favorite 6v6's for D'lite?

frenster · Post by **frenster** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 1:40 am

Mine is a 44 with taps for 6L6's or 6V6's, of which I'm using a quad of JJ's right now. I hear good things about the Tung Sols. Any opinions on this?

67plexi · Post by **67plexi** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 2:40 am

As far as 6V6 the best sounding to me in any amp is the RCA black plate.

ER · Post by ER » Fri Jul 08, 2011 2:53 am

RCA 7408's best sounding, tung-sols are probably the best bet if you need an affordable quad.

LarryN · Post by **LarryN** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 2:48 am

ER wrote:RCA 7408's best sounding, tung-sols are probably the best bet if you need an affordable quad.

Ditto on the Tung-Sols - love em! Hey Erik!

talbany · Post by **talbany** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 2:55 am

Here's the spec sheet for the TS 6V6GT that I got off New Sensor's website. Note that the maximum plate voltage is 315vdc.

http://www.dougstubes.com/6v6gt-tungsol.pdf

This almost looks like the data sheet for an NOS Tung-Sol 6V6. Even the RCA 6V6GTA has a maximum plate voltage rating of 350vdc.

http://www.hebertech.com/view/715-rca-6v6-gta.pdf

Generally the 6V6 is a sturdy tube and can be run beyond their published data.

IMO.. Tung-Sol's were good up around 400vdc. But that's still the maximum rating. Average voltages should be lower or risk a much shorter tube life// ALWAYS CHECK THE TUBES SPEC SHEET!!!!

The JJ's seem to be the sturdiest.
http://www.jj-electronic.com/pdf/6V6.pdf

Tony

LarryN · Post by **LarryN** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 3:00 am

It's funny how almost every amp I've ever seen with 6V6's is at least 400 volts. I used to use the JJ's in my Twin with no problem. Now there's a stout 6V6.

David Root · Post by **David Root** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 3:09 am

6V6 was designed as a TV pulse tube, horizontal line control IIRC, 1200V DC plate @15% duty. The old ones are tuff-tuff-tuff!

Best bang for the $ in vintage 6V6 is the GTA from the '70s. 7408s are primo too but hard to find. Best tone is indeed the RCA blackplate 6V6GT/G (not just GT) These are frequently military tubes from the '40s, often with JAN CHS and/or VT107A on them. I have to say that some folks prefer the 7408 to the GT/G RCA blackplate.

"GT/G" means "coke bottle G specs in a GT bottle". Plain GT starts in the '50s, nothing wrong with them, I have a pair of them in my '62 Deluxe.

The JJs are tough too but they're more like a 7591, they're not a textbook real 6V6. They can handle higher voltages than any vintage 6V6 I believe, but they don't sound the same.

For a Dumble type circuit I would try Sylvania 6V6GTAs. Leaner than the RCA, like all Sylvanias. GE would be worth a shot too, bit more bass but still much less $ than the RCA blackplates. The old Ken-Rads are actually GEs too, also nice tubes.

LarryN · Post by **LarryN** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 3:17 am

David Root wrote:
They can handle higher voltages than any vintage 6V6 I believe, but they don't sound the same.

I heartily agree.

talbany · Post by **talbany** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 3:54 am

If you are going to run them past their published max plate voltages I highly recommend keeping an eye on the max plate dissipation for the average of the entire tube's operational cycle.
Example..
A 6V6GT is a 14W tube; 70% of 14W is 9.8W.

So in an amp with a 420 VDC plate voltage...

Ohms law: P/E=I (or Watts / Volts = Amps)

9.8W/420VDC = 0.0233A

0.0233A = ~23mA

So at 420VDC plate voltage, you'd want to bias each 6V6GT at idle to about 23mA plate current for 70% dissipation.

FWIW..For a non Dumble style type amp I love a pair of RCA black plate 6V's running around 350/370v..Sublime Sweetness!!...Try it..

Tony

Cantplay · Post by **Cantplay** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 5:21 am

No experience with that amp, but in every amp I've tried I really like Bendix 5992's.

They're tripple mica, amd have the ruggedized construction that most Bendix missile tubes share.

John

overtone · Post by **overtone** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 6:36 am

talbany wrote: FWIW..For a non Dumble style type amp I love a pair of RCA black plate 6V's running around 350/370v..Sublime Sweetness!!...Try it..

Tony

Tony, do you have a preference for how close to run the g2 screens to the plate voltage in the 6V's?

Best, tony

talbany · Post by **talbany** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 2:21 pm

overtone wrote:
talbany wrote: FWIW..For a non Dumble style type amp I love a pair of RCA black plate 6V's running around 350/370v..Sublime Sweetness!!...Try it..

Tony
Tony, do you have a preference for how close to run the g2 screens to the plate voltage in the 6V's?

Best, tony

IIRC..6V's (like 6L's) have a pretty stout screen supply so a 470 ohm should provide enough regulation and have never given me any cause to go up..I can't remember the last time I've replaced a fried 470 on a 6V amp!!

Good Luck!!

Tony
As a side note.. Dave is right..The JJ's have a different type personality than the NOS mentioned..Generally harder, tighter and a pronounced mid range..The JJ 7591's are similar in tone to their 6V counter part but have a totally different breakup character (noticeably crunchier) and no where near as smooth as the V's to my ears..

Hope This Helps!!

Tony

ToneMerc · Post by **ToneMerc** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 2:39 pm

talbany wrote:

As a side note.. Dave is right..The JJ's have a different type personality than the NOS mentioned..Generally harder, tighter and a pronounced mid range..The JJ 7591's are similar in tone to their 6V counter part but have a totally different breakup character (noticeably crunchier) and no where near as smooth as the V's to my ears..

Hope This Helps!!

Tony

On my next build eventhough JJ's can take 465+ volts, I'm going to only run the quad at around 405-410V on plates. I'm hoping they won't sound quite as hard.

TM

talbany · Post by **talbany** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 2:52 pm

On my next build eventhough JJ's can take 465+ volts,

I am probably beating this topic to death and I believe I mentioned this before but I have noticed in running the JJ 6V's at or above 450 you can sometimes get a weird anomaly..A kind of fuzzy breakup in the top end that chases notes..It's fairly subtle and doubt you will notice it on a gig, however noticeable sitting in the living room for me..405/410 should sound good...Good Luck with the build TM

Tony

ToneMerc · Post by **ToneMerc** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 3:02 pm

talbany wrote:
On my next build eventhough JJ's can take 465+ volts,
I am probably beating this topic to death and I believe I mentioned this before but I have noticed in running the JJ 6V's at or above 450 you can sometimes get a weird anomaly..A kind of fuzzy breakup in the top end that chases notes..It's fairly subtle and doubt you will notice it on a gig, however noticeable sitting in the living room for me..405/410 should sound good...Good Luck with the build TM

Tony

Thanks Tony, I'm hoping it will as I already have the custom PT in hand. Still tossing around the all mid plate vs low plate scheme though.

The Amp Garage

favorite 6v6's for D'lite?

favorite 6v6's for D'lite?

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