6e5c

[lochness]

so I've been reading morgan jones book and slowly designing my 6c33c amplifier. While I've been looking around for tubes to use in the driver stage I got to thinking. Cats-eye tubes like the 6e5c (8 pin version of 6e5) are simply a triode with a florescent part in them.
I looked online to see if anyone had ever used as anyting other than a vu meter in an amp. Didn't find anything. So I was wondering if there was any reason they couldn't be used to amplify an audio signal?
I have my doubts as to audio quality but then again 6c33c wasn't designed with hifi in mind.

[Miles Prower]

Originally posted by lochness
I looked online to see if anyone had ever used as anyting other than a vu meter in an amp. Didn't find anything. So I was wondering if there was any reason they couldn't be used to amplify an audio signal?
I have my doubts as to audio quality but then again 6c33c wasn't designed with hifi in mind.

If a thing can be done, sooner or later, it will be done.

[marcelnl]

yet what about the sound of that tuby?

(working on a 6c33c-b myself and also looking at driver options)

[lochness]

there are actually alot of tubes that can be used to drive the 6c33c but picking and chosing right one(s) is kinda difficult as there are so many options and combinations of tubes that can do it. The book I'm reading helped out a lot.
I can't honestly say anything about the sound of the 6c33c as I have yet to listen to an amp using them.

[marcelnl]

that is why I was asking, the options are not that many imho....
a penthode like C3m comes in mind, the russian 6Hwhatever and then few other ones that sound clean open and pack enough grunt.
I am planning on running the beast low and hot, and will probably end up using a 1:1 or even a 1:2 interstage.....

I would not waste the merits of the 6C33C-B with a non audiophile driver, parts or amp design, as the tube has enough potential!

[lochness]

I think i'm going to make a small amp to test the sound of the 6e5c out but I had a small question. Is the resistor (the 10K one in the above schematic) before the grid necessary?

[Miles Prower]

Originally posted by lochness
I think i'm going to make a small amp to test the sound of the 6e5c out but I had a small question. Is the resistor (the 10K one in the above schematic) before the grid necessary?

Looks like a grid stopper. 10K seems a bit steep, though. You may, or may not, require it, depending on whether or not you get a high frequency instability and/or oscillation. Since you're going to try it, look out for any oscillations or damped oscillations while o'scoping the output.