Has anyone tried JJ 5881's?

[Rex_Rocker]

How are they? How do they compare to Tung Sol or Sovtek 5881's?

[allbutromeo]

Re: Has anyone tried JJ 5881's?

I have a set in a Marshall JCM900 50W. At lower volumes they all kind of sound the same. At higher volumes I didn't care for the stock Sovteks, I can't quite recall what I didn't like about them though. The JJ is pretty well balanced between bass/mid/treble, the Tung-Sol had more bass and treble than the JJ (still more mods than most 6L6GCs) but they weren't as durable as the JJs for the voltages in my amp.

[B2D]

Re: Has anyone tried JJ 5881's?

I've been curious about this myself. I've been thinking of getting a 50w JVM head and running it with 5881s. I tend to really like those in most amps I hear them in.

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Has anyone tried JJ 5881's?

I've been thinking of getting a 50w JVM head and running it with 5881s.

Be careful about running true 5881s in a JVM. The plate voltage of the JVMs are about 480 volts. The max plate voltage of the JJ 5881 is 450 volts, and the max rating of true 5881 tubes, such as the TS reissue, is only 400 volts. Best run 6L6GC or equivalent (some 5881 labeled tubes, such as the 90s era Sovtek, are 6L6GC spec), or better yet KT66s, in a JVM if you want to run 6L6 family tubes in it.

https://www.thetubestore.com/lib/thetubestore/ts5881.pdf

https://www.jj-electronic.com/images/stories/product/power_tubes/pdf/5881.pdf

[B2D]

Re: Has anyone tried JJ 5881's?

Thank you for the advice. I know a competent local Marshall tech whom I would trust to set the amp up properly for those tubes.

The sound of 5881's appeals to me in a way that other 6L6 type tubes just don't. I'm not sure what that characteristic is, I only know that I like it.

[Ascension]

Re: Has anyone tried JJ 5881's?

Have run regular Sovetec big bottle 5881 lable tubes as well as the JJ's both are ok. The 5881's i prefer tone wise are the old short bottle Sovetec with the small base that Mesa used to use. Bigger fatter and smoother tones that any of the other current production 5881's I have tried. LOVED them in my Fender Prosonics in particular!!
This version of the Sovetec 5881.

https://www.fullcompass.com/prod/176802-sovtek-5881-matched-sovtek-platinum-matched-power-vacuum-tube-priced-each-sold-in-multiples-of-2?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI34P3hLOa3gIVwcDICh14KwKbEAQYASABEgKLQPD_BwE

[Zombiwoof]

Re: Has anyone tried JJ 5881's?

Have run regular Sovetec big bottle 5881 lable tubes as well as the JJ's both are ok. The 5881's i prefer tone wise are the old short bottle Sovetec with the small base that Mesa used to use. Bigger fatter and smoother tones that any of the other current production 5881's I have tried. LOVED them in my Fender Prosonics in particular!!
This version of the Sovetec 5881.
https://www.fullcompass.com/prod/176...SABEgKLQPD_BwE

If no one has yet said this, the Sovtek 5881 is not a true 5881, neither is it a true 6L6GC, it is a military tube that had approximate specs to a 6L6 but less output, so they labeled it a 5881, but it takes more voltage like a 6L6GC. It was brought out when there were no more real 6L6 tubes being made after the last Western factories closed down, and was the only tube at the time other than NOS that would work in a 6L6 amp. Later, more companies from Asia and Eastern Europe started making real 6L6 tubes, and then real 5881 tubes like the Tungsol. I don't know where the JJ 5881 sits, I have no knowledge of that.
Al

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Has anyone tried JJ 5881's?

I have a set in a Marshall JCM900 50W. At lower volumes they all kind of sound the same. At higher volumes I didn't care for the stock Sovteks, I can't quite recall what I didn't like about them though. The JJ is pretty well balanced between bass/mid/treble, the Tung-Sol had more bass and treble than the JJ (still more mods than most 6L6GCs) but they weren't as durable as the JJs for the voltages in my amp.

Awesome! So the JJ's are less bassy than the TS's? That seems like they'd fit my amp well.

[allbutromeo]

Re: Has anyone tried JJ 5881's?

Maybe a better way to say it is less perceived bass because of the mids.

[Ascension]

Re: Has anyone tried JJ 5881's?

If no one has yet said this, the Sovtek 5881 is not a true 5881, neither is it a true 6L6GC, it is a military tube that had approximate specs to a 6L6 but less output, so they labeled it a 5881, but it takes more voltage like a 6L6GC. It was brought out when there were no more real 6L6 tubes being made after the last Western factories closed down, and was the only tube at the time other than NOS that would work in a 6L6 amp. Later, more companies from Asia and Eastern Europe started making real 6L6 tubes, and then real 5881 tubes like the Tungsol. I don't know where the JJ 5881 sits, I have no knowledge of that.
Al

Fender Prosonics run hot in particular in the true class A tube rec mode so they are REALLY hard on power tubes. The Short bottle Sovetec 5881's not only survived in those amps they had had a MUCH bigger fatter more open tone that was noticable from any other current production 5881 I have tried. Mesa used them for a while in many on their amps for that reason as did Carvin.

[Ascension]

Re: Has anyone tried JJ 5881's?

I have a set in a Marshall JCM900 50W. At lower volumes they all kind of sound the same. At higher volumes I didn't care for the stock Sovteks, I can't quite recall what I didn't like about them though.

Ran JCM 900'S through out the 90's doing hair band stuff. You are talking the full size Sovetec 5881 not the short bottle tube I'm talking about. Those are a completely different tube in both apperance and design with a very different tone.