EL844 anyone seen these?

[blue]

https://ssl.eurotubes.com/cart/index.php?page=view_products&category_id=3&sub_category_id=201

apparently these are direct replacements for EL84's with approximately 25% less power.  might be interesting.

[Denim n Leather]

Interesting. I love how the description says it is 'quite similar' and 'quite different' to the EL83!! Wha?!

[blue]

Ha, i saw that too :)

apparently they used the EL83 as a starting point, then re-engineered it to give it more of the characteristics of the 84.  they said their aim was to make a 5 watt EL84, but it turned out best at about 9 watts, which is what they've made. 

[Frank]

Their description is a bit confusing. They're referring to maximum anode dissipation, not power output - EL84's are rated 17 Watts dissipation so the recommendation to bias the EL844 at just 25% less seems a bit optimistic. Maybe they've rebadged some cheap low-quality EL84 tubes and they're trying to push them as "low power EL84s" ?

Given the lower anode rating I'd be careful about just rolling them into an amp set up for EL84s.

The comment about EL83s is badly explained - the EL83 pinout is VERY different from EL84, 83's can't be dropped in as replacements for EL84. They're just stating that the EL844 has similar internal electrodes to the EL83 type.

Does that clear up any confusion? Or just add to it?

Put simply,

• EL844 is a lower-RATED EL84 that will need rebiasing if dropped into an existing EL84 amp.
• The anode plates look like the plates of an 83.
• The EL844 pinout is totally different to EL83 and the same as EL84.

[HTH AMPS]

which data sheet do you have Frank? - all the ones I've got have EL84s as a 12w valve.

I'd agree on these 'lower powered' EL84s too btw, suspicious.  I don't consider that they'd give much of a noticeable reduction in volume either.  If you've ever played around with plugging various output valves into a SE amp (providing the bias is optimal), you don't notice a massive difference between a 6G6, 6K6, 6V6 and 6L6 in terms of shear volume.

[Frank]

You're right, I must have misread the ratings. 12 Watts anode dissipation, not 17 like I said. So the 25% rating drop does look realistic.

[Frank]

Here's my explanation for the existence of this tube:

* Factory in Russia or Slovakia has stock of anode plates for EL83
* No one in the world wants EL83 any more
* They devise plan to use up the plates by making a low rated EL84 clone
* They find it can only handle 9 Watts of power instead of 12
* Sell them anyway, tell people they need to rebias their amps

[JamesHealey]

Mmm whats the point?

Seriously what level of real world volume reduction are you going to get? hardly any.

Is the tone going to be better? well probably different not better.

I'll stick to the EL84 which is actually my favourite valve!

[ericsabbath]

that's the gayest thing I've ever seen