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What EL84 is best for HH Scott 399

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ottsm

New Member
I have a HH scott 399 tuner/amp with four 6BQ5/EL84 tubes. While moving it these tubes got damaged so I'm looking for replacements. This isn't my primary unit I use to listen most of the time so I'd like to get something that is economical but still good quality. I've looked several boxes of tubes I have and not one 6BQ5/EL84.

I'm currently looking at Sovtek or Electro-Harmonix matched quads, which is better? Or do I just need to get two matched pairs (assuming they never get mixed up which I could see happening)? Guess the Electro's are wider then original EL84's. Not sure this would be a problem in the HH scott 399.

Any advice, I've never bought any of the newer foreign tubes.
 
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I really like the sound of the RCA's, I use them in my HK 60's gear. Nothing against using current tubes. Just seems classic gear sounds better using the older tubes.
 
In PP circuits like the Scott has, nothing is more clear and neutral sounding than the GE 6BQ5. This conclusion was with a few amplifiers owned by myself & others from a huge collection of 6BQ5/EL84 tubes.
 
6P14P-EV sound fantastic in my Scott 299 - and at a fraction of the cost of vintage NOS. I've been buying these for future replacement as well in anticipation of the supply eventually drying up.
 
6P14-EV handle the higher B+ from today's mains voltages. Many of the vintage amps were designed to operate the output tubes on the edge. The higher B+ often puts them over the edge unless you drop the B+, change bias, etc.
 
Looks like I can get some used USA made tubes for about $70-$90 for all four (tested). I'm having trouble finding the 6P14-EV's from my normal sources, where online do you find these from a USA supplier?
 
In my equipment the -EV's sound a little "darker" than the German and American tubes. Still, quite nice. I would not worry about brands of NOS if your plate V is below 320 or so. BTW, I've found more of a change in "tone" by changing the input tubes than the output ones. YMMV.
 
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