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replacing kt66 valves

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Hi ,can anyone recomend replacement valvesmay be sels for my quad11 amps.There are a batch of new valves,genalex,harma,saratovs,valve art,tad,sovtec,
shuguang,jj.I read about the russian 6n3c but found it to actually be a 6l6.So far it looks like the jj kt66 may be selected.Anyone had experience
with any of the named valves.
solderon.
 
The Shuguangs are the closest to the originals. China already produced KT66s for GEC in the '70s, sold under the GEC/Genalex/MOV brands.

Sovteks and Tung-Sol reissues have very similar internal structures to their 6L6 tubes...

Harma and Groove Tubes are in fact russian Saratovs, as are TAD, I think.
 
In my Croft-modified Quad IIs, I run Russian 5881s or 6L6GCs. I know that everyone says they are no good, but they sound fine, the heaters require only 0.9A as opposed to 1.3 for KT66 - always worthwhile giving the poor old Quad's mains transformers a break, as they get hot enough as it is.

And they are very cheap.

And when I first installed the valves, I checked the various voltages and they were exactly on spec.

P.
 
... I run Russian 5881s or 6L6GCs...

A 5881 isn't a 6L6GC! The numbered equivalent to the 6L6GC is called 7581A.

Your Russian 5881's are looking like these?

6P3P002.jpg


These are 6P3E-S's, made by Reflektor and often sold as 5881's, but they don't match the 5881's maximum ratings.

Best rfegards!
 
Hullo.

The amps are not with me at present but yes they do look like that as far as I recall.

I bought the 5881s and the 6L6GCs from the same supplier in the U.S.; I know that they are different - the internal structure is different. I really cannot say that there is an audible difference - there may be but as usual I cannot hear it!...

And I do like the blue glow.

As for the ratings, well that has not proved to be a problem in the Quad IIs - no red anodes at least.

All the best
 
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Hi, I have the best results with USA made 5881 RCA or TUNGSOL. Better than 6L6GC.
In my Quad II clone I run a pair of RY50 (250V at g2 stabilized by VR105+VR150). I use an original Quad output transformer and get approx 18 Watts. No KT66's needed!
The most economic and fast solution is EL34's (connect pin 1 to pin 8 and trim the cathode resistor for correct bias). Acceptable sound.
adam2a3
 
Hi, I have the best results with USA made 5881 RCA or TUNGSOL. Better than 6L6GC.
In my Quad II clone I run a pair of RY50 (250V at g2 stabilized by VR105+VR150). I use an original Quad output transformer and get approx 18 Watts. No KT66's needed!
The most economic and fast solution is EL34's (connect pin 1 to pin 8 and trim the cathode resistor for correct bias). Acceptable sound.
adam2a3

Yes but 1.5A each to light up EL34s!

P
 
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A 5881 isn't a 6L6GC! The numbered equivalent to the 6L6GC is called 7581A.

---snip---

These are 6P3E-S's, made by Reflektor and often sold as 5881's, but they don't match the 5881's maximum ratings.

Best rfegards!

Although on paper, no, the maximum ratings on the 6P3S-e's are lower than the 5881 (not to mention a 6L6GC's ratings), I'm yet to see them fail (or even break a sweat) in any situation which calls for a 6L6GC or a 5881.

Incidentally, the tube marketed by Sovtek as a 5881 / 6L6WGC (to my knowledge) is in fact a rebranded 6P3S-e which is used by a few manufacturers as their stock "6L6GC" they ship with amps.

The Soviet's sure knew how to build a hefty tube when the task called for it, I'll give them that.

But that said - no these are not 5881's, they just happen to be happy in a 5881's place.
 
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