Favorite Power Tubes. Why?

saxmo

New member
Rectifier too. I just like to play around, so that I know what the hell I'm talkin' about; and a lot of you have a lot more tube experience than me. The electronics,I understand. It's the tweaking that fascinates me now. Thanks.
 
Re: Favorite Power Tubes. Why?

I dig 6v6s and 6L6s. I have an amp that combines EL84s with 6v6s and that is a really nice combo together in the same amp.
 
Re: Favorite Power Tubes. Why?

My favorite power tubes are the JJ EL34’s in my Marshall JVM410H. They haven’t blown up yet.
 
Re: Favorite Power Tubes. Why?

I can't decide if it is the 6CA7 or the KT-66.

I love the 6CA7 because it is much like a EL34 but with more open, less snarly, mids. It also gives a strong, solid, low end.

The KT-66 has beautiful cleans and just sings without harshness for overdriven tones.
 
Re: Favorite Power Tubes. Why?

EHX 6CA7 for me. Plenty of sting and power to those things. Just phenomenal for Hard Rock.
 
Re: Favorite Power Tubes. Why?

I have only tried EL34s, 5881s and EL84s, and would rate them in that order. I like the cut in the EL34s better than the more even, mature 5881s. EL84s are a bit too refined and delicate for my applications.

Then again, I willingly play on solid state power amps, so take my opinions with a grain of salt.
 
Re: Favorite Power Tubes. Why?

Hmmm.
6L6
6CA7
KT77
KT88

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Favorite Power Tubes. Why?

Tesla EL-34M
JJ KT-77
EHX 6CA7
Golden Dragon/Valve Art KT-66
TungSol 6V6

I'm not a 6L6 kind of guy.
Why? Because of sound and response.

EDIT: I forgot TungSol 5881. (How could I forget?)
 
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Re: Favorite Power Tubes. Why?

EL-34.

I have amps with EL-34, 6L6, & 6550 tubes, and used to have one with EL-84s. I've also had KT-88s in the amp that has the 6550s. And EL-34 is my favorite. The 6550s are a close second, but they have so much headroom that you really need to crank them to get them to break up.

And as to why I like EL-34s? I like the way they sound when they distort, and I can get decent cleans out of them with the right EQ settings. Maybe not as sparkly as 6L6s, but that also depends on the brand/type of EL-34.
 
Re: Favorite Power Tubes. Why?

NOS Mullard xf2, xf3. NOS RCA 6V6GTA. NOS Genelex KT66.

Barring those, current manufactured EHX 6CA7 and VA KT66.

For the tone, of course.
 
Re: Favorite Power Tubes. Why?

KT-88

Cuz their ain't no replacement for displacement.

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Re: Favorite Power Tubes. Why?

If we're talking low power I really like EL84s. I just dig how they typically feel and I like their breakup. I've had two 6V6 amps and disliked both, so I'm not sure if I just don't like those tubes or if it's the amps I didn't like.

High power I like 6L6s. EL34s are nice, but I like the headroom, broader sound and dynamic range of 6L6s. That said, my newest amp is EL34s and I'm digging it a lot.

My bass amp is KT-88s. Massive headroom, punch and firm low end. You'll overdrive the building's foundation before you overdrive 8 of these tubes.
 
Re: Favorite Power Tubes. Why?

EL34, Tesla from the old times and JJ from the present time.

Dunno, I have a thing for titty, a$$y juicy warm stuff.
 
Re: Favorite Power Tubes. Why?

My favorite power tubes are the JJ EL34’s in my Marshall JVM410H. They haven’t blown up yet.

I've got Svetlana Green Label EL34s in my JVM210H. A local tech recommended those to me because he'd observed that those seemed to be the most reliable in those amps while sounding pretty good. That being said, I'm running JJ's in the preamp. :D

As for other power tube types, I'm a big 5881 fan. They seem to have this really full, thick bass sound with crisp mids and highs that aren't too glassy or strident. The Friedman Dirty Shirley uses them, and that's my favorite single-channel amp that I've ever tried. :)
 
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Re: Favorite Power Tubes. Why?

My Spidervalve has 5881's, probably for that exact reason.

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