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Vintage threads from the first ten years

Re: What is the "sweetest" power tube you have heard?

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8/28/1999 6:38 PM
David Manson	Re: What is the "sweetest" power tube you have heard? EL84? always thought those were tinny sounding.. what brand?

8/28/1999 9:45 PM

David,

I am sure you already know this but a 6BQ5 is the same as an EL84. 6BQ5 is the US designator and EL84 is European.

The best sounding 6BQ5 of all time was the GE or General electric brand. They were considered very powerful and full sounding. Many home console stereo's used them.

Tesla makes a new EL84 that is as close as you can get to the sound of the GE. I recently retubed a Peavey Classic 50 with them and it was night and day difference in the tone and power. The Tesla has much larger plates than its Russian cheap conterpart.

Good Luck, Tim C.

9/4/1999 6:53 AM
David Manson	Has anyone listened to a GE brand 12ax7? -- (not long plate).. thats what i consider sweet.. but I'm looking specifically for power tubes.. anyone try a GE 6L6?? Mook seemed to really like them -- maybe they have a similar composition... I heard weird things about the biasing on the svetlana 6l6's which people recommend...

9/4/1999 3:16 PM
Bruce	I can't say with personal authority, but I've been told by others that the SOVTEK 6L6WXT is very similar sounding to the old GE 6L6s. I can tell you the SOVTEK 6L6WXTs sound very very good in older self biased tweed amps and not as good in the BF amps. Why? Higher idle current and a little less plate voltage? Bruce

9/5/1999 12:34 AM
TubeHead	I really like the sound- rich, warm, lotta harmonics of Sylvania 6L6GC's but for 6V6 check out Visseaux NOS from France -gotta pair made in Nov 51 in my brownface Princton and I have never heard anything sweeter!

9/5/1999 2:10 AM
Bruce	Yes I have used the Visseaux 6V6s myself...(pricey) and I hate to admit it but there isn't any NOS 6V6GTA in my extensive NOS tube collection that sounds any better. Bruce

9/4/1999 2:46 PM
Trace	I really love the 7591's! They are hard to find these days and mighty expensive but they are the SWEETEST sounding tubes when you drive them. The harmonics just just out and create a 3-D effect tonaly. (sort of like star-wars..ha, ha) Trace

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