Yup, I have a few, and that was the original plan. But I also have a few 6CG7's which are pretty much the same thing in 9-pin format. At any rate JB has published a rather extensive list of suitable tubes and their operating points with regards to this circuit, so it's dead simple to experiment with.
Thanks Hugh, it looks like I've got another project to urge me towards finishing the damn reno so I can wrestle my man-cave back from the sawdust spewing table saw dragon that moved in a while back.
..Todd
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Todd,
Your amplifier looks quite nice! I used something like this, for almost 2 years. My only recommendation to use stronger tube as cathode follower. Something can handle 10-15mA bias, and gives lower impedance, and more urge to the ss stages. The sound will be stronger, especially on bass, and on high volume. But of course, you can test some type of tubes when your amp will be ready. I did the tube stage point to point wireing for easy tube rolling....
Sajti
Your amplifier looks quite nice! I used something like this, for almost 2 years. My only recommendation to use stronger tube as cathode follower. Something can handle 10-15mA bias, and gives lower impedance, and more urge to the ss stages. The sound will be stronger, especially on bass, and on high volume. But of course, you can test some type of tubes when your amp will be ready. I did the tube stage point to point wireing for easy tube rolling....
Sajti
Now I use Tungsram red label E88CC in my amplifier. For cathode follower I tried E82CC, 5687, 5814, E88CC, ECC99. And my favorite is the ECC99, little bit over the 5687. I'm not familiar with the octal types, but of course I have some 6SN7, unfortunately Russian made, which are not the best tube
Sajti
Sajti
Sajti, Todd,
Since this JJ tube became available, I too favour the ECC99. It is an excellent tube sonically. Another recommendation would be the 6BM8, because the high mu triode is good sounding, and the pentode makes an outstanding cathode follower with high gain (about 0.97) and very good drive and about 25mA of quiescent.
Hugh
Since this JJ tube became available, I too favour the ECC99. It is an excellent tube sonically. Another recommendation would be the 6BM8, because the high mu triode is good sounding, and the pentode makes an outstanding cathode follower with high gain (about 0.97) and very good drive and about 25mA of quiescent.
Hugh
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I am using all-Russian in my amplifier. There were more than one source for these tubes in Russia. The metal base version is currently the hot trendy one and you can pay up to $100 ea.
I refuse to pay any more than about $20 for a tube. And even then, it's gotta be an amazing deal and I need it desperately (rare). $2-5 for Russian NOS tubes is a no-brainer, and that's what I've been getting by the dozen.
I'm not sure I trust JJ's production, there have been a lot of reports of bad quality. But they sure beat NOS prices. It's good to hear the occasional good review.
The upside to those prices is that my 3 Mullard EL34's will finance an entire DIY project through completion. I just cannot afford to keep them no matter how good they sound.
I wonder when we're going to get evicted from the SS forum for all this tube talk. 🙄 Now that the back end is squared away, more or less, I guess I'll have to start a new thread in the tube section to cover the front-end chit-chat of this amplifier.
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$100 is too much indeed ! - well fortunately they are the exception and there are some very good Russian 6SN7s (I guess we should refer to them by their proper identifier: 6H8C) at reasonable prices.
We need a hybrid forum don't we ! - I started my hybrid design on the tubes side, the opposite of you. I'm not sure which is best.
We need a hybrid forum don't we ! - I started my hybrid design on the tubes side, the opposite of you. I'm not sure which is best.
I started it here because the Aikido is already a mature item. But attaching the SS back end was where my questions were. So it seemed appropriate. I suspect a Hybrid forum wouldn't get a whole lot of traffic, so we'll probably be granted extra leniency from the mods to talk about tubes here, because of that. 😉
..Todd
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I think most of the mods are closet tuboholics anyhow 😉
So what did you decide in the end regarding construction ? Is it going to look like a tube amp or look like a SS amp - I mean you could have a set of nice looking 6SN7s mounted on top of a steel chasis, further decorated with the power trafo and big caps if you like. Or will be a modern SS look, all the tubes hidden inside ?
I won't comment about the mods being in any closet.
How this amp will look will depend entirely on what scrap parts I dig up to build it with. I have an old HK Citation 16 chassis with a suitable SS power supply transformer and plenty of room, so I may build it all inside that. It would be a shame to hide the glowing tubes though. Who knows. 🙄
..Todd
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