Got a bucketload of tubes, need identification

[dmitriy167]

I haven't posted here in a while, but I just found these tubes and I need some information as to what they are/what they're worth. Here they are, in no particular order:

1x 6CD6 (GE)
2x 6CB6A (RCA)
2x 6AQ6 (RCA)
1x 6S4A (RCA)
1x 25W6 (GE)
3x 6K6GT (Emerson, National Union, Tung-Sol)
1x 6W6GT (RCA)
3x 6DQ6A (RCA, GE, Tung-Sol)
2x 6CL3 (RCA)
2x 1B3 (Philco)
1x 50JY6 (Philco)
1x 6X5GT (Ford Motor Co)
1x 6SL7GT (Silvertone)

I can get plenty more where these came from in bulk, so the lack of pairs is OK for now. All of these tubes have silver getters, but I have not tested them any farther than that yet. Most are somewhat used, but some look NIB.

Should I get more to play with/sell?

[Peter M.]

You can find datasheets here: http://tubedata.org/

And some prices here: http://www.tubesandmore.com/

[andyjevans]

There's nothing special in your list, so the value would be in pairs and quads. Single tubes have to be valuable to get money on ebay, but pairs and quads probably sell eventually. Even eight of a not so special tube is more saleable. GEt a quantity and chuck the ones that are less interesting, or sell them as a boxfull. You can get specimen prices on ebay by clicking advanced search, putting in the tube type and then clicking "finished items only".

By the look of the list somebody has cherry picked the good stuff.

andy

[Eli Duttman]

Checking things out via TDSL is (IMO) a good idea.

The types that catch my eye are the 6K6s (for guitar amps), the 6SL7 (a nice high mu twin triode), and the 6X5 (a rectifier of modest current capability).

[fdegrove]

Hi,

....The 6S4A too if you have a handful.

Cheers,

[dmitriy167]

I use 6SL7's in my amp, so I know about them. I'll try to get some more 6K6s and 6SL7's. Also, apparently Tubelab tested the 6CD6 and found it to be a pretty nice power tube in the right circuit (the 200ma max anode current and huge plate is definitely enticing). The guy I got these from has some bigger RF power tubes and some TV deflection tubes also. I'll see if I can get more next weekend; he seems to have somewhere around 500.

[ilimzn]

6CD6
Similar to a 807, intended for application as a horizontal sweep tube, so it has a top cap and the specs are slightly derated to account for heavy service in such an application.

6CB6A *
Miniature RF high transconductance pentode, also makes a very nice triode.

6AQ6
Dual diode plus triode, intended as demodulator and AF amplifier. The triode is a high-mu low transconductance one, mu is about 70.

6S4A **
Nice medium mu power triode (mu=16, S=4.5mA/V) that can be used for various audio applications. It is somewhat similar to two sections of the 12AU7 tied in parallel, but with higher plate dissipation.

6K6GT *
Pentode, used as an output tube in low B+ applications, it can also function as a relatively decent low-mu triode. Similar electrically to 7B5 and 41.

6W6GT, 25W6 *
Same power pentode with different heaters. It's original application was vertical deflection in TVs, either pentode or triode connected, but it can also be used as an audio power output tube, or regulator pass tube. It makes a very nice low mu (about 6) power triode.

6DQ6A *
15W beam power tube with top cap, designed for horizontal deflection in TVs. If I recall correctly, someone traced triode curves for this one? Looking at the curves it makes a fairly capable output tube in pentoe mode, and especially as enhanced triode (screen driven).

6CL3
Halfwave single rectifier or damper diode. Can be used as B+ delay at the expense of quite a bit of heater current...

1B3
High voltage low current single rectifier. These were normally used for CRT acceleration voltage, and have no audio use.

50JY6
Don't have any data for this one...

6X5GT *
Full wave rectifier for low current applications (ahout 70mA).

6SL7GT **
Classic high-mu triode, widely used.

The number of * denotes how interesting these might be more *, more interesting