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Sovtek 6V6EH...is it for real?

4/23/2000 2:26 AM
Billyboy	Sovtek 6V6EH...is it for real? After reading the posts on the other Sovtek "EH" tubes, I'm now more than a little hesitant to order the 6V6EH for my Deluxe Reverb. These have received very good press & have been compared to RCA black plates. In fact, New Sensor told me to use the RCA tech manual specs for the 6V6GTA when biasing the 6V6EH. The max plate dissipation of the Sovtek 6V6GT currently in my Deluxe is 12w, while the RCA 6V6GTA is 14w. Is the 6V6EH all its cracked up to be?

4/23/2000 2:26 AM

Billyboy

Sovtek 6V6EH...is it for real?

After reading the posts on the other Sovtek "EH" tubes, I'm now more than a little hesitant to order the 6V6EH for my Deluxe Reverb. These have received very good press & have been compared to RCA black plates.

In fact, New Sensor told me to use the RCA tech manual specs for the 6V6GTA when biasing the 6V6EH. The max plate dissipation of the Sovtek 6V6GT currently in my Deluxe is 12w, while the RCA 6V6GTA is 14w.

Is the 6V6EH all its cracked up to be?

4/23/2000 3:15 AM
Steve Slick	I have discussed this tube with both Kevin O'Connor (London Power) and Charles Barcellona (SwAMP). Both recommended them. In a few months I'm going to modify my amp to have a pair of 6L6s and 6V6, based on a switching idea in Kevin's The Ultimate Tone I. I communicated w/SovTek and they said the plate voltage on that tube was rated at 460 (I think, + or - 10) volts. Wow! The original rating was 360. Kevin said they would reliably go even higher. So, I can't say for sure, but I've heard from reliable sources that they are reliable, good- sounding tubes. I think they are the only production 6V6s today. I won't use NOS tubes, simply won't pay the increasing costs for dwindling supply. But, to each his own. Dear God! Don't let Tim C. know about this. Next thing you know, he'll go on another rampage and start smashing tubes again. Poor bastard, he needs professional help. Cheers, Steve Slick

4/23/2000 3:15 AM

Steve Slick

I have discussed this tube with both Kevin O'Connor (London Power) and Charles Barcellona (SwAMP). Both recommended them.

In a few months I'm going to modify my amp to have a pair of 6L6s and 6V6, based on a switching idea in Kevin's The Ultimate Tone I.

I communicated w/SovTek and they said the plate voltage on that tube was rated at 460 (I think, + or - 10) volts. Wow! The original rating was 360. Kevin said they would reliably go even higher.

So, I can't say for sure, but I've heard from reliable sources that they are reliable, good- sounding tubes. I think they are the only production 6V6s today.

I won't use NOS tubes, simply won't pay the increasing costs for dwindling supply. But, to each his own.

Dear God! Don't let Tim C. know about this. Next thing you know, he'll go on another rampage and start smashing tubes again. Poor bastard, he needs professional help.

Cheers,

Steve Slick

4/23/2000 2:48 PM
Randy Jamz	The 'improved' 6V6EH should be a decent tube. I just ordered a batch to try for myself, and they sure LOOK a lot better than the Sovtek. Whether these tubes both came from the same 'plant' we'll never know. But I gotta vent about people who quote 'ratings'. They are just that... ratings. You can put 1,000,000 volts on a 6V6 plate. You just have only 1 or 2 volts on the screen and have no current throught the tube. "I communicated w/Sovtek and they said the plate voltage on that tube was rated at 460 (I think, + or - 10) volts. Wow!" So what? At what screen voltage? At what current? How many watts is the tube dissipating? This matters more than plate voltage, OK? Sorry to rant, but since I gave up smoking and drinking, what else can I do? Lastly, when you claim to talk to Sovtek, you're really talking to one of Mike Matthews' 'boys', who are tube salesmen. Don't ever forget that. Do what I'm doing; buy a set or two and run 'em at all the voltages you can think of and see how good they sound and if they still sound good in a year or two from now.

4/23/2000 2:48 PM

Randy Jamz

The 'improved' 6V6EH should be a decent tube. I just ordered a batch to try for myself, and they sure LOOK a lot better than the Sovtek. Whether these tubes both came from the same 'plant' we'll never know. But I gotta vent about people who quote 'ratings'. They are just that... ratings. You can put 1,000,000 volts on a 6V6 plate. You just have only 1 or 2 volts on the screen and have no current throught the tube. "I communicated w/Sovtek and they said the plate voltage on that tube was rated at 460 (I think, + or - 10) volts. Wow!" So what? At what screen voltage? At what current? How many watts is the tube dissipating? This matters more than plate voltage, OK? Sorry to rant, but since I gave up smoking and drinking, what else can I do? Lastly, when you claim to talk to Sovtek, you're really talking to one of Mike Matthews' 'boys', who are tube salesmen. Don't ever forget that. Do what I'm doing; buy a set or two and run 'em at all the voltages you can think of and see how good they sound and if they still sound good in a year or two from now.

4/23/2000 6:42 PM
Steve Slick	Randy, Randy, it's okay to rant with me. I have a thick (and wide) hide. (But don't be surprised if I tell you to kiss every square inch of it Here goes: "You can put 1,000,000 volts on a 6V6 plate. You just have only 1 or 2 volts on the screen and have no current throught the tube." You point is well taken, and relatively true. But you don't think seriously you could have a million volts on the plate and it would work do you? I assume your rant has driven you to hyperbole. No? "'I communicated w/Sovtek and they said the plate voltage on that tube was rated at 460 (I think, + or - 10) volts. Wow!' So what? At what screen voltage? At what current? How many watts is the tube dissipating? This matters more than plate voltage, OK?" Yes, those are factors too and I checked them also. What happened was this. I e-mailed them asking for the specs for that tube, knowing that it's specs are higher than the original 6V6GC. My amp has 4-6L6s. To put a pair of 6V6s in the same sockets I had to look, as you pointed out, at everything including amps drawn for the heater, cathode current, and screen voltage to ascertain what mods I would have to make before I plugged the 6V6s in. I should have listed the other parameters, but I couldn't remember them and I'm basically lazy. I was concerned about the plate voltage because that's, for me, the hardest to fix. The point I was trying to make is that tube should be able to handle it and Kevin O'Connor assured me he had done it and it would. Incidentally, SovTek told me the didn't have a spec sheet ready, to go by the original specs. That's the lawyers again. Ho hum (pun intended). " ...when you claim to talk to Sovtek, you're really talking to one of Mike Matthews' 'boys', who are tube salesmen." Yes, I understand that too. SovTek is a U.S. company in New York (I think) that imports them. However, salesman or no, they are the only way I know to get information about the tube. So, what the point? "Do what I'm doing; buy a set or two and run 'em at all the voltages you can think of and see how good they sound and if they still sound good in a year or two from now." Thanks, but I'm a little too conservative for that approach. I like to analyze something and when I THINK it will work, I drop down to your approach. I gotta lot of stuff I want to buy (an O-scope is high on the list right now), and.... the thought of those tubes glowing red... well, see my post under "The Truth About SovTek 12AX7LP and LPS Myth." I can't stand to see a tube fry. Maybe it's wrong, but my personal quirk. "Sorry to rant, but since I gave up smoking and drinking, what else can I do?" I with you there bud. That's why I say vent you tube-glowing heart out. Hope it helps. It's certainly better than smoke and sippin' whiskey. I quit long time ago too, come from a long like of Irish drunks. Personally, if it get too bad, I'd recommend Xanax, 0.5 mg, twice daily. It's a miracle drug, but can be habit forming. But then again, so is this tube crap. Happy Easter, Steve Slick

4/23/2000 6:42 PM

Steve Slick

Randy,

Randy, it's okay to rant with me. I have a thick (and wide) hide. (But don't be surprised if I tell you to kiss every square inch of it :-)

Here goes:

"You can put 1,000,000 volts on a 6V6 plate. You just have only 1 or 2 volts on the screen and have no current throught the tube."

You point is well taken, and relatively true. But you don't think seriously you could have a million volts on the plate and it would work do you? I assume your rant has driven you to hyperbole. No?

"'I communicated w/Sovtek and they said the plate voltage on that tube was rated at 460 (I think, + or - 10) volts. Wow!' So what? At what screen voltage? At what current? How many watts is the tube dissipating? This matters more than plate voltage, OK?"

Yes, those are factors too and I checked them also. What happened was this. I e-mailed them asking for the specs for that tube, knowing that it's specs are higher than the original 6V6GC. My amp has 4-6L6s. To put a pair of 6V6s in the same sockets I had to look, as you pointed out, at everything including amps drawn for the heater, cathode current, and screen voltage to ascertain what mods I would have to make before I plugged the 6V6s in.

I should have listed the other parameters, but I couldn't remember them and I'm basically lazy. I was concerned about the plate voltage because that's, for me, the hardest to fix. The point I was trying to make is that tube should be able to handle it and Kevin O'Connor assured me he had done it and it would.

Incidentally, SovTek told me the didn't have a spec sheet ready, to go by the original specs. That's the lawyers again. Ho hum (pun intended).

" ...when you claim to talk to Sovtek, you're really talking to one of Mike Matthews' 'boys', who are tube salesmen."

Yes, I understand that too. SovTek is a U.S. company in New York (I think) that imports them. However, salesman or no, they are the only way I know to get information about the tube. So, what the point?

"Do what I'm doing; buy a set or two and run 'em at all the voltages you can think of and see how good they sound and if they still sound good in a year or two from now."

Thanks, but I'm a little too conservative for that approach. I like to analyze something and when I THINK it will work, I drop down to your approach. I gotta lot of stuff I want to buy (an O-scope is high on the list right now), and.... the thought of those tubes glowing red... well, see my post under "The Truth About SovTek 12AX7LP and LPS Myth." I can't stand to see a tube fry. Maybe it's wrong, but my personal quirk.

"Sorry to rant, but since I gave up smoking and drinking, what else can I do?"

I with you there bud. That's why I say vent you tube-glowing heart out. Hope it helps. It's certainly better than smoke and sippin' whiskey. I quit long time ago too, come from a long like of Irish drunks. Personally, if it get too bad, I'd recommend Xanax, 0.5 mg, twice daily. It's a miracle drug, but can be habit forming.

But then again, so is this tube crap.

Happy Easter,

Steve Slick

4/23/2000 3:10 PM
Billyboy	New Sensor said use the 6V6GTA data from the RCA manual for the 6V6EH, which would be 14 watts max plate dissipation. Thanks guys for the responses!

4/23/2000 5:57 PM
John Stokes	I've used the new 6V6EH in a couple BFDRs. So far, no problems. They sound good and don't blow up. I personally am not so concerned about plate dissipation, but rather screen dissipation. Under normal bias conditions in a BFDR, the screens do glow a dull red. Under signal peaks, they get orange.. So far they haven't melted and shorted, and this is in an amp that gets gigged several nights a week, for the last month. If you look at the guts, you can see that the rods that support the screen are still real small in diameter, which limits the screen dissipation. Compare the screen support rods in a sovtek EH to anything NOS. You'll clearly see the NOS tube has significantly larger diameter screen supports, which conduct heat away much better. NOS tube screens don't glow in a DR!! I personally would rather see a small reddish spot on the plates than any glow at all coming off the screens. You can still get NOS JAN GE and Philips 6V6s at non-stupid prices, and as long as that's the case, those get my vote. However, regardless of screen glow, when the supply of the NOS gets back into stupid price land, the Sovtek EH does look like a workable alternative. I think we all agree that the series screen resistor should be increased from the stock 470 ohm 1 Watt value to a minimum of 1k ohm, 2 Watt. Ii have not spoken to New Sensor about the glowing screens because I suspect that they won't give a damn. YMMV.

4/23/2000 5:57 PM

John Stokes

I've used the new 6V6EH in a couple BFDRs. So far, no problems. They sound good and don't blow up. I personally am not so concerned about plate dissipation, but rather screen dissipation. Under normal bias conditions in a BFDR, the screens do glow a dull red. Under signal peaks, they get orange.. So far they haven't melted and shorted, and this is in an amp that gets gigged several nights a week, for the last month. If you look at the guts, you can see that the rods that support the screen are still real small in diameter, which limits the screen dissipation. Compare the screen support rods in a sovtek EH to anything NOS. You'll clearly see the NOS tube has significantly larger diameter screen supports, which conduct heat away much better. NOS tube screens don't glow in a DR!! I personally would rather see a small reddish spot on the plates than any glow at all coming off the screens. You can still get NOS JAN GE and Philips 6V6s at non-stupid prices, and as long as that's the case, those get my vote. However, regardless of screen glow, when the supply of the NOS gets back into stupid price land, the Sovtek EH does look like a workable alternative. I think we all agree that the series screen resistor should be increased from the stock 470 ohm 1 Watt value to a minimum of 1k ohm, 2 Watt.

Ii have not spoken to New Sensor about the glowing screens because I suspect that they won't give a damn.

YMMV.

4/24/2000 12:14 AM
andyfuchs	Re: Sovtek 6V6EH...is it for real?/7591's too ? Anyone know about the SOvtek 7591's ? I have a nice set of MacIntosh outputs that use a pair of them for like 40 watts, and I wouldn't mind building an amp with the "right" tube for the transformer. I always liked the sound of that tube in audio and guitar amps (the original at least!).

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