Can you mix power tube brands?
With power tubes, you can swap different brands of the same tube. (For example, 6L6 tubes from different manufacturers.) Just make sure the tubes are compatible before you proceed!
Can you mix and match tubes?
You can mix tubes. If they are too far out of match, you will get more hum noise. You can put a trim pot to match unmatched tubes.
Are 6550 and EL34 tubes interchangeable?
6550’s and EL34’s interchange just fine with minimal changes.
Do you need to match power tubes?
Power tubes require matching because the way they amplify signal can create exceptionally bad sound if they are poorly matched, but pre-amp tubes generally aren’t used this way and so matching them is unnecessary.
What is tube matching?
Some companies offer matched sets of replacement tubes. This means that the tubes have been tested — the plate current draw is measured under normal operating conditions — and each tube in the set has been determined to have the same current draw.
What amp tubes are interchangeable?
The 12AX7, 12AT7, and 12AU7 all belong to the same family of nine contact, twin triode tubes. In many cases, these tubes are interchangeable and can easily be swapped.
What are 6550 power tubes?
6550. The 6550 is a beam tetrode that’s similar and often interchangeable with the KT88 and KT90. It was introduced by Tung-Sol in 1964.
Are 6L6 and 6550 the same?
The beam tetrode 6550, the standard tube in the Marshall AFD100, is similar to the 6L6 and came to life in 1955. Simply put, the 6550 can be used to create an amp that has a bit more power than with either the 6L6 or EL34. Tonally, it’s in the same vain as the 6L6: clean, little distortion and an almost ‘glassy’ feel.
How do you know if your tubes are matched?
Think of a power amp with four tubes as a car engine with four carburetors. If there is an idle adjustment for each “carb” that would be the same as an individual bias adjustment screw for each tube. If there is only one bias screw for each two tubes, you need a matched pair of tubes.
What was the original purpose of the 6550 tube?
The original 6550 tube was a pear shaped high power tetrode designed for power control by American Tung-Sol company. Later, GE and Philips produced straight bottle 6550s. The 6550 tube became quite popular in American audio amps in 1950s and 1960s due to its linearity and high power output.
Which is the best 6550 tube for audio?
In audio amps, JJ 6550 performs similar to JJ KT88, with excellent three dimensional soundstage that JJ KT88 is known for. Sovtek 6550WE is a straight bottle 6550 modeled after the original GE 6550A. This tube is a true workhorse and a great value, and shipped as original 6550 tube in many amps from the factory.
What’s the difference between Bruce Moore 6550 and kt-88?
This review recounts my experience with a host of 6550 and KT-88 tubes, all of which I tried in the Bruce Moore amp. The different sonic characteristics of these tubes are, for the most part, so distinct that, even in equipment with an entirely different tonal signature, you can expect to experience similar differences between tubes.
What kind of AMP does JJ 6550 come in?
JJ 6550 comes in a GE style straight bottle with JJ’s signature dome top. JJ 6550 provides a good thick tone in guitar and bass amps. In audio amps, JJ 6550 performs similar to JJ KT88, with excellent three dimensional soundstage that JJ KT88 is known for. Sovtek 6550WE is a straight bottle 6550 modeled after the original GE 6550A.