12AU7 TO 6SN7 ADAPTERS.......................................... ............
- Thread starter Jeffblue
- Start date
Re: 12AU7 TO 6SN7 ADAPTERS.......................................... ............
Yes, but not in a guitar amp. The 6SN7 draws twice the heater current than a 12AU7. But so does the 12BH7 (parallel, 6.3 volts), so you should be ok there. The biggest thing is that 6SN7's have a reputation for being microphonic. More of a problem in a guitar amp, especially a combo or when getting loud. All you can do is try it and see. I do recall, on another forum, some forum members getting faulty adapters. I was using two adapters and both worked fine. Just make sure you get them from someone or some place with a decent reputation (or high + feedback seller on ebay if you go that route). I built a home audio preamp with 6SN7's in place of 12AU7's. I still use the adapters sometimes to swap between 12AU7 and 6SN7 in a headphone amp.
Yes, but not in a guitar amp. The 6SN7 draws twice the heater current than a 12AU7. But so does the 12BH7 (parallel, 6.3 volts), so you should be ok there. The biggest thing is that 6SN7's have a reputation for being microphonic. More of a problem in a guitar amp, especially a combo or when getting loud. All you can do is try it and see. I do recall, on another forum, some forum members getting faulty adapters. I was using two adapters and both worked fine. Just make sure you get them from someone or some place with a decent reputation (or high + feedback seller on ebay if you go that route). I built a home audio preamp with 6SN7's in place of 12AU7's. I still use the adapters sometimes to swap between 12AU7 and 6SN7 in a headphone amp.
Jeffblue
Well-known member
Re: 12AU7 TO 6SN7 ADAPTERS.......................................... ............
Thank you for your reply. Would a microphonic tube be an issue if the tube were being used as a power tube? The Vox Lil' Night Train uses a 12AU7 as a power tube and that is what I was trying to use the 6SN7 for in my Vox. These adapters are made in China and I hope they are okay.
Thank you for your reply. Would a microphonic tube be an issue if the tube were being used as a power tube? The Vox Lil' Night Train uses a 12AU7 as a power tube and that is what I was trying to use the 6SN7 for in my Vox. These adapters are made in China and I hope they are okay.
Re: 12AU7 TO 6SN7 ADAPTERS.......................................... ............
Yeah, power tubes can be microphonic as well. You may have to go through a few tubes to find a solid one, or the first one you plug in may be fine. There are a lot of NOS 6SN7's that aren't very expensive. The most sought after ones are but you should be able to find a bunch that don't cost much. The earlier ones were generally more prone to microphonics than ones made later on. Maybe look for later production tubes that have the extra support rods, something milspec. I don't remember what all the designations mean, like GT, GTA, GTB, WGT etc. There is also the VT231 designation and 5692 which I think is supposed to be a premium version. Lots I'm probably missing too. At any rate, they will all work fine in the circuit.
Yeah, power tubes can be microphonic as well. You may have to go through a few tubes to find a solid one, or the first one you plug in may be fine. There are a lot of NOS 6SN7's that aren't very expensive. The most sought after ones are but you should be able to find a bunch that don't cost much. The earlier ones were generally more prone to microphonics than ones made later on. Maybe look for later production tubes that have the extra support rods, something milspec. I don't remember what all the designations mean, like GT, GTA, GTB, WGT etc. There is also the VT231 designation and 5692 which I think is supposed to be a premium version. Lots I'm probably missing too. At any rate, they will all work fine in the circuit.
Jeffblue
Well-known member
Re: 12AU7 TO 6SN7 ADAPTERS.......................................... ............
DON'T DO IT! As Darg warned me about, the 6SN7 is microphonic. I tried it. The adapter works beautifully. The 6SN7 sounded excellent but used with any gain at all, just screeched horribly. Being who I am, I just had to try it. The 6SN7 I used was an NOS RCA GT. I only have one 6SN7 and so that is all for that. Thanks for your input Darg. You are too cool. And you are quite knowledgeable.
DON'T DO IT! As Darg warned me about, the 6SN7 is microphonic. I tried it. The adapter works beautifully. The 6SN7 sounded excellent but used with any gain at all, just screeched horribly. Being who I am, I just had to try it. The 6SN7 I used was an NOS RCA GT. I only have one 6SN7 and so that is all for that. Thanks for your input Darg. You are too cool. And you are quite knowledgeable.
Re: 12AU7 TO 6SN7 ADAPTERS.......................................... ............
Not that knowledgable. Just a tube I've messed with a bit. But thanks.
Sorry it didn't work out. You could probably go through a good chunk of change trying to find a quiet enough 6SN7. My bet would be on one of the triple mica spacer tubes with a bunch of support rods. But even then it's a crap shoot.
Anyway, glad I was able to add some input.
Not that knowledgable. Just a tube I've messed with a bit. But thanks.
Sorry it didn't work out. You could probably go through a good chunk of change trying to find a quiet enough 6SN7. My bet would be on one of the triple mica spacer tubes with a bunch of support rods. But even then it's a crap shoot.
Anyway, glad I was able to add some input.
Jeffblue
Well-known member
Re: 12AU7 TO 6SN7 ADAPTERS.......................................... ............
I do have some NOS 6SL7 GT tubes and those adapters will work fine for those also. I bought 4 adapters. I could run a pair of 6SL7s in V1 and V2 in my Vox Lil' Night Train and V1 and V2 in my Fender Vibro Champ. I did something cool with my BK Butler Blue Tube. I punched a hole in the side of the pedal, wired a homemade noval to octal adapter (Anode-to-anode, plate-to-plate, cathode-to-cathode,etc) and installed a 6Sl7 in the unit.
I do have some NOS 6SL7 GT tubes and those adapters will work fine for those also. I bought 4 adapters. I could run a pair of 6SL7s in V1 and V2 in my Vox Lil' Night Train and V1 and V2 in my Fender Vibro Champ. I did something cool with my BK Butler Blue Tube. I punched a hole in the side of the pedal, wired a homemade noval to octal adapter (Anode-to-anode, plate-to-plate, cathode-to-cathode,etc) and installed a 6Sl7 in the unit.
