Ok so who the heck makes a good 6L6 anymore?

[wizard333]

One that sounds good and is reliable?

I've heard rumors of JJ 6L6s being noisy, I think Bruce from Mission had a thread on that. I haven't experienced this but I've now seen a few red plate with low hours and fairly cold 50% at idle bias..........That didn't happen a few years ago. Quality control at JJ seems to be in the toilet at the moment.

I've heard the SED Winged Cs having issues to. Their QC also seems to be taking a dive, unacceptable at that price point.

Sovtek 6L6WXT+ are supposedly reliable but sound as exciting as a Lada is to drive.

I've heard a lot of praise for the TADs but I've found them a bit 'squawky' sounding compared to JJs....

Does anyone make a 6L6 anymore that is both reliable and pleasant to the ear?

[Paleo Pete]

I can't offer a definitive answer, but I have a friend who swears by Mesa tubes...he gave me a couple of Mesa preamp tubes I like pretty well in my Super Reverb. I haven't had any trouble with my Sovteks, but they're at least 15 years old, and the one JJ preamp tube I got caused the Super Reverb to pop every time I flipped the standby switch. I took it out and went back to a vintage tube pretty quick...I had it in the vibrato channel preamp position.

Most players I know much prefer vintage, and NOS if possible, Mullard if you can find them...I'm no different, I've been lucky and found some older RCA, Sylvania, and so forth, still in good shape and love those...the only "new" tubes I've had were a pair of Rubys I got in 1990 or so for my Peavey MX, and the JJ 12ax7a. And that's not exactly new, I got the JJ just over 10 years ago...

I haven't heard much in the way of positive comments about any of the new tubes, most players I know are still searching for usable older ones. Some of the preamp tubes are ok but power tubes...it's a hunt for sure

[Gtr_tech]

Try the Ruby 6L6GCM-STR. i've had great luck with 'em.

Ruby 6L6GCMSTR

[wizard333]

Mesas.........I have yet to see a new set of Mesa power tubes where at least 1 wasn't bad.

Most players I know much prefer vintage, and NOS if possible, Mullard if you can find them...

Me to, I also prefer to drive Ferraris and Bentleys, but I don't have the money for them. Nor do my customers. With RCA Blackplates selling at $200 PER TUBE, that is a non-starter.

Anyone tried the Tung-Sol reissues?

[big_teee]

Speaking of the Tung-Sols, has anyone tried the new Tung-Sol 7581.
It is compatible to 6L6, and is compared to the old Svetlana 6L6.
http://www.thetubestore.com/core/med...097a7cd19784c7
Tung-Sol 7581 New Production Power Vacuum Tubes
They are $50 a pair, and are supposed to have no noise or microphonics.

[Tone Meister]

Speaking of the Tung-Sols, has anyone tried the new Tung-Sol 7581.
...

Yes, a while back I installed a matched quad in a '69 Twin - loaded with a JBL 15" speaker - for a close friend who plays steel guitar and electric guitar through it. My experience is limited, but with them biased between 58-65% dissipation, the Tung Sol 7581's sound huge and it would not be unfair to loosely compare them to old stock 7581s from a soundstage perspective. My friend has commented more than once at how favorably they compare to the blackplate RCAs we took out of his amp.

Thus far, I've had excellent results with Tung Sol 6L6GC-STR in both an early silverface Twin Reverb and an early silverface Vibrolux. Keep in mind that I have a drip edge Twin with a matched quad of RCA blackplates with which to compare the Tung Sols. So far no duds and no excessive noise. I'd certainly recommend either of them as "worth a try."

[wizard333]

Do those Tung Sol 7581s have the riduculously high plate voltage handling of the originals? Sure would be nice get a current production 6L6 variant that could deal with high PV, and not have the high current draw heaters that makes a KT66 un-usable in a lot of amps.

Edit: Looked up the data sheets, answer is no. Both the 6L6GC STR and the 7581 are rated at .9A heater draw and 500v plate, but the 6L6GC STR is rated 500V screens the 7581 is rated 450V screen unless in ultra-linear operation, where it is rated 500. The original 7581As were rated at 35W plate dissipation, the reissues are the standard 30W 6L6GC number. Looks like the 6L6 GC STR would be the way to go over the reissue 7581 where screen voltage is an issue.

[Leo_Gnardo]

Try the Ruby 6L6GCM-STR. i've had great luck with 'em.

+1 that Gtr_tech! If Magic/Ruby is not on your list of suppliers you're missing out. I'm not a company member & I don't work for them nor am I a relative. But 28 years of being a satisfied customer oughta say something. Of course just like real life nothing's perfect, but if there's something amiss, they've always come through for me.

Yes try the Ruby 6L6GC MSTR. Same or very similar tube is sold to the "Audiophile Set" as Gold Aero. Whether GA do as good a job at selecting matching tubes, I dunno. There are other rebranders I'm sure. Same thing goes.

[Tone Meister]

... Looks like the 6L6 GC STR would be the way to go over the reissue 7581 where screen voltage is an issue.

Yes sir, which is why I included the qualifier, "and it would not be unfair to loosely compare them to old stock 7581s from a soundstage perspective." In the '69 Twin, plate voltage was 410 vdc. If the 7581s are able to meet your electrical requirements, I would be surprised if they didn't also meet your sonic requirements as well, and maybe even exceed expectations.

[big_teee]

I purchased a Matched Pair of TAD Tall bottle 6L6s with the coal black plates, nearly a year ago.
I put them in my Traynor YCS50 Combo amp. They sound great with lots of Headroom.
I bought them from Mojo, and they are matched from the factory, so no matching to pay for.
That could be a good or a bad thing I guess.
I guess the matching numbers are on the box, and all they have to do is pull like numbers.
They may be similar to the Ruby's but the plates are different color.
I was thinking of putting the short bottle TAD 6L6WGC-STRS, in a new build, but Mojo is out of them.
T

[Leo_Gnardo]

They may be similar to the Ruby's but the plates are different color.

Terry, I've noticed that too. I wouldn't be surprised if they came out of the same (Shuguang) factory. TAD has the plates blackened with, well who knows what. Does it make a difference? Designed to appeal to those who know and love RCA 6L6 GC blackplates? Both? Stay tuned and maybe some answers will appear.

[wizard333]

My experience with TADs is that they are a bit forward in the upper mids, a little lacking in the traditional "scooped" 6L6 tone. Did you find that to be the case with yours?

For the Tung Sol reissues, how does the 6L6GC STR compare sound wise with the 7581?

[Leo_Gnardo]

For the Tung Sol reissues, how does the 6L6GC STR compare sound wise with the 7581?

I honestly don't know yet. Just found out about the 7581 on this thread. I'm intrigued. Must try this. I do hope it's not just painting another number on the glass and the SOS inside, all sold at a premium.

[Enzo]

I too have been quite happy with the Ruby 6L6GCM-STR. They have been sturdy and reliable, I think they sound fine, and not a single one has come back to me either defective or with a sound complaint.

Be careful when you say you like (or dislike) Mesa tubes. Mesa doesn't make tubes, so the Mesa 6L6 this month might be a Sovtek, but next month it might be a JJ. Calling a tube a Mesa doesn't tell us what it really is inside.

[Tone Meister]

...For the Tung Sol reissues, how does the 6L6GC STR compare sound wise with the 7581?

Being my experience is limited to one quad and one pair of the 6L6GC-STR and one quad of the 7581s, I can only offer some generalities.

The STRs are reasonably true to the scooped-mid 6L6GC tone you described earlier, with a nice full bass and a clear, crisp top end that isn't strident in either the SF Twin or SF Vibrolux. The STRs have an excellent soundstage and the clean tones are traditional Fender with plenty of headroom, yet they grind nicely when overdriven. I haven't tried biasing them any hotter than 65% and found an excellent balance between 55-58% dissipation. I feel these would do very well in a Mesa circuit.

The 7581s are even firmer in the low end, and the top end is clear and bell-like, but in no way are they strident. The bass is huge with the 15" JBL in the SF Twin and the top end, if anything, is possibly a bit more rolled off than the STR. Overall, the 7581 just sounds bigger across the entire spectrum than the STR, but some of that is likely the 15" JBL in the '69 versus a Neo-100/Tornado mix in the drip edge Twin. I never really heard the 7581s overdriven, so I cannot speak to that.