Tad el84s

[78tsubaki]

I just received a quad from KCANOSTUBES. (thanks Mike!)
I installed two of them into my Reinhardt 18. (thanks Bob!)
The only change that I made was the power tubes. Still subjective but here goes.

I played for about an hour, switched between channels, played them soft and I brought out the bomb. They appear to be really nice tubes.

Lows, mids and highs were all there to make the tone really good. I played them on a Fralin Unbucker, then I split it, then I played them on a broadcaster bridge all low volume and dimed.
I know the amplifier has something to do with it but these tubes help.

No disappointments so far. For the price I think they are a bargain.
Lets see how long they last.
My ears are ringing for you, my fellow TGPers.

[Blue Strat]

Glad you're enjoying them so far. What type of EL84s did they replace?

[78tsubaki]

Mike thanks for the reply and the great service.
They replaced a set of JJs.

[paulg]

According to the write up, they have a thicker glass case. Not sure what difference, if any, this would make. Are these actually a specially made tube , or another rebranding job? Any thoughts?

[78tsubaki]

Originally Posted by paulg

According to the write up, they have a thicker glass case. Not sure what difference, if any, this would make. Are these actually a specially made tube , or another rebranding job? Any thoughts?

Not sure. I have heard that they are made in different places. You could probably e-mail KCA and get a lot of info.
The fit and finish is pretty good. The tubes themselves feel pretty robust.
When I hold up a JJ and one of the Tads, the Tad does feel a little heavier. The diameter is slightly larger, possibly due to thicker glass. The over all length is a little shorter.

KCA is selling the EL-84 STR tubes. I have heard that there are different versions out there. Picture is a little grainy but it might help.

[Blue Strat]

Originally Posted by paulg

According to the write up, they have a thicker glass case. Not sure what difference, if any, this would make. Are these actually a specially made tube , or another rebranding job? Any thoughts?

They're unique (ie, you can't buy them under any of the other common brands). Thicker glass is often used to cut down on microphonics and possibly rattle in modern tubes.