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6P15P Tubes: Push Pull Possible?

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St-35 with 6P15P tubes

Hey All,

I found some 6P15P tubes online from a Russian retailer and bought 17 of them. I was under the impression that they were identical to an EL84 but now find that to be untrue.

I plan on using them in a Dynaco SCA-35 I'm building. I'm substituting ST-35 boards to swap the 7199 for the 12DW7 preamp/phase splitter. And removing everything but the volume control from the circuit.

Obviously, on the EL84 the suppressor (?) grid is internally connected to the cathode on pin 3. The 6P15P does not have this connection. If my tired old eyes aren't failing me the suppressor grid on 6P15P is connected to pins 1&6. The ST-35 manual voltage chart lists 13.5 volts on pin 3 and 0 volts on pins 1&6. This is important because of the 150 volt limit on the suppressor grid for the 6P15P.

I also found the "Hazen" mod for Decware amps where the EL-84 cathode and suppressor grid are connected by a non-polarized film cap. Since there is an internal connection for these I'm assuming the cap is a bypass cap?

So these are my questions. Is the 150 volt limit on the grid for a pentode amp where the grid is driven? This not the case in the ST-35 as it is an ultra-linear amp. Second, should I connect the cathode to the suppressor grid? Third, Does anyone know the value of that cap? And lastly, could I damage my new amp by experimenting with this connection either by cap or by a wire?

Since the ST-35 boards use a chassis mount socket for the EL-84 rewiring the output tube sockets is easy.

As always, thanks for any help you could provide!
 
You can't use 6P15P in ultra-linear amp designed for EL84 tubes. Screen grid is denser, and if to apply the same voltage as to the EL84's screen grid, it's current will be too high. 6P15P was designed for more linear mode in video amps with higher voltage swing on anode, that's why the difference. When I did not know what exactly was different, I thought that it is the same tube specified for more linear operations, but surgical experiments confirmed that screen grids are different, so in pentode mode voltage on the 2'nd (screen) grid must be lower than for EL84 tube.
 
Anatoliy,
If I design a pentode amp with 300 volts on the plate and 150 volts on the grid with an 8k transformer I should be OK? I have some Japanese 6GK5 single triodes. I want to use them as the front end. Any reason that wouldn't make a nice little twenty watt amp? And on the transformer any recommendations? I'm assuming I could use an ultra-linear transformer As long as I don't connect the screen taps?
Kevin
 
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There are ways around the screen voltage issue. A long thread took place about it last fall iirc. There were some dangling issues that people were pursuing.

I've used a large dropping resistor between the screen and UL tap, with a 1uF bypass cap and then a small value resistor to the screen (470R) with good results on the 6П41С. I tried a zener bypassed by the 1uF cap and was not pleased.
 
^ my 6LU8 pp amps runs in pentode mode with G2 zener regulated using a string of 3 x 47v 5watt zeners.....

sound is crystal clear, bass is tight, i can feel it, the kick drums sound as it should be....i am satisfied....

doing this technic on the 6P15p would bring simmilar results imho....
 
Hey Guys,
I know this kind of an old thread. but if anyone is still listening I have a simple Question. Can a 6P15P be tested as if it were an EL84? I need some tubes matched and I was wondering if putting them in a tube tester would damage them? I'm assuming that American testers made in the 1950's or '60's wouldn't be set up to test a Russian tube.

Kevin
 
I have seen 6P15P described elsewhere as close to EL83. In fact it is very close to EL822; I think that 6P15P with its good gm and high anode resistance and very nice curves would make, like EL822 an excellent pentode current sink should one need a sink with 12w Pa.

Paul
 
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