Unlock New Layers of Sound

The SELECT EL84 is the best EL84 vacuum tube you’ll ever need. It goes above and beyond the baseline with more involved production and stricter selection, all in pursuit of superior sound. The SELECT Collection brings out the best in all your favorites.

Hand selected and tested, the Ray Tubes SELECT EL84 features gold pins for corrosion resistance and improved conduction. The SELECT Collection is a substantial upgrade from both New Old Stock and other new production tubes. Fewer than 5% of production meets our standards.

The EL84 is a power pentode vacuum tube introduced in 1953. Its original purpose was to eliminate the need for a separate drive tube in cheap radio equipment, but it quickly found a place in music history as a component in guitar amps like the legendary Vox AC30, favoured by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Queen, and countless other bands.

Sound Characteristics

The SELECT EL84 provides a more detailed and layered sound, perfect for users seeking high resolution and a broader soundstage, offering an immersive listening experience.

1. Bass Performance
   Fuller with decent depth and tight control. Suitable for dynamic genres like rock and jazz, offering a balanced yet impactful low end.
2. Midrange Performance
   Fuller and more refined, with rich detail and a warm, natural tonality. Particularly in the mid-to-low range, it excels in reproducing vocals and instruments with clear layering, making male voices especially prominent.
3. Dynamics and Soundstage
   The dynamics are expansive, effectively showcasing the contrast between loud and soft passages. The soundstage is wide and well-defined, with precise imaging that is well-suited for larger musical arrangements.

Technical Specifications

• Tube Type: EL84 / 6BQ5
• Tube Socket: 9-pin

Heater

• Heater Voltage: 6.3 V
• Heater Current: 0.76 A
  

Maximum Ratings

• Anode Voltage: 500 V
• Anode Dissipation Power: 12 W
• Screen Grid Voltage: 300 V
• Screen Grid Dissipation Power: 2 W
• Cathode Current: 65 mA
• Control Grid Voltage: –100 V
• Heater-Cathode Voltage: ±100 V

Grid Circuit Resistance

• Fixed Bias: 0.3 MΩ
• Self Bias: 1 MΩ

Interelectrode Capacitance

• Input Capacitance: 10.8 pF
• Output Capacitance: 6.5 pF
• Transfer Capacitance: 0.5 pF
• Grid-to-Heater Capacitance: 0.25 pF

Misc. Operating Parameters

• Anode Voltage: 256 V
• Screen Voltage: 256 V
• Cathode Resistor: 120 Ω
• Anode Current: 48 mA
• Screen Current: 7 mA
• Transconductance: ≥9 mA/V
• Internal Resistance: 38 kΩ
• Amplification Factor: 19

Package Contents

• Set of two, or single vacuum tube
• User handbook featuring burn-in guidelines
• Certificate of authenticity and warranty

The Ray Tubes One Year Warranty

Most vacuum tubes are notoriously fickle. That’s why warranties are rare. But we trust our products and we’re proud to offer our One Year Warranty against manufacturing defects. For more details, check out our warranty page.