Greetings to ALL.
I am wanting to get some opinions about whether plate starvation results in the same distortion characteristics as power tube overdrive. I have a VHT Special 6 Ultra. This amp is single ended, and at present I am using an upgraded 6V6GT beam tetrode(Tung-Sol). This amp has a Wattage control, which I assume to be an attenuator that controls plate voltage, and allows for plate starvation. My living situation doesn't allow for loud playing, and I haven't had the chance to crank this amp up yet. However, I have a Weber MiniMass attenuator which I feel has a superior sound with this amp, compared to the Wattage control. The Weber works "between" output and speaker, so it would not cause plate starvation. I found one article on the Internet in which a gentleman said that running a tube with too low a Voltage resulted in the same type of distortion as running excess Voltage(both to the plate). He gave no evidence for this, only stating it as fact. In truth, this sounds unlikely, but I could be wrong.
I would like to here your opinions on this topic, just for learning's sake. Any and all comments are very appreciated..............tonequester.
I am wanting to get some opinions about whether plate starvation results in the same distortion characteristics as power tube overdrive. I have a VHT Special 6 Ultra. This amp is single ended, and at present I am using an upgraded 6V6GT beam tetrode(Tung-Sol). This amp has a Wattage control, which I assume to be an attenuator that controls plate voltage, and allows for plate starvation. My living situation doesn't allow for loud playing, and I haven't had the chance to crank this amp up yet. However, I have a Weber MiniMass attenuator which I feel has a superior sound with this amp, compared to the Wattage control. The Weber works "between" output and speaker, so it would not cause plate starvation. I found one article on the Internet in which a gentleman said that running a tube with too low a Voltage resulted in the same type of distortion as running excess Voltage(both to the plate). He gave no evidence for this, only stating it as fact. In truth, this sounds unlikely, but I could be wrong.
I would like to here your opinions on this topic, just for learning's sake. Any and all comments are very appreciated..............tonequester.
You got to post in the Instrument Forum... The mods no doubt will move it.
The Watts control (aka VVR) drops the plate and screen voltages to the 6V6, when lowered the preamp will drive the pi$$ out of it, so you get a lot more PA clipping (at much lower voltage of course) than preamp clipping. Like most players - you prefer the attenuator over the VVR, but you can get the two to sound closer (never going to be the same) by adjusting the tone controls to compensate for the differences between their harmonic distortion content.
The Watts control (aka VVR) drops the plate and screen voltages to the 6V6, when lowered the preamp will drive the pi$$ out of it, so you get a lot more PA clipping (at much lower voltage of course) than preamp clipping. Like most players - you prefer the attenuator over the VVR, but you can get the two to sound closer (never going to be the same) by adjusting the tone controls to compensate for the differences between their harmonic distortion content.
tube starvation vs output tuibe distortion
Greetins again jazbo8.
Sorry about the wrong destination for my post. Thanks for the good explanation of the Wattage control and the difference in harmonic content making it sound different form the attenuator.. Short and to the point.
I really appreciate your replies to my posts...............tonequester.
Greetins again jazbo8.
Sorry about the wrong destination for my post. Thanks for the good explanation of the Wattage control and the difference in harmonic content making it sound different form the attenuator.. Short and to the point.
I really appreciate your replies to my posts...............tonequester.
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