Matched GT EL84S Medium Duet Amplifier Power Tubes
The new Groove Tube GT EL84S power output tubes are a revival of the EL84s originally used in the early Vox AC30 amps. They were noted for their soft overdrive distortion and quick recovery. The GT reissue has the same sweet performance, and has been rediscovered by Matchless amps and several other manufacturers, and are making a strong come back. This new East European version has slightly more power and a warmer tone than the original, and are starting to catch on. (Maybe it's because they can be driven to distortion so easily, and people love the way they sound.)
Amplifier vacuum tubes don’t last forever; they actually wear out with use, and the harder you work them the faster they wear out. When one tube starts to go, it drags the others down with it, decreasing the overall efficiency of the amplifier. In the case of your power stage tubes, most amplifiers use a push/pull, alternating design with an equal number of tubes on each phase. When one tube is off, the other is on; and vice versa. If one tube is weaker, then the stronger tube will have to harder to make up for the weaker tube, and your amp’s performance will be off, and getting progressively worse.
We offer the Groove Tube GT EL84S in matched sets of two tubes (duets). Matched tube sets dramatically improve sustain by eliminating phase cancellation ,which occurs when dissimilar tones coming from unmatched tubes are combined and cancel out certain frequencies. You will also have improved harmonic balance, meaning all the notes you play will have the same amplitude. No weak or dull spots in your tone. You will also have longer life from your amp, since balanced tube sets reduce stress that occurs when a stronger tube has to work harder to make up for a weaker partner. Your output transformer will actually run cooler, because matched tube sets drive the output transformer evenly.
It's a fact that tubes don't last forever. Eventually you have to replace them, so why not get a matched set of nice Groove Tube GT EL84S's, and give your amp a little upgrade in tone.
