use 5881 in 2204
- Thread starter Baltar
- Start date
Ascension
New member
Re: use 5881 in 2204
I have a set of short bottle Sovetec 5881's in my MK III JCM 900 Dual master and love um. Tighter bigger bottom and a more balanced overall tone.
The Dual master 2500 series is much much different than the 4100 series Dual Reverb JCM 900's and are pretty close to a JCM 800 2200 in tone if you roll back the sensitivity to take the clip diodes out of the circuit. Yep running 5881's in a JCM 800 can work well. Check the bias to make sure you can get it into the range for 6L6's/5881's without a resistor swap though.
Here are some clips of my JCM 900 with the 5881's.
http://www.box.net/shared/dprnplax7n
http://www.box.net/shared/ugehddem5i
http://www.box.net/shared/l8k9gn41dt
I have a set of short bottle Sovetec 5881's in my MK III JCM 900 Dual master and love um. Tighter bigger bottom and a more balanced overall tone.
The Dual master 2500 series is much much different than the 4100 series Dual Reverb JCM 900's and are pretty close to a JCM 800 2200 in tone if you roll back the sensitivity to take the clip diodes out of the circuit. Yep running 5881's in a JCM 800 can work well. Check the bias to make sure you can get it into the range for 6L6's/5881's without a resistor swap though.
Here are some clips of my JCM 900 with the 5881's.
http://www.box.net/shared/dprnplax7n
http://www.box.net/shared/ugehddem5i
http://www.box.net/shared/l8k9gn41dt
Re: use 5881 in 2204
Are you talking about real, NOS, 5881 tubes?
Or are you talking about a modern day tube that is stamped 5881?
Is your amp set up for 6L6 or EL34? You may have bias issues.
If these are NOS tubes I would say you are close to the limits of the tube where plate voltage is concerned. You may like the sound, that is all personal preference type stuff. But I would think you will not get typical JCM 800 tones. I imagine your headroom will go off faster.......it would be interesting to try. Probably would not be what you are after in a JCM 800, but you never know.
Good Luck
Are you talking about real, NOS, 5881 tubes?
Or are you talking about a modern day tube that is stamped 5881?
Is your amp set up for 6L6 or EL34? You may have bias issues.
If these are NOS tubes I would say you are close to the limits of the tube where plate voltage is concerned. You may like the sound, that is all personal preference type stuff. But I would think you will not get typical JCM 800 tones. I imagine your headroom will go off faster.......it would be interesting to try. Probably would not be what you are after in a JCM 800, but you never know.
Good Luck
Ascension
New member
Re: use 5881 in 2204
The Sovetecs I am running are Mesa labeled modern tubes. I normally loath Sovetec power tubes but the short bottle 5881's are really fat and SMOOTH in tone and they will easily handle the plate voltage in a Marshall. My 2501 was set up for 5881's from the factory and I ran both EL34's and several sets of 6L6/ 5881 variants in the amp before I settled on the short bottle Sovetecs. Nothing else that could handle the plate voltage even came close in tone to the short bottle Sovetec's.
On headroom with the 5881';s/6L6's it is just the opposite they are tighter in the bottom and have less power tube break up at high volumes. In particular the clean headroom will be much much higher with 6L6's/ 5881's than EL34's.
The Sovetecs I am running are Mesa labeled modern tubes. I normally loath Sovetec power tubes but the short bottle 5881's are really fat and SMOOTH in tone and they will easily handle the plate voltage in a Marshall. My 2501 was set up for 5881's from the factory and I ran both EL34's and several sets of 6L6/ 5881 variants in the amp before I settled on the short bottle Sovetecs. Nothing else that could handle the plate voltage even came close in tone to the short bottle Sovetec's.
Last edited:
glassman
Electron Herder
Re: use 5881 in 2204
You might want to consider KT66s. They will give you the bigger bottom end I think you are probably looking for and still have some of the midrange "push" that the EL34s brought to the amp. You will have to modify the bias circuit slightly to run them though.
You might want to consider KT66s. They will give you the bigger bottom end I think you are probably looking for and still have some of the midrange "push" that the EL34s brought to the amp. You will have to modify the bias circuit slightly to run them though.
STRATDELUXER97
Stratoblaster Tone Meister
Re: use 5881 in 2204
I've been pondering trying the KT66s in my old 50 watt Marshall NMV head...What KT66s do you prefer for that bigger bottom end and maybe even slightly cleaner headroom...I'm currently using GT EL34S tubes in this amp...At times I almost prefer a warmer,rounder,BF Fender/JTM 45 type tone as I run pedals into the head anyway and the head is set for lower volumes..
I've been pondering trying the KT66s in my old 50 watt Marshall NMV head...What KT66s do you prefer for that bigger bottom end and maybe even slightly cleaner headroom...I'm currently using GT EL34S tubes in this amp...At times I almost prefer a warmer,rounder,BF Fender/JTM 45 type tone as I run pedals into the head anyway and the head is set for lower volumes..
Baltar
New member
Re: use 5881 in 2204
Hi!
cool, thanks for the clips Ascension, appreciate it a lot.
to have them in a twin once and liked them a lot.
which is rated 160mA. The KTs would fry that one. So EL34 and 5881 are
my only choices from that point of view. the 5881 would even leave a little more wiggle room
Thanks everyone for replying. I'll order a pair of sovtek 5881 and let you know, how i liked it.
Cheers, Martin
Hi!
cool, thanks for the clips Ascension, appreciate it a lot.
the str425 sovteks were my first idea, (imo the ones which mesa is relabling). i used
to have them in a twin once and liked them a lot.
it's setup for EL34. But no worries for bias, i can adapt that range resistor if necessary.
i'd love to do that jerry, but mine has a toroidal replacement pt installed,
which is rated 160mA. The KTs would fry that one. So EL34 and 5881 are
my only choices from that point of view. the 5881 would even leave a little more wiggle room
Thanks everyone for replying. I'll order a pair of sovtek 5881 and let you know, how i liked it.
Cheers, Martin
Last edited:
Lake Placid Blues
New member
Re: use 5881 in 2204
If it will handle the heater current of EL34s it will likely handle most KT-66s or 6550s too. EL34 = ~1.4.
If it will handle the heater current of EL34s it will likely handle most KT-66s or 6550s too. EL34 = ~1.4.
Baltar
New member
Re: use 5881 in 2204
heater current is enough. but hv is to short. if i calculated correctly, the
amp will draw something like 140ma using 5881, 145mA using EL34 and 175mA
using KT66. i want a new tranny :friday:
cheers, Martin
heater current is enough. but hv is to short. if i calculated correctly, the
amp will draw something like 140ma using 5881, 145mA using EL34 and 175mA
using KT66. i want a new tranny :friday:
cheers, Martin
STRATDELUXER97
Stratoblaster Tone Meister
Re: use 5881 in 2204
I've read alot of reviews and I guess the Valve Art KT66s are really good...Not sure they are still readily available but I guess I could track a set down if need be.
I've read alot of reviews and I guess the Valve Art KT66s are really good...Not sure they are still readily available but I guess I could track a set down if need be.