the Decware schematics I've found were either zero feedback triode-wired or plate to plate feedback setups with relatively low feedback levels. I wouldn't think that should make for an "analytical" sound, SE amps, especially ones with low or zero feedback tend to have very strong amounts of tube flavor.
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The Decware amp is SE and I would consider his description spot on. It is extremely accurate and detailed, and "clean" sounding I would say. It does reward good front end and good recordings, and basically does the reverse to the reverse.

To the OP: I would enjoy what each amp does, it's great to have options.
 
I have only heard a few EL84 based amps. Favorite is a recently acquired new build Dynaco ST-35 consisting of Dynakit Parts stainless chassis and transformers, Dave Gillespie circuit boards and EFB board and NOS PIO Russian surplus caps. Running NOS Bugle Boys on outputs. Sound blows me away, simply rich and holographic. I have amps I prefer overall, throw on Skynyrd’s Second Helping or some Marshall Tucker at low volumes and this amp simply shines.
 
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