Mullard EL-34 XF2??

[Sean French]

Single halo and double halo getter.
Which are the more desirable and why?
What else out there is similar besides the Tesla brown base 34' from the 70's?

[go7]

After the Mullard and Tesla it`s pretty much down hill.

[Macaroni]

From what I've read, the xf2 double getters are the most desirable. I don't remember reading 'why', just that's the consensus.

I've got a pair of xf2 single getter Mullard EL34s and they are very nice. I've also got the brown base Teslas, which I like too. And a pair of Amperex xf4 double getters - Amperex invented the EL34, BTW.

[Sean French]

How do Amperx 34' compare to Mullards?

[myles111]

The xf2 is a dual getter with a welded plate structure rather than a crimped plate structure.

The xf2 was NEVER a single getter tube.

[Macaroni]

Hmmm? Did Siemens ever use the xf2 etched coding on their EL34s?

I thought my Siemens were Mullards, and they have xf2 etched on the tube and they only have single halos.

The Amperex EL34s are in the same league as the Mullards with the same basic tonal signature - a variation on the same tonal family.

[soldano16]

Now that I've watched that Mullard factory movie, I even know what a getter does.

I feel SO cool.:AOK

[myles111]

I just received this email .... I stand corrected .... no matter how old I get I can always learn new things!

Hi Myles. FYI: I have several hundred NIB Mullard XF2 coded EL34's in stock
with SINGLE GETTERS. There were two versions of the XF2 EL34: double getters
until mid 1968 and single getters mid-1968 until 1973. In late 1973, the XF3
was introduced with crimped plates and single getters.

Kind regards...Gregg Levy

Gregg Levy
Hi Test Guitars
201-750-2445

http://www.hitestguitars.com

[Macaroni]

Well there you go! So I do have a bona fide pair of Mullard xf2s with single getters! They sure sound great!

[Jeff West]

Right, the single vs. double halo on Blackburn made Xf2 EL34 is correlated with time of manufacture.

The "Xf2" type/change code was first used by Philips for a brief period in 1957 (only) on brown base, "double D" getter EL34s made in the Netherlands; these carry "X" factory codes as well, for Sittard, Holland. This Xf2 coded EL34 is very rare, but definitely exists.

After that, "Xf2" code was used exclusively for Blackburn-made Mullard EL34s (with "B" factory codes of course, although they carried many many brand names, inc S&H Siemens), from early 1962 (anyone got one with etch code earlier than 3/62?) until Fall 1973, like Gregg said. These were all double halo through 11/67 or maybe 12/67. The single halo versions start at least by 1/68, going by the etch codes. I think almost any 1968 Xf2 esp after the first few weeks of that year will be found to be single ring.

A couple of other physical changes on Mullard Xf2s that were progressive and thus correlate with period of manufacture at Blackburn: first four years production had all 8 pins, but they lost pin 6 starting early 1966, approx by March. From '62 thru all of '69 they had dark brown bases (can look black esp in lower light). Starting at the very beginning of 1970 the bases went to true black.

All Xf2s had spot welded plates, no "staples", unlike Blackburn Xf3s and Xf4s of the mid-late '70s.

Some people have preferences for the double getter Xf2s for various perceived reasons. Although IMO any Blackburn Xf2 can be excellent, if pressed I would argue that the '70s ones were sometimes a little spottier in sound or longevity compared to '60s specimens, so that breaks out more along a correlation with the base color change than the halos themselves! Will freely admit this could be my imagination! But I tend to go for early '60s ones, simply because I have used many '62-'64 pairs and quads over the years that were just perfect sounding to me, and last for years in Marshalls and AC50. Have also utilized many '68-'69 brown base single halo specimens that performed superbly though. I prefer Xf2 over Xf1 soundwise, too, for some reason, I think possibly they changed something a little bit in the recipe besides the bases in early 1962.

[Groovey Records]

I recently purchased a pair of matched XF2 Mullards double getters for 400 plus shipping.

I sold that amp so I no longer have them

One was labeled Tung-Sol and the other RCA but both had Blackburn codes and 1963 dates etched on the glass with the original boxes.

They were amazing brought the amp to a whole new level, the other three tube are 1964 Mullard 12AX7'S with other brand names

There is only one EL34 more desirable then the XF2 and that is the one with the metal base and grey glass from the early fifties but that is strictly a rarity thing not based on tone

Hope that helps

[Jeff West]

It's interesting, I see that the Tung-Sol branded one there accurately says "Made in England"; Tung-Sol sold quite a few Xf2s with their brand in the early '60s, but for some reason most seem to be screened "Made in Germany" on both the glass and the orig Tung-Sol boxes!

IMO the original mid-'50s Eindhoven SY0 and SY1 metal base EL34s do sound fantastic in classic Marshalls, they have a little bit of a KT66 tonal thing added might be one way to describe them although maybe better not to acquire a taste at recent e-bay prices!

Jeff

[Sean French]

Great info so far.Thanks.
For those who have had both style getter XF2' in the same or similar amps.
Are there any noticable tonal differences?

[57gold]

The guy with the world's coolest tube stash.

Didn't think you visited. Hope you are well in NJ.

Bought a pair of GEC KT66s from GL for installation in a 1966 JTM45 I bought from Hogy of Komet fame. When I went to pick it up and check out a prototype K60, Hogy asked me to bring tubes so he could bias amp. Left them for Hogy and went about business in BR. Came back and Hogy, a vintage tube nut, said that he had never measured a more closley matched pair of KT66s, very strong sounding that took a great amp to the next level.

Need good tubes, the best of the best, see Gregg.

Just noticed, Gregg's reply is a reprint of email to Mr. Rose.

Have both XF2 and Amperex in K60 and KF50, to my ears the Amperex are warmer, more mid richness and very harmonically dense versus the great sounding Mullards.

[jcs]

besides mullard el34 and early tesla el34 you have other great tubes such as;

sylvania and ge 6ca7 big bottles

siemens el34 (early more desirable version and the more common ones with the slim bottle and dimple on top,both great imo)

matsushita el34 (with the cross on the top of the bottle).