6N1P or EF86 for bass guitar preamp?

Mikael Abdellah · 11th February 2007, 06:10 PM

Hi again guys

I need some help to decide wether I should go for the 6N1P wich I am quite familiar with or the EF86 wich I have NEVER played with before. Right now I have a 6N1P connected to a BUF634 buffer. It sounds awesome, but gain could be a bit higher. I was thinking about using the EF86 i pentode mode.

Mikael Abdellah · 12th February 2007, 01:04 PM

*bump*

Come on. Someone must have experiences with the EF86???

Zibi · 12th February 2007, 06:54 PM

http://www.google.com/search?q=ef86+...l&start=0&sa=N

Wavebourn · 16th February 2007, 04:39 AM

With EF86 (Russian version 6Ж32П ) you will get much more gain than with 6N1P (6Н1П ). Try 6N2P (6Н2П ) instead. All 3 of them sound excellent.

Mikael Abdellah · 16th February 2007, 05:14 PM

Sounds great, since I need more gain than I get with my 6N1P. I got my EF86's yesterday. I will start experimenting with one next week. I started on the chassis yesterday evening.

Hybrid bass/guitar preamp

Mikael Abdellah · 24th February 2007, 01:20 PM

I just got the EF86 connected to my buffer on the bench. Now we're talking! The gain is just what I was looking for. I used the same RC filter as I assembled some time ago for my 6N1P. That gives me closer to 300VDC than the 250VDC for the 6N1P since the current draw is much lower. Also the heater current is lower wich pushes the heater voltage close to its limits at almost 6.9VAC. I will probably start soldering everything together in my new chassis some time pretty soon. I'll post a few more pics as the work continues.

Mikael Abdellah · 24th February 2007, 01:34 PM

What could a variable bias add sonically for me? Is ot worth it? I could fit a suitable rheostat from the cathode, but I am not sure what good it would do. Could someone pleas explan it simply to me?

Mikael Abdellah · 28th February 2007, 04:06 PM

I am soldering my preamp together right now but i was wondering if its best to connect the shield to the cathode or directly to ground? Any ideas? When I use the 6N1P I always connect the shield directly to ground.

Trout · 28th February 2007, 04:45 PM

The EF86 is very popular in Marshall style preamps. I know the guys over at 18W.com have several schematics posted in their library that utilize them. If memory serves there were several variations posted over the the AX84 website also.

The Clips of the 18W amps I have heard sounded very good especially if your into that heavy Marshall overdriven sound.

http://www.18watt.com/files/ef86_layout.jpg

I have seen little mention of the Russian version.

Trout

Mikael Abdellah · 1st March 2007, 08:08 AM

I have connected everything except my VU meter and fired it up about 2 hours ago. It works!

A s*itload of gain just like I wanted. I have a bit of hum that I will try to erradicate, but the biggest problem now is "scratches" when I turn my potentiometers. I bought really cheap pots, but I realize it was a bad misstake. Where can I find very, VERY good potentiometers with 500k and 1M resistance?

16th February 2007, 04:39 AM	#4
Wavebourn diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Pleasant Hill, CA	With EF86 (Russian version 6Ж32П ) you will get much more gain than with 6N1P (6Н1П ). Try 6N2P (6Н2П ) instead. All 3 of them sound excellent. __________________ The devil is not so terrible as his mathematical model! Wavebourn: We Create Creativity!

24th February 2007, 01:34 PM	#7
Mikael Abdellah diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Sweden	Variable bias? What could a variable bias add sonically for me? Is ot worth it? I could fit a suitable rheostat from the cathode, but I am not sure what good it would do. Could someone pleas explan it simply to me?

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12th February 2007, 01:04 PM	#2
Mikael Abdellah diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Sweden	bump Come on. Someone must have experiences with the EF86???

12th February 2007, 06:54 PM	#3
Zibi diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bialystok	http://www.google.com/search?q=ef86+...l&start=0&sa=N

16th February 2007, 05:14 PM	#5
Mikael Abdellah diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Sweden	Sounds great, since I need more gain than I get with my 6N1P. I got my EF86's yesterday. I will start experimenting with one next week. I started on the chassis yesterday evening. Hybrid bass/guitar preamp

24th February 2007, 01:20 PM	#6
Mikael Abdellah diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Sweden	I just got the EF86 connected to my buffer on the bench. Now we're talking! The gain is just what I was looking for. I used the same RC filter as I assembled some time ago for my 6N1P. That gives me closer to 300VDC than the 250VDC for the 6N1P since the current draw is much lower. Also the heater current is lower wich pushes the heater voltage close to its limits at almost 6.9VAC. I will probably start soldering everything together in my new chassis some time pretty soon. I'll post a few more pics as the work continues.

28th February 2007, 04:06 PM	#8
Mikael Abdellah diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Sweden	I am soldering my preamp together right now but i was wondering if its best to connect the shield to the cathode or directly to ground? Any ideas? When I use the 6N1P I always connect the shield directly to ground.

28th February 2007, 04:45 PM	#9
Trout diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Midwest Madman	The EF86 is very popular in Marshall style preamps. I know the guys over at 18W.com have several schematics posted in their library that utilize them. If memory serves there were several variations posted over the the AX84 website also. The Clips of the 18W amps I have heard sounded very good especially if your into that heavy Marshall overdriven sound. http://www.18watt.com/files/ef86_layout.jpg I have seen little mention of the Russian version. Trout

1st March 2007, 08:08 AM	#10
Mikael Abdellah diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Sweden	I have connected everything except my VU meter and fired it up about 2 hours ago. It works! A s*itload of gain just like I wanted. I have a bit of hum that I will try to erradicate, but the biggest problem now is "scratches" when I turn my potentiometers. I bought really cheap pots, but I realize it was a bad misstake. Where can I find very, VERY good potentiometers with 500k and 1M resistance?

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