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Output Tubes

mhardy6647 said:
I'm with him... although I'd probably add 2A3!

I have yet to hear a bad sounding amp using the 6BQ5/EL84 - single-ended or push-pull; pentode or triode, Williamson or U/L...
The Russian "6p15p-ev" (6П15П-EВ in Cyrillic) tube is very nice sounding, inexpensive, and robust.

FWIW: I have several 7591 amps and receivers around here... I am still not totally sold on 'em... I've been told that there were some HH Scott power amps that used 7591s that are superb... but I've not experienced any of those to date.
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Did you mean 6P14P-EV (6П14П-EВ in Cyrillic) rather than the 6P15P-EV? They are similar but the 6P14P is the usual EL84 replacement. The 6P15P is lower power, lower limit values, etc.
UnGrounded said:
6V6's are everywhere and cheap.

Can anyone add experiences with 6AV5 tubes? I have no idea what to do with the Bogen K030 monoblock that I picked up. It has 6AV5's, a high impedence input and a low impedence input with a step-up transformer, and I'm interested in what sounds I may get with it, particularly as a guitar amp.

Any suggestions?

I've read that 6FW5's (I think) are an upgrade from 6AV5's, and are generally an easy conversion.

Any thoughts on either 6AV5's or 6FW5's???
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For 6AV5 experience, you might want to look into the threads on the Bogen DB-130 and DB-230A amps for feedback on these tubes (generally very good). AKers Jon_S, Bricktop and Ab0eZ have done a good amount of work on these:
http://ns1.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=386658
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=128643
 
mikeski said:
I have been slipping away from the heavy rock of my youth and sliding into quieter jazz and soft rock. And at lower volumes. So I would like a smooth middle with a detailed base and not to tinny on the top.
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Your Heresys (Hereses? Heresii?) are efficient enough that you could probably go single ended with a couple of the tubes mentioned in this thread and be very happy with what you hear...
jaymanaa said:
6bq5
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Yes. :yes: The Kegger-designed SEUL 6BQ5 amps I built are the best I've heard from this family of tubes.

mhardy6647 said:
I'm with him... although I'd probably add 2A3!
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That'd do it, too.
 
Tinkerbelle said:
Did you mean 6P14P-EV (6П14П-EВ in Cyrillic) rather than the 6P15P-EV? They are similar but the 6P14P is the usual EL84 replacement. The 6P15P is lower power, lower limit values, etc.
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Yeah, fug. I even looked it up :-P Thanks.

The 7189 clone is the one I meant. I should've realized when I saw the "SV83" cross reference that my memory was failing me yet again.
 
Current output tubes in rotation:
New Tung-Sol 6550's in my dynaco MARK III's.
Vintage Sylvania 7591's in my THE FISHER 800-C.
Vintage HH Scott 7591's in my LK-72(299D).

No complaints thus far. And i'm definitely of the most "bang for my buck" budget-o-phile ilk. Cool thread/reading.
 
GordonW said:
I'd have to throw my lot in with the 6L6 family, for sheer bang-for-the-buck. IMHO, a 6550/KT88 can sound a LITTLE better, but the parts get much more expensive, quick.

A set of 6L6/5881/7581, with a Mullard-topology front end (i.e Eico HF22 or Harman-Kardon Citation V) can be something very special. Bass? You got it. Clean too.

There ain't a whole lot out there, IMHO, that will sound much better than a properly-set-up 6L6 Mullard-circuit amp. Only will get you between 20-40 watts per channel... but oh, what a GOOD sounding 20-40 watts that will be...

Regards,
Gordon.
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I have no idea what the ramifications are of a Mullard-topology front end from a technical standpoint, but the StancFish is a 6L6 amp and sounds fine to me. :thmbsp:
 
hey-Hey!!!,
Thoriated Tungsten. Type 813 and 4E27A. Also listening to Type III KT90, 6P21S and 8417. Small signal tubes are EL86 and 6AC7.
cheers,
Douglas
 
diamondsouled:
EL84/6BQ5 for sweetness at low power, 6550/KT88 for more power but a certain sweetness in triode mode.
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+1 for the above, as the 6BQ5s are certainly sweet and satisfying if low, low power is no problem although I've taken the "power equals 6550s" mantra to the next level with a set or two of the superb KT-120s that for me anyway, leave all of the rest in the dust from both the extra power and overall audio performance. The performance comes with some required provisions: B+ must be more than adequate and the drivers would actually have to be up to the rather monumental task.

If you feel the need to put high-end, high-power aspirations aside, yet yearn for a bit more than the sweet 6BQ5s are able to deliver, certain 6L6 types will in fact yield surprisingly satisfing results.
 
Well, I am seeing a number of EL84/6BQ5 and 6L6/6V6 suggestions. And as long as I stay with higher efficiency speakers neither should be a bad decision. And tube rolling will be a little less expensive.

And the Tele EL34's that went for $700. They were NOS, in their boxes and looked great. For me.... $700 is a whole new amp and not just a quad of tubes.
 
I have some plans to build an amp around the 6GH8/6BL8 and 6JC5/6JB5. I want to build a couple of other things before I tackle it.
 
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