6P14P anyone ever use these Russian EL84 equivalents?

[stingray_65]

I'm looking at building a class A 25W/channel stereo amp to power my treasured 1957 EV Aristocrats speakers.

I've found a GREAT design thats very simple and straight forward, but it calls for EL86 output tubes.

I've found that EL86's are known to fail in a way that causes damage to the amp and should be replace with any similar power pentode.

I keep seeing these Russian 6n14n's being sold as an alternative to EL84's, but cannot find any reviews on performance.

Any opinions will be appreciated.

Ray

[FYL]

Four versions of this excellent tube:

6П14П / 6P14P; bog standard version, large thick glass = EL84, 6BQ5
6П14П-EB / 6P14P-EV; hardened version, longer lifetime = EL84M, 7189
6П14П-EP / 6P14P-ER; special quality, longer lifetime = E84L, 7320 (quite rare)
6П14П-K / 6P14P-K; hardened version, vibration resistant = EL84F (very rare)

As good as any vintage Western EL84. Try to get some pre-1983 6П14П-EB or -EP from Saratov, they are some of the finest EL84s ever manufactured.

[moody]

Have used them exclusively for a couple of builds - definitely sound good and haven't had a failure yet (but I haven't been doing it long enough).  According to a few people I've talked to they have higher maximum dissipation than most el-84's.

[jojokeo]

Hi Ray,
To increase reliability you could add a transient suppression/tube saving mod by installing 3 1n4007 diodes in series on each of the output tube's plates to ground and also install a 250v mov/metal oxide varistor btwn the PT's primary leads. They both reduce transient spikes that can eat up power tubes especially when turned up. The band or "-" should point towards the plates.

[stingray_65]

Thanks!

[fuzz]

hi,

I allow myself to bump this thread. I'm into a single end amp design , really simple, no tonestack just a simple RC filter as a tone (but doesn't work verry well actualy) . And I'm using an  EL84 I had in a blackheart amp . But the sound never gave me satisfaction . The tube seems to have a shrill top end which really hurt my ears, really annoying sound. Strange fact , I had the same sensation with the blackheart which was more complex (marshall tonestack) to shape the sound.

So I want to try another EL84 type tubes , especially the old russian ones. (the one I'm working with is a JJ EL84 ) but do you have any recomandations ?

I thought about the 6P14P  (really inexpensive ).

thanks. 

[Willabe]

Hi Ray, where you been?

Check your PM mail box.


           
            Brad       

[ssouci]

does anyone know how the older Russian 6P14P-EV (or 6P14P-EB) tubes compare in SOUND quality to the new-manufacture Sovtek EL84M tubes? (the M version, NOT the regular Sovtek EL84)

I've been told that Sovtek EL84M are the exact same tube as the 6P14P-EB, and hence will sound the same

yet, I have found people who say this is not true

thank you!

PS: I am looking for great sounding replacements for an old Fisher hifi stereo amp, that requires 4 x 7189 output tubes... but NOS vintage 7189 tubes are getting very hard and expensive to find, especially in matched pairs