Smoothest distorting power tube
- Thread starter Quencho092
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mrfjones
New member
Re: Smoothest distorting power tube
knowing that it is dependant on the amp really i will still say none of the above. i think when put into a situation where the tubes can be saturated and the power tube distortion gained, a kt66 is the smoothest i have heard. think about an early jtm45 with a les paul. very smooth
knowing that it is dependant on the amp really i will still say none of the above. i think when put into a situation where the tubes can be saturated and the power tube distortion gained, a kt66 is the smoothest i have heard. think about an early jtm45 with a les paul. very smooth
BigBazz
New member
Re: Smoothest distorting power tube
actually i play a 5150 live and ive never had to go as high as 4, thats way too loud, the problem with a 5150 is that thier so loud you cant really push em to their full without a powerbreak/attenuator because thier so loud, but they do sound really really good distorted and in my oppinion they walk all over mesa dual rectifiers and marshall tsl, regardless i wouldent call a 5150 a smooth sounding amp, it has a lot of power and bite and it articulates brillaintly but its not a smooth sounding distortion.
Quencho092 said:
actually i play a 5150 live and ive never had to go as high as 4, thats way too loud, the problem with a 5150 is that thier so loud you cant really push em to their full without a powerbreak/attenuator because thier so loud, but they do sound really really good distorted and in my oppinion they walk all over mesa dual rectifiers and marshall tsl, regardless i wouldent call a 5150 a smooth sounding amp, it has a lot of power and bite and it articulates brillaintly but its not a smooth sounding distortion.
Quencho092
New member
Re: Smoothest distorting power tube
so a 5881 or 6l6wgc that are smaller bottles and output than big 6L6GC's won't have a gentler, earlier breakup in a blackface amp for example?
so a 5881 or 6l6wgc that are smaller bottles and output than big 6L6GC's won't have a gentler, earlier breakup in a blackface amp for example?
Edgecrusher
Well-known member
Re: Smoothest distorting power tube
Not necessarily you may be able to draw some very broad generalizations between low power and high power 5881/6L6 types but I wouldnt put much stock in it especially when dealing with modern tubes. There also seems to be at times alot of confusion regarding the GC/WGC/G/WGB/GA. I think in theory there was a absolute definition regarding these but it seems alot of times manufacturers didnt follow it. Also the bottle size doesnt necessarily mean gentler earlier break up. I have some Jan Phillips 6L6 WGB's that are short straight wall bottles that are killer sounding but dont dirty up any quicker than any other really. On the flip side while not strictly a 6L6 but is able to be interchanged with the family the KT66's are huge! and alot of people feel they break up easy and are smoother.
Quencho092 said:
Not necessarily you may be able to draw some very broad generalizations between low power and high power 5881/6L6 types but I wouldnt put much stock in it especially when dealing with modern tubes. There also seems to be at times alot of confusion regarding the GC/WGC/G/WGB/GA. I think in theory there was a absolute definition regarding these but it seems alot of times manufacturers didnt follow it. Also the bottle size doesnt necessarily mean gentler earlier break up. I have some Jan Phillips 6L6 WGB's that are short straight wall bottles that are killer sounding but dont dirty up any quicker than any other really. On the flip side while not strictly a 6L6 but is able to be interchanged with the family the KT66's are huge! and alot of people feel they break up easy and are smoother.
Pandemonium
New member
Re: Smoothest distorting power tube
Old stock Tung Sol 5881s have always been my favorite in my tweed Bandmaster but they're getting hard to find and too expensive if you can. I was lucky to pick up a few used ones with some life left in 'em awhile back.
Old stock Tung Sol 5881s have always been my favorite in my tweed Bandmaster but they're getting hard to find and too expensive if you can. I was lucky to pick up a few used ones with some life left in 'em awhile back.
Quencho092
New member
Re: Smoothest distorting power tube
are there any similar ones to the tung sols in production or nos?
Which KT66 would you guys recommend? NOS or new? I know the Genalex NOS are expensive as heck...are there any buyable kt66's out there that sound good?
are there any similar ones to the tung sols in production or nos?
Which KT66 would you guys recommend? NOS or new? I know the Genalex NOS are expensive as heck...are there any buyable kt66's out there that sound good?
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Edgecrusher
Well-known member
Re: Smoothest distorting power tube
You can still get nos Tung Sol 5881's I have a pair in my MKIV right now they are a very very good sounding tube. But they arent cheap either.
In my opinion the best of the current made KT66's are the Saratovs, I like them better than the Shuguang ones I havent tried the Sovtek's but i have heard the sovteks are just one of their 6l6's rebottled. But none of these sound as good as the original Genalex. The new ones dont sound bad but its still not quite the same. Sorta like the original coke and classic coke.
You can still get nos Tung Sol 5881's I have a pair in my MKIV right now they are a very very good sounding tube. But they arent cheap either.
In my opinion the best of the current made KT66's are the Saratovs, I like them better than the Shuguang ones I havent tried the Sovtek's but i have heard the sovteks are just one of their 6l6's rebottled. But none of these sound as good as the original Genalex. The new ones dont sound bad but its still not quite the same. Sorta like the original coke and classic coke.
Quencho092
New member
Re: Smoothest distorting power tube
where can i get my hands on saratovs online?
where can i get my hands on saratovs online?
M
MrHeavyMetal
Guest
Re: Smoothest distorting power tube
EL34's
EL34's
knucklefux
New member
Re: Smoothest distorting power tube
my two channel mesa single rectifier had those crappy factory chinese tubes (6l6) in it when i got it. at first i thought it was the best thing since KY jelly. then i installed a pair of 5881's. talk about night and day...ohh the bottom end. for me it's 5881's until they make a 5882(hehehehe). oh yeah...groove tubes used to be the shiite, but now they are all chinese. i stick with sovtek...mainly because i can't get anything else locally.
my two channel mesa single rectifier had those crappy factory chinese tubes (6l6) in it when i got it. at first i thought it was the best thing since KY jelly. then i installed a pair of 5881's. talk about night and day...ohh the bottom end. for me it's 5881's until they make a 5882(hehehehe). oh yeah...groove tubes used to be the shiite, but now they are all chinese. i stick with sovtek...mainly because i can't get anything else locally.
Edgecrusher
Well-known member
Re: Smoothest distorting power tube
You can get them from http://www.thetubestore.com/6l65881types.html
I've dealt with them 5 or 6 times this is where my Saratov's came from. I've always been really happy with their service.
Quencho092 said:
You can get them from http://www.thetubestore.com/6l65881types.html
I've dealt with them 5 or 6 times this is where my Saratov's came from. I've always been really happy with their service.
Edgecrusher
Well-known member
Re: Smoothest distorting power tube
:no: Actually Groove Tubes sources their tubes from all over. They have some that are from Shugang and Sino in China. Some are from the Sovtek lineup EH,JJ,SED and the newest ones are actually groove tubes own manufacture here in the US. Anymore they are really upfront about where their tubes come from they used to be much more cryptic about where they got them from.
knucklefux said:
:no: Actually Groove Tubes sources their tubes from all over. They have some that are from Shugang and Sino in China. Some are from the Sovtek lineup EH,JJ,SED and the newest ones are actually groove tubes own manufacture here in the US. Anymore they are really upfront about where their tubes come from they used to be much more cryptic about where they got them from.
KLINKDETROIT
New member
Re: Smoothest distorting power tube
What do 6ca7 tubes have over Svetlana EL-34 tubes? What brand of 6ca7 do you like?
What do 6ca7 tubes have over Svetlana EL-34 tubes? What brand of 6ca7 do you like?
Re: Smoothest distorting power tube
6ca7's are the equal of el-34, but they aren't quite the same, in general (IIRC) they have a higher static plate dissapation, and allow for higher plate voltages ... in general use are a bit tougher (subjective), when used in place of an el-34 they tend to be stresses less, and last longer. Plus I think they have a bit rounder top, and a bit more compression. Like Jeff stated though, it all depends on the amp, and how it's set-up and run ...so take that with a grain of sea salt ... I kinda like the 6v6s myself, but again that may be part of the lower powered amp deal. 6L6GCs are pretty much perfect for loud clean, and el-84s/6QB5s for lower cleans to mild crunch ... then again it's been so long since I've used anything other than a tube preamp ... maybe I should just reserve any perceptions on the matter. Jeff S. double check me on the 6CA7 thing please.
KLINKDETROIT said:
6ca7's are the equal of el-34, but they aren't quite the same, in general (IIRC) they have a higher static plate dissapation, and allow for higher plate voltages ... in general use are a bit tougher (subjective), when used in place of an el-34 they tend to be stresses less, and last longer. Plus I think they have a bit rounder top, and a bit more compression. Like Jeff stated though, it all depends on the amp, and how it's set-up and run ...so take that with a grain of sea salt ... I kinda like the 6v6s myself, but again that may be part of the lower powered amp deal. 6L6GCs are pretty much perfect for loud clean, and el-84s/6QB5s for lower cleans to mild crunch ... then again it's been so long since I've used anything other than a tube preamp ... maybe I should just reserve any perceptions on the matter. Jeff S. double check me on the 6CA7 thing please.
Quencho092
New member
Re: Smoothest distorting power tube
so if it was a blackface fender, 50 watts, would a legit 5881/6l6gwc get a smoother distortion compared to a big bottle 6l6gc?
so if it was a blackface fender, 50 watts, would a legit 5881/6l6gwc get a smoother distortion compared to a big bottle 6l6gc?
Re: Smoothest distorting power tube
If this is direct towards myself, that I couldn't say ... some of those tubes were in fact the same as the modern ones, and some weren't ... like one of the others stated manufacturers tended to do different things for different reasons. Some of the tubes specs were rated differently by different manufacturers as well (in regard to plate voltage,max. plate dissapation, max cathode voltage). I know what happened with the 6ca7 because on old friend replaced the tubes in an old super lead (some other work may have been done, but only for the tubes, {bias}nothing to change the amp per se') ... anyway, basically it was the same, except for what I mentioned. He was running a power soak as well, so the PA tubes were getting a workout.
Most 6L6GCs I used were nothing fancy, just the run of the mill ... I never messed with the metal cased, A, B, or those W types so I couldn't say.
as far as the coke bottle 6L6, vs the straight tube 6L6, well some hold the theory that 1) the tubes are the same, and 2) the larger area *may* dissapate heat better ... I guess one depends on manufacturer, and the other on maybe, maybe not.
Quencho092 said:
If this is direct towards myself, that I couldn't say ... some of those tubes were in fact the same as the modern ones, and some weren't ... like one of the others stated manufacturers tended to do different things for different reasons. Some of the tubes specs were rated differently by different manufacturers as well (in regard to plate voltage,max. plate dissapation, max cathode voltage). I know what happened with the 6ca7 because on old friend replaced the tubes in an old super lead (some other work may have been done, but only for the tubes, {bias}nothing to change the amp per se') ... anyway, basically it was the same, except for what I mentioned. He was running a power soak as well, so the PA tubes were getting a workout.
Most 6L6GCs I used were nothing fancy, just the run of the mill ... I never messed with the metal cased, A, B, or those W types so I couldn't say.
as far as the coke bottle 6L6, vs the straight tube 6L6, well some hold the theory that 1) the tubes are the same, and 2) the larger area *may* dissapate heat better ... I guess one depends on manufacturer, and the other on maybe, maybe not.
