The EL34 is probably one of the two most widely used machines. It is still produced in China, Russia and Slovakia. However, many gallbladder enthusiasts prefer to buy old and new items, even used EL34. I am a user of Marantz 8b. In the past four years and more, I have been searching for EL34, and I have gained a little bit.

Origin lineage

Today's breathtakingly New Old Stock EL34, launched in the mid-fifties, wasn't exactly expensive, and by the late fifties it was a lot cheaper than the then-popular 6550, KT88, KT66, EL37, or even 5881. According to records, the expensive Marantz level 2 is a classic after first choose EL34 (1955), but make EL34 is popular, is undoubtedly a sound in the history of the highest sales Dynaco ST - 70 (from 1958 to 1977, the factory machine and the suite is a total of five hundred thousand, with machine EL34 alone with two million), and plays an important role in the electronic Guitar world of Marshall Guitar Amp love using EL34 (since 1965), since then EL34 has become one of the few mainstream strong boldly.

In 1954, the Philips plant in the Netherlands was the only place where EL34 was produced. The earliest Dutch EL34 was what we call the "iron hoop" EL34 today, because it had a metal base. The EL34 of that time, whether it was printed on CBS, Siemens, Mullard, or Amperex, was produced by the Dutch Philips. A few years later, when the German giant Telefunken joined the fray, another "iron hoop" EL34 appeared, though its screen was clearly different from the one made in the Netherlands, even at a distance. By 1959, i.e. Dynaco ST 70 has appeared the following year, a British Mullard workshop also opened EL34 production line, the British made the first generation of EL34 by Mullard at penetration with larger diameter, and high and deep brown bakelite base (we called [big brown]), that are printed on Dynaco the words "big brown hill" has become the early ST a 70 with machine bravery, but today a set of four NOS "big brown" EL34 was more expensive than a new net of ST - 70). The three most admired and admired vintage EL34 -- Philips of the Netherlands, Telefunken of the former west Germany, and Mullard of the United Kingdom -- came out that year.

Stepped into the '60 s, the three manufacturers are still in EL34 market, but its products have obvious changes, the Dutch Philips EL34 switch to shallow brown bakelite base, former west Telefunken also switch to the brown bakelite base, in 1963, the British Mullard bravery will no longer use [big brown], and the use of the more common ordinary brown, by then, the British Mullard also occupied EL34 market, the vast majority of manufacturers offering EL34, are supplied by it. In the later period, another former west giant Siemens announced a screen production pressure can reach 800 volt varieties (is higher than that of the original Mullard specifications of 650 v), but this kind of special thin EL34 was produced in the former east Germany in OEM way, this kind of EL34 specification is large, but in making that both in sound and not the above three EL34 famous brand, so has been not into the classic.

In the 1970s, the production of EL34 changed greatly. Philips, the founder of EL34, took the lead in terminating this biliary production line. The entire EL34 of Philips group was mainly produced by Mullard, UK. Still, on the other side of the Atlantic, U.S. Sylvania. Large vacuum tube market in order to take care of the guitar amplifier, launched in 1973 the so-called STR (that is, the Special Test Requirement) paragraph 6 ca7 / EL34, the STR version of a large number of supply a Mesa Boogie guitar amplifier is used, then the United States GE also join the competition, together with the production of this seemingly 6 l6gc "fat bravery" famous [together], this product is a guitar amplifier is good, but is not the same as any on the structure system of a European EL34, so the sound effects are also different.

In the 1980s, in the winter of the vacuum tube industry, Mullard, the representative of the British industry, finally closed the factory in 1982, leaving only two large American factories to continue to produce the "fatty bile". Before the development of new EL34, late in the eighty s, by the United States sell bile company Groove Tube pair of red former Czech Tesla EL34, and then the manufacturer to develop E34L, while in the late eighty s and early ninety s two American "fat" EL34 successively after shutdown, and Yugoslavia E l spire, China produced by the "dawn", Russia's Sovtek EL34G and 6 ca7 version "fat" and Svetlana "skinheads" version, a few months ago and saw a modified version of the so-called Sovtek EL34WXT, And the new E34LS of Teslovak, a revamped company by Tesla.

The eighth book of English MULLARD-EL34 bravery

Among the EL34 searched by the author, the majority of them are Mullard.

First "big brown" period of the product have two paragraphs, the first phase of the two big degassing agent ring (commonly known as "double circle") turned against each other, a horizontal another slightly upward inclined depending on individual manual (slope), the second phase of the two degassing agent ring diameter is thin, and the level of horizontal installation, become Mullard "double circle" EL34 established pattern, in addition to the above, respectively, two phase produced almost no obvious respectively, and the two stage product, according to the bravery on tiny Mullard special production, the article number are Xf1 period.

Followed by "brown" period, and the "brown" brown is also different from before, dark color like black, this period EL34 a total of three, the first two paragraphs are the "double circle" structure, and the early stage of the product, they are not only the base fine, that is a bit thin "circle", too, even the mica sheet is different also, belong to that piece is still the traditional ten claw mica sheet, the lower the round of instead of a criterion, which is in Xf2 article number, but the number of segments with the old number three to four number, display production increased a lot, the two "double circle", the largest before a eight pins are ready, The latter does not contain the unused sixth foot. The final version of the "cafe" period is the start of a new generation, in the late 1960s, when Mullard switched to a single gas-freeing ring (commonly known as a "single ring"), which looks no different on the surface than it did earlier, except for a large ring device in the middle.

In the 1970s, the EL34 in the "black seat" period began to appear. This period can be divided into three models. The first model is exactly the same as the last model in the "brown seat" period. The difference of the second type is mainly found in the plate electrode socket, which is changed from the spot welding to the open-hole tenon mounting. Both of these models entered the Xf3 item number period and witnessed the transition of Mullard from the "big shield" period to the "laughing date" period. By the end, the main surface modification was found in a pair of mica tablets converted into a nearly round one, but with four sharp-pointed varieties. This EL34 was introduced into the Xf4 and Xf5 product number period and was also the last generation of English Mullard EL34.

As can be seen from the above, Mullard EL34 in the UK can be divided into two types of "big seats", three types of "brown seats" and three types of "black seats", a total of eight types. Each phase shift, the surface are insignificant, irrelevant, and will not affect its replay effect, but, as the author in the past theory of bile in the article, these changes are often reflect the manufacturer to save costs, the surface of the micro change, at the same time is actually reflect the manufacturer will in material, workmanship, quality control and other invisible place also has the change, which affect the product have different sound different period, this is a true fact, and not just Mullard, even Western Electric is no exception. After explaining the original story, what is the performance of Mullard EL34 in these eight phases? The author use the Marantz 8 b nearly four years, summed up their experience, with reference to some good ideas, in addition to say that it is near the golden rule of the early the beautiful voice, can also according to the performance they can be divided into five, and probably the first level is "big brown" phase two, sound high, strength, bold, is one of the most top EL34, compared with any manufacturer of any a EL34, can be in an impregnable position. The second level is "brown" phase of the two varieties of "double circle", its vocals and instruments of the sense of slightly less than "big brown", but the overall effect is very close, especially after the balance is more product can match with the factory, many people say Marantz 8 b beautiful timbre and low frequency is thin, but if could use these two phase produced by the first wife, there will be no similar problems. The third stage is the third stage of the "cafe" phase and the first stage of the "black seat" phase. This level of performance can be said to be significantly different from the first two levels, especially in the low-frequency performance of the lack of momentum. Fortunately, the tone color still has the consistent style of Mullard. Level 4 is the second of the "black block" period. The balance and tone are close to the previous level, but the image is slightly blurred. Level 5 is, of course, the third of the "black seat" period, a bit of a step down in all respects, but the timbre still has a family tradition, which is clearly superior to most of the new EL34 quite a bit.

PHlLlPS and TELEFUNKEN's EL34 bravery

Philips of the Netherlands is the founder of EL34, but its story is not as colorful as Mullard's. Its birth date started in 1955 and lasted for nearly 15 years. During the period of the above, the most intriguing, nature is the so-called "iron" EL34, but this first phase of the product is divided into two, first I would have called it a "长座 hoop" (see photo), its structure is extremely rugged, from EL34 any available in the future, and is probably a bit of an experimental product, so the circulation. In the second paragraph is the more common, and also identified the later all EL34 about appearance, but it also has its obvious characteristics, such as it and its predecessor as a "flat", "black mercury", and it has a chic degassing agent disc (only imitation Yugoslavia E l) in the future, of course, the pressure has production the article number of the "iron". Into the '60 s, "iron" is no longer, the Dutch EL34 has entered the "brown" period, and it also can be roughly divided into two, but the difference is small, both of a pair of approximate D glyph of degassing agent box, and a similar to its predecessor is "flat" (but not so flat), however, shallow brown who is the early production, later a dark a lot, but if not compare the two together, it is easy to confuse. In terms of performance, I have never heard of the first generation of "iron hoop", because I still have not found four of the same style, and the second generation of "iron hoop" has been used, its dynamic performance is very sharp, medium and low frequency full jumping, which is beyond the reach of any other EL34. As for the production of "cafe" period, before and after the distribution is not big, if compared with the predecessor, the power is obviously not as good, but the timbre is very similar, in the middle and high frequency extension than the British Mullard at the same period of production, but not in the light.

Former west EL34 Telefunken production period and the Dutch Philips is very close, it years later Philips started production, Philips also late years to stop production, is also the same experience stage "band" and "brown", the produced by the "brown" issue as the so-called "double circle" and "one circle", and all is to use the author called "fat" Telefunken special degassing agent ring, and 12 ax7 with factory is the same as the wielder, of which the former is divided into a few, principal eset is the screen hole shape of the body, There are long box, round hole, a variety with a special U shape attached to the screen, and this one is the most rare. In addition, the construction of the "single circle" period was very different from the "double circle" period. Except the "fat circle", all other aspects were similar to the EL34 made in the former east Germany. Also, since the seventy s in the Telefunken officially discontinued after EL34 Telefunken issue EL34 continues a period of days, but those in the original box and even military seals, are the former east Germany produced, only print the logos and seemingly Telefunken Numbers, of the original article number of the product, natural doesn't even have the "fat". Theory of timbre, the author failed to appreciate the quality of the "iron" period, the "double circle brown" period, the author only a set of screen body has a long box, it sounds beautiful, balancing effect, it is high quality product, but a friend pointed out that there are U additional sound more beautiful, really want to find a set of back compare in the future.

What is the original "Siemens" EL34 bravery?

After years of research on this subject, the results are surprising. In the 1950s, those printed EL34 of Siemens were actually supplied by Philips of the Netherlands. By the 1960s, most of them were produced by Mullard of the UK, and some of them were still supplied by Philips of the Netherlands. These can be confirmed by the item number on the gallbladder. By the mid-1970s, Siemens EL34 began to produce products from the former east Germany until the 1990s. During these decades, there has been a circulation of Siemens EL34 on the market, but it does not seem to be produced by the former west Germany factory.

What's the price

Old outfit EL34 is worth in recent years, one of the fastest rising strong boldly and classic GEC KT88 than, is the most obvious increase, four years ago, a set of four branches of GEC KT88 nearly all price, and a British Mullard "double circle" brown EL34 but sold three thousand yuan, four years later, the price of the same set of GEC is still close to, but the same set of EL34 charged five thousand yuan. Among the EL34 group, the most expensive one is the Dutch "iron hoop" variety, ranging from 1,500 yuan to over 2,000 yuan each, the difference is so large mainly because they are mostly used old courage, old and new are different, if there is almost the same number of brand-new period and can be assembled into a set, I'm afraid it will cost more than 8,000 yuan to have a transaction. Besides it, the highest bids are for the "big coffee" British Mullard variety and the "double D" of Dutch "Philips" printed with Amperex "trumpet"