• WARNING: Tube/Valve amplifiers use potentially LETHAL HIGH VOLTAGES.
    Building, troubleshooting and testing of these amplifiers should only be
    performed by someone who is thoroughly familiar with
    the safety precautions around high voltages.

Tetrode or Pentode? / Tube info

Status
This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.
Tetrode or Pentode?

I'm really trying, but I'm not a sound or electrical engineer by any stretch! Based on what I read, are either the EI or the Electro Harmonic tubes actually a true 6CA7, and not something made with a bigger bulb just for looks?

I'm trying to find a TRUE Big Bottle 6CA7, the ones that everybody talks about. I know that there are EL34/6CA7 tubes available, but they are not true 6CA7's, or at least not the Big Bottle design of which I'm refering.

Can anybody elaborate on the links below and finally tell me what currently available 6CA7's are on the up and up (not just labeled as such)?


This eplains the difference between Tetrode and Pentode tubes:

http://www.mosweb.com/tp2.htm



Here's the Electro Harmonix 6CA7 tube (click on pic to enlarge):

http://www.thetubestore.com/ehx6ca7.html



And the EI 6CA7 tube:

http://www.upscaleaudio.com/rare/ei6ca7.jpg
 
diyAudio Senior Member
Joined 2002
Hi,

While Worldlingo seems to be on strike tonight I thought I'd give Googles' service a go.

I must say I'm impressed. This is by far the best translation I've seen.

If I find the time I may just as well touvh up the lot, turn it into pdf format and archive it on CD-R for future reference.

Thanks, George ;)
 
Hi Frank,

Thanks for the history lesson! The tree at the top of the page explains it all. Phillips invented the pentode, RCA as a counter the Beam tetrode beacause of the kink that all tetrodes produce when the plate voltage falls below the screen (G2) voltage. IIRC the so called kinkless tetrodes. That's also why Phillips invented the power pentode because of that kink. That's how the U.S. version 6CA7 got around the patent issues.
There's an article in one of my Audio Express mags. that covers this. I'll have to dig it up.

Wayne
 
Status
This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.