What other tubes can I use this OPT for?

[duderduderini]

Hi Guys
I have these OPT originally intended for a PSE 300b amp.
I note they have:
a)1.5 k primary 8Ohm secondary
b)Ultra linear tap
c) air gapped
d) 81 Ohm DCR
e) 180 mA current capability
Does being air gapped preclude them from being used in a PP amp?
What other tubes can I use with them and am i limited to Single end operation?
Thanks
Nick

 

[Fuling]

1,5k and 180mA sounds like something that would work for a triode wired EL519 (PL519, PL509, EL509, 40KG6, whatever).
Should give >10W.

 

[SemperFi]

Strange it has an UL tap if it is intended for triodes.
1,5kohms is not a lot sp you are limited to tubes with low rp. The 6AS7 is prime candidate if 300B is too expencive for you. (Why else would you not use the 300B?)

 

[duderduderini]

Price consistency and reliability

Hi
In a nutshell, I am happy to shell out the dollars for 4 x 300b's but my readings indicate that relaibility and matching tubes are perhaps mitigating factors. Where can I buy good quality matched 300b's? I mean that have been tested etc
Nick

 

[SemperFi]

If you want to be picky all paralleled tubes should have separate bias adjustments, so no need to match 100% anyways.
Another option is to bias slightly below max to give some slack if one tube runs much hotter than the other.
I'm one of those guys who do not believe I'll hear the difference if the tubes are matched or not. (yeah thats from actual testing, but perhaps my years as an aircraft electrician has messed up my hearing without me noticing😉
To answer your question tho, I would think any serious tube dealer that has 300Bs in stock will do the matching/testing for you.

 

[jlsem]

Both sections of a 6528 in parallel would be a good candidate for that OPT. They're relatively easy to drive and should last for a long time, much longer than most 300Bs out there.

John

 

[duderduderini]

6528

Hi
from what I read the 6528 is hard to get and plate resistance is 245 Ohms.. In parallel that would mean 122.5Ohm? How would that interface with the 1.5k primary of the transformer?
Looks like a solid tube though.. real kick ar$#

 

[G]

Strange it has an UL tap if it is intended for triodes.
1,5kohms is not a lot sp you are limited to tubes with low rp. The 6AS7 is prime candidate if 300B is too expencive for you. (Why else would you not use the 300B?)

I was just going to suggest a 6AS7G before I read this reply. Good call.

 

[jlsem]

Hi
from what I read the 6528 is hard to get and plate resistance is 245 Ohms.. In parallel that would mean 122.5Ohm? How would that interface with the 1.5k primary of the transformer?
Looks like a solid tube though.. real kick ar$#

If you run the tube at around 300V on the plate and biased at -35 volts, which is a good operating point for an audio amplifier, the plate resistance is around 560 ohms. Two sections in parallel will have a plate resistance of 280 ohms. A good rule of thumb for push pull triodes is to use an opt with a plate to plate impedance of 4X the plate resistance of the tube. 4 X 280 = 1120. So, 1500 ohms will give somewhat less power but with less distortion. Run somewhat more conservatively at -38V to -40V gives a plate resistance of around 750 ohms. Run like this, 6528s will last for years.

John

 

[duderduderini]

How much power

Thats explained nicely. I was thinking single end output.
What kind of power output would i likely expect?
Thanks
Nick

 

[jlsem]

I was thinking single end output.

Oops. I think for single ended, it would still work. Run conservatively, each section will draw ~50-60ma per section. I would expect you could get about 8 watts per channel, similar to a 300B amp but much cheaper. How much does the opt weigh?

http://www.mif.pg.gda.pl/homepages/frank/sheets/138/6/6528.pdf

John

 

[SHiFTY]

If it has a tapped secondary, eg 4,8,16 ohm; you can put 8 ohm speakers on the 4 ohm tap to give a reflected impedance of 3K... If it's with triodes they are fairly forgiving...