Suitability of ECL84 tubes for audio

[Glass_painter]

Hello everyone,

Just bumped into a bunch of ecl84/6dx8 tubes, logicly they should be O.K. for audio use. Anyone had a chance to play with these or has an opinion plaes do.

Thanks.

Glass_painter.

[fdegrove]

Hi,

Those were often used in TV sets, you could use it for audio much the same way as the ECL82.

Cheers,

[Tom Bavis]

The pentode has an anode rating of 4W, so it isn't as beefy as many of the ECL.. series tubes. But it would make a nice constant current sorce for the triode.

[Glass_painter]

Hi,

Thanks for all the info.

I listen mostly to headphones so I am not to worried about the wattege of the tube, however I am very pickey about the sound, what would you expect the tube to sound like compare lets say to ecl82 or ecl86 knowing that this tube was developed for video applications.

Thanks.

Glass_painter

[fdegrove]

Hi,

what would you expect the tube to sound like compare lets say to ecl82 or ecl86 knowing that this tube was developed for video applications.

If you know that the ECL86 is 1/2 ECC83 +one EL84 in a single envelope and you know what those can sound like than that's one out of three eliminated.

One or two other members have developed and built an amp around the ECL82 recently and seemed absolutely pleased with the results.
You can do a search locally for 6BM8/ECL82

I remember this valve to be popular in Holland back in the fifties so somewhere there must have been audio amps using this valve.

The fact that its' primary design goals were targeted at video/TV applications wouldn't stop me from trying it out.

Cheers,

[planet10]

Originally posted by fdegrove
You can do a search locally for 6BM8/ECL82

Which i have seen described as an ECC81 + EL84.

I'll be interested in your 6DX8 results -- i think i have some of those in my collection.

dave

[fdegrove]

Hi,

Which i have seen described as an ECC81 + EL84.

If only that were to be true...

I haven't figured out what it is but the penthode can only dissipate 5W according to my GE databook wheras the mighty
little EL84 will blush at 12W.

The triode part of the 6BM8 as a u of 70 so that puts it close to the 12AT7 family.

Cheers,...I hate to bring bad news...

[dhaen]

The triode section was designed for use as a switch for "keyed AGC".
It spent 60uS out of 64uS with -150v on it's anode, only turning "on" to sample the video signal level during the sync period.

The pentode section was a reasonble amp up to 5.5MHz (with a little peaking).


Cheers,

[planet10]

Originally posted by fdegrove
but the penthode can only dissipate 5W ... little EL84 will blush at 12W.

I knew that the ECL82 didn't have as much grunt as an EL84, (ie potential 8 w PP vrs 20 in EL84) so was careful in attributing it to someone else

It did fish out the info i was lookin for... thanx Frank.

dave

[fdegrove]

Hi,

It did fish out the info i was lookin for... thanx Frank.

You're welcome...

Mind you, most of this ECL range can be put to good use in mu-follower preamp service.

The ECL86 is my dream candidate for a mini bedroom amp though...
I'm still surprised David Manley didn't consider it for his love Tiny Triode amp.

So, don't junk your ECLs just yet...