  We examine electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in an ensemble of
cold $\Lambda-$type atoms induced by a quantum control field in multi-mode
coherent states and compare it with the transparency created by the classical
light of the same intensity. We show that the perfect coincidence is achieved
only in the case of a single-mode coherent state, whereas the transparency
sharply decreases, when the number of the modes exceeds the mean number of
control photons in the medium. The origin of the effect is the modification of
photon statistics in the control field with increasing the number of the modes
that weakens its interaction with atoms resulting in a strong probe absorption.
For the same reason, the probe pulse transforms from EIT-based slow-light into
superluminal propagation caused by the absorption.
