6V6 tube question

[Baltar]

Hi all,

i recently bought a used Laney PT-30 MV Top. It's from 1990 and
has a warm sound and great low-end using my 112 cab with EM GB12 speaker
- exactly what i was searching for playing blues/rock.

The power-amp uses two 6v6-type tubes. The funny thing about it,...
they have no sticker, no imprint, nothing which tells me about manufacturer
or type of tube. Just a black plastic-foot and a black painted
tube (just the top of the tube isn't black)

I asked Laney (they have a friendly and stunningly fast answering email-
support guy) about it. They say that 6V6GT tubes were original equipped.

Can you give me an idea of which tubes i should buy ?
The options are huge.
Here in Austria i could buy several (Fender 6v6, Mesa Boogie 6V6/­STR-
417, Electro-Harmonix 6v6GT, GrooveTubes 6v6GT, Sovtek 6V6GT EH)
just at the store next to me. :blackeye:
I could order also from Germany : 6V6GT JAN Philips/USA TAD
or TAD 6V6GTB-STR

*help*

which ones are a good choice to keep the warm/bluesy character
(yes i know biasing is also affecting the sound) and life long ?

another thing .. :smack: .. some biasing-guides say, you should check that
the grey plates don't glow red/orange/yellow/white. Ho do i verify that,
in case i have a black painted tube?

- why do i want to change?
well, i don't - i want to have spare ones to be prepared.
I don't know how old they are and one of the tubes
is waggling a little (the tube in the foot, not the tube's foot in the socket).

cheers
Martin

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: 6V6 tube question

You should be able to get JJ 6V6's. I just replaced the JAN/Phillips 6V6's in
my Princeton with JJ's. I find they sound as good as,If not better. And
for half the money. My next choise would be the TAD's. I've heard rave
review's about their 6L6's. It maybe safe to assume their 6V6's are as good?

 

[Rich_S]

Re: 6V6 tube question

Tube Depot.com has short reviews of lots of different 6V6's. Look there, but you'll probably want to buy elsewhere, since you're in Austria.

A bit closer to home, check out the 6V6 test report atWatford Valves.

The best part is, 6V6's are fairly inexpensive, so you can try several types and swap them around depending on your mood. Or maybe keep the best-sounding ones you find for specail occasions, and use others for practice, etc.

You are unlikely to encounter any black-bottle 6V6's if you buy new tubes. BUT looking to see if the plates are red is NOT the best way to make sure you're not red-plating them. It's better to make sure they are biased correctly before you start to see red. Any decent amp tech can do it, and it's not hard to learn if you are so inclined, although some amps are more difficult than others. If you plan to swap tube s regularly, bias conservatively so there's some room for "hotter" tubes, without having to re-bias every time you swap.

Have fun with it!

 

[Baltar]

Re: 6V6 tube question

Hi,

thanks for the replies

A bit closer to home, check out the 6V6 test report atWatford Valves.

great - i was searching for such tests, but i didn't find any.
i like the this pdf ...

Tasting

ELECTRO-HARMONIX 6V6EH .... it holds its own surprisingly
well against the classic RCA

I think i'll try this one first - it's in good reach, cheap and at least has no
bad report here.

The best part is, 6V6's are fairly inexpensive, so you can try several types and swap them around depending on your mood. Or maybe keep the best-sounding ones you find for specail occasions, and use others for practice, etc.

your right. it was a pleasant surprise for me, when i recognized 6V6 are
that cheap.
To swap them as needed isn't a bad idea. The Laney can be quite simply
maintained (took it apart already for cleaning and safety check).
Let's see if i get that biasing part.

You are unlikely to encounter any black-bottle 6V6's if you buy new tubes. BUT looking to see if the plates are red is NOT the best way to make sure you're not red-plating them.

if i'm insecure (eg when biasing my top first time) i use to crosscheck things
twice. I thought it would be nice to have that optical crosscheck.
but i promise not to take the glow as reference

It's better to make sure they are biased correctly before you start to see red. Any decent amp tech can do it, and it's not hard to learn if you are so inclined, although some amps are more difficult than others. If you plan to swap tube s regularly, bias conservatively so there's some room for "hotter" tubes, without having to re-bias every time you swap.

Have fun with it!

thank you - i'm interested on that biasing part and will give it a try

You should be able to get JJ 6V6's. I just replaced the JAN/Phillips 6V6's in
my Princeton with JJ's. I find they sound as good as,If not better. And
for half the money. My next choise would be the TAD's. I've heard rave
review's about their 6L6's. It maybe safe to assume their 6V6's are as good?

i heard good things regarding JJ's, they're propably next try after e-harmonix.
i thought about the TAD's too, but i start with cheaper ones.

cheers
Martin

 

[Baltar]

Re: 6V6 tube question

/update:
i was just calling the store to put me the e-harmonix aside.
of course it's an inventory prob and they don't have them in stock :evil:
he want's to sell me groovetubes 6v6gt instead - let's see if i find a review :grumble:

 

[chill]

Re: 6V6 tube question

The tubes you have in there now are old Sovtek smoked glass 6V6's which are no longer made. The Fender, Mesa, and Groove Tubes are probably all re-branded tubes...and my first guess for the brand would be Sovtek, although the best way to find that out is to look for the faint black Sovtek labeling on the actual tube. Since EH is owned by new sensor, they're probably made at the Reflektor factory too.

 

[Baltar]

Re: 6V6 tube question

indeed the old tubes in my amp seem to be sovtek smoked glass.

however. i investigated a little bit on the Groove Tubes 6V6R, which
my dealer has in stock. Two sources verified that this is a relabled
Electro-Harmonix 6V6GT-EH tube. I just bought them and will see :nervous:

just in case i am wrong, i can keep them as backup tubes