6c45pi : sonic utopia or sonic hell?

[Kashmire]

I'm ordering a couple of 6c45pi.

What's the going controversy over these tubes? According to spec, these things are miracle tubes! High gain and low plate resistance triode.

With 150V and 35mA (7 watts on the plate), not a bad deal....

If you've heard or built using a 6c45pi, please post your comments.

[pedroskova]

You might find some interesting info here.


Sovtek 6C45pi-E bias

happy new year

[ThorstenL]

Konnichiwa,

Originally posted by Kashmire
What's the going controversy over these tubes?

Not sure what the "going controversy" is. Like with any Valve, the 6S454 needs to employed intelligently to sound good. It has two peculiarities, one a very large sample to sample variation making pair matching mandatory and secondly a tendency to oscillate (like any High Gm Valve), which requires some care in implementation.

Sayonara

[Kashmire]

I’ve heard two reports about some of the Russian “super tubes” like the 6C45pi. The detractors say it sounds like solid-state; really dry. The admirers say the incredible performance and versatility makes it a great candidate for new designs.

Both may be true. It may be a high-performance tube that sounds like solid-state.

I intend to listen to a 6C45pi – but it requires laying out a whole new circuit, when I’ve already got a lot going on. I wanted opinions from people who have already tried it.

[fdegrove]

Hi,

O.K...My New Year gift to you:

The admirers say the incredible performance and versatility makes it a great candidate for new designs.

The latter party is right and as Thorsten said, it needs some precautions to use.
Mostly gridstopper all over the place and careful selection.
Other than that it's a godsend..............

Get a dozen,

P.S. There are some other ex-USSR tubes you'd care to learn about....

Cheers,

[Kashmire]

I admit, I'm a bit of a noobie.

At building with tubes, that is. I've spent a decade of doing calculations, working equations, plotting load lines, and drawing schematics, but never built anything.

I'm a changed man. I've been building like a lunitic for a couple months, changing my ways and redeeming my past. All those schematics that I've drawn for the last couple years are becoming real hardware.

My latest batch includes tubes suitable to drive the Lundahl LL1660s/18mA interstage transformer. Darn! Why didn't I get a higher current interstage to try the 6c45pi?

My latest efforts use the 7788/E810F or 5965 to drive the interstage. In turn, the interstage drives Tung-sol 6550 or JJ KT-88 grids. I'm an aspiring roller, so I can't wait for my EL34s.

Now that you know this, what's the rest of the russian super-tubes out there?

[fdegrove]

Hi,

Now that you know this, what's the rest of the russian super-tubes out there?

There are a couple but here are the ones that amaze the world:

6C19P, close to the TFK ED 8000.

6C41P, close to halve the famous Mig tube 6C33C.

6H1P, some 6DJ8 but far from equivalent.

6H30P, BAT's favourite....

There's more, much, much more....keep'em alive by buying them.


BTW, I hear Svetlana is in big trouble since their last adventure into the U.S...

Nobody wants them to fade into history....


Cheers

[woody]

The One tube design page feactures a few circuites using this
tube.

http://digilander.libero.it/paeng/on...CIRCUITES.htm?



Woody

[woody]

The One tube design page feactures a few circuites using this
tube.

http://digilander.libero.it/paeng/one_tube_design_page_CIRCUITES.htm?



Woody

[ThorstenL]

Konnichiwa,

Originally posted by Kashmire
My latest batch includes tubes suitable to drive the Lundahl LL1660s/18mA interstage transformer. Darn! Why didn't I get a higher current interstage to try the 6c45pi?

Using the 6S45 at 18mA is fine, trust me. I prefer even lower anode currents, make the anode current too high and the sound of ANY High Gm Valve I have played with becomes hard and steely, pretty much that kind of sound people have criticised in the 6S45 when used as driver valve, simply because they acted on the idea "if it's rated at 50mA Max I must operated it at 60mA!".

Originally posted by Kashmire
My latest efforts use the 7788/E810F or 5965 to drive the interstage.

Triode Wired E810F sounds better than 6S45 but is harder to find and not in current production. BTW, the E180F is in current production and makes a good "pseudo 417A".

Originally posted by Kashmire
Now that you know this, what's the rest of the russian super-tubes out there?

Given the ridiculous rises in price since the "well known" super valves such as 6N6, 6N30 and 6S45 became known in the west you must forgive the cognescenti for not divulging the Numbers of the real sleepers still languishing in Stores from the cold war in Russia. We used to buy the 6S45 for around 6 Bucks each, landed cost (inclusive shipping, taxes and duties!) before they became fashionable.

Sayonara