Guitar Toad
Toadily Stratologist
Generally, would you say that the GC's have higher headroom and brighter tone than the WGB's?
6L6GC vs 6L6WGB
- Thread starter Guitar Toad
- Start date
LesPaulRules
New member
Re: 6L6GC vs 6L6WGB
Not sure about higher headroom, but I do know that they bias up differently.
I think the WGB is rated for high power.
Not sure about higher headroom, but I do know that they bias up differently.
I think the WGB is rated for high power.
AdmiralB
New member
Re: 6L6GC vs 6L6WGB
"It depends".
Headroom would be defined as the amount of input signal they'll take before they clip. I doubt that there is a significant difference here.
If you mean the amount of power they'll put out - the original GB (the 'W' in this case indicated the small bottle) spec was 23W. The GC spec is 30W. This doesn't address headroom, just the amount of heat a tube is rated to dissipate. So in theory, an amp designed to use GCs can put out somewhat more power.
However, if the tubes discussed are the '80s JAN Philips/Sylvanias...they have the same guts as the GCs of the same era, they're just in the smaller envelope. Since there's less surface area for heat transfer I'd probably treat them as, say, 28W tubes, and there isn't a significant difference in performance.
"It depends".
Headroom would be defined as the amount of input signal they'll take before they clip. I doubt that there is a significant difference here.
If you mean the amount of power they'll put out - the original GB (the 'W' in this case indicated the small bottle) spec was 23W. The GC spec is 30W. This doesn't address headroom, just the amount of heat a tube is rated to dissipate. So in theory, an amp designed to use GCs can put out somewhat more power.
However, if the tubes discussed are the '80s JAN Philips/Sylvanias...they have the same guts as the GCs of the same era, they're just in the smaller envelope. Since there's less surface area for heat transfer I'd probably treat them as, say, 28W tubes, and there isn't a significant difference in performance.
Guitar Toad
Toadily Stratologist
Re: 6L6GC vs 6L6WGB
Those indeed are the tubes in question. JanPhilips 6L6WGB's vs EH 6L6GC's. One of the reason's I asked about this was because of the Most Musical Tubes thread these tubes were listed separately in Scott's poll. I changed the GC's in my HellHound with the WGB's and hear what I hear as a bit warmer and a bit earlier overdrive.
And that does make sense then, that the WGB's should breakup earlier because they have a lower power rating, hence they can't handle as much power and breakup. AdmiralB, you weren't gonna go here...but based on my limited understanding...overdrive is what happens when the current passing through the tubes is more than the tube can handle, and the tube tops out (my description) and squares off the wave. Is that close or have I been topped out?
but the diff between 28w and 30w really isn't that much as you described.
Those indeed are the tubes in question. JanPhilips 6L6WGB's vs EH 6L6GC's. One of the reason's I asked about this was because of the Most Musical Tubes thread these tubes were listed separately in Scott's poll. I changed the GC's in my HellHound with the WGB's and hear what I hear as a bit warmer and a bit earlier overdrive.
And that does make sense then, that the WGB's should breakup earlier because they have a lower power rating, hence they can't handle as much power and breakup. AdmiralB, you weren't gonna go here...but based on my limited understanding...overdrive is what happens when the current passing through the tubes is more than the tube can handle, and the tube tops out (my description) and squares off the wave. Is that close or have I been topped out?
but the diff between 28w and 30w really isn't that much as you described.
Last edited:
