Best rated, cheapest 6L6 on the Market?

[johnk_10]

i've actually had quite a few winged C's that have had their innards loosen up and acoustically sound like a maraca if you tap on them. if your head's on top of the cab you can hear it in the background. they do sound pretty good but i don't use them anymore.

[EFK]

i've actually had quite a few winged C's that have had their innards loosen up and acoustically sound like a maraca if you tap on them. if your head's on top of the cab you can hear it in the background. they do sound pretty good but i don't use them anymore.

Me too. However, in fairness, I find this to be a problem with a lot of new tubes. It seems to be a crap shoot.

[Gtr_tech]

Combos really tear up tubes in a hurry. I had a newer Vox AC30 in a few days ago and *every* tube was rattled to death internally.....even the preamp tubes made all kinds of mechanical racket when you tapped them.

[jmaf]

The winged C's still get the the lions share of votes for EL34's. That would be enough for me to try the 6L6's if I were buying for my personal amp.

Earlier this year I bought 3 pairs of 6L6's to let a friend choose one type for his amp. Winged C 6L6, JJ 6L6GC and the Tungsol 6L6 STR. I don't know if I got a bad pair, but the Winged C was the most expensive of the three and it sounded dead....no definition, too tight. Kinda like it was in a strait jacket, was the only description I had for it.

The Tungsol STR broke in my hand as I tried to push it in the socket, never got to hear it. ( http://music-electronics-forum.com/t24780/ ).

[Zozobra]

I've been running a quad of 6L6EH's way above spec for a fair while and they haven't melted yet.

[clyde1]

I'm liking the Tung Sol STR's and the Ruby STRM's. I just got a notice from New Sensor of another price increase effective Nov. 15. Maybe those SED's won't be so pricey after all.

[Enzo]

Of course the "Svetlanas" that New Sensor sells are not the WInged C tubes. New Sensor bought the rights to the Svetlana name in the USA, but they put it on tubes they make themselves, not on the Winged C tubes from St.Petersburg.

[clyde1]

I've never tried the Svetlana brand from New Sensor. I guess SED is Winged C now.

[jmaf]

I've never tried the Svetlana brand from New Sensor. I guess SED is Winged C now.

IME they sounded like the Electro-Harmonix 6L6. The St. Petersburg SED is Winged C.

[Chuck H]

IME they sounded like the Electro-Harmonix 6L6. The St. Petersburg SED is Winged C.

but the Winged C was the most expensive of the three and it sounded dead....no definition, too tight. Kinda like it was in a strait jacket,

I'm not running to try them after this endorsement.

[big_teee]

I'm not running to try them after this endorsement.

The SEDs Are a Real Deal now, they are on sale, at $60, Instead of $80 a Pair.
I think they figured like the Folks on this forum.
There are too many other good Reissues out there, for everyone to run and Pay the $80.
If they are built right the 6L6 is a good sturdy tube, and should last years of normal life.
T

[jmaf]

I'm not running to try them after this endorsement.

Hihi. Didn't mean to completely demote the Svetlana(both Winged C and Saratov) in one swipe, but I guess I did.

[greekie]

I have nothing but good experiences with the SED tubes - both EL34 and 6L6.

I test them, of course, before use. The ones in my father's stereo run idle at 72% (sounded the best), and still measure 92% like new, even after 2 years of good use.

Not all are like that, of course, but they are generally better than most IMHO.

Jake