Help me read tube data sheets

[Andersen]

As a newbie, I cannot understand a lot of abbreviations in a tube data sheet. Can you please help me explain them, how to apply them, which parameters I should pay most attention to:
Vh, Ih, VaMax, PaMax, Cgk, Cak, Cga, Va, Vg1, Ia, Ra, S, Rk, Zout, Pout, THD and etc.

Thanks a lot.

 

[dsavitsk]

This post might help: http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/tubediy/messages/119424.html

Beyond that, look through the On Line Tube Learning for newbies.... thread.

 

[Andersen]

Thanks a lot for your information. I will try to learn and ask later.

 

[Tom Bavis]

You need the REST of the tube manual too - there's a list of abbreviations, and much more general information. Get one from eBay - most any one will do, but RCA and Sylvania have more data. Or just read one online... many are listed on my tech page: http://www.audiophool.cjb.net/Techno.html

But here's a start:

Vh- Heater voltage
Ih - heater current
VaMax - maximum plate (anode) voltage
PaMax - maximum plate power dissipation
Cgk capacitance grid-cathode
Cak - " anode-cathode
Cga - " grid-plate
Va Plate voltage
Vg1 - Grid voltage
Ia - plate current
Ra Plate resistance
S - transconductance - measured in Siemens (aka mhos) (inverse of ohms)
Rk - cathode resistor
Zout - output impedance
Pout - Power out
THD - Total Harmonic Distortion

 

[Andersen]

Thanks, Tom.
Just got one question abt Zout. In some data sheets I found this but in some I did not. So is there any way to determine this Zout for a certain tube.

 

[jarthel]

As a newbie, I cannot understand a lot of abbreviations in a tube data sheet. Can you please help me explain them, how to apply them, which parameters I should pay most attention to:
Vh, Ih, VaMax, PaMax, Cgk, Cak, Cga, Va, Vg1, Ia, Ra, S, Rk, Zout, Pout, THD and etc.

Thanks a lot.

last year I think, there was a series of replies by SY in regards to reading tube data including the curves.

I do not know where it is though. maybe a search on the forums using "SY" on the username.