Opinions on Russian 6P6S (6n6c) 6v6 Tubes

StarGeezers · Post by **StarGeezers** » Sat 09/11/10 8:25 am

The ones I'm using are specd' at 250V .. maybe a little more , but not like how I torture my JJ 6V6s with around... 400v

kleuck · Post by **kleuck** » Sat 09/11/10 11:11 am

Thanks, i have 6P1P-EV, but the ratings are the same, no way to use it at 350 in place of a 6V6.

I tried a 6V6 JJ's in a Special 6 (ZP : don't read me

) and actually i didn't like it, i even prefer the crappy stock chinese one !

StarGeezers · Post by **StarGeezers** » Sat 09/11/10 11:31 am

Kleuck, I have the EV's too ... here's the voltages on my 6P1P quad Dog Sled... Voltages :
Antek donut PT
B+ 272V
B+1 260V
B+3 236V
B+4 230V

Power tubes 6P1P ev (4)
Plates 268V
SG 255V
Cath 15V

PI 6N2P
plate 172/171
cath 2.8v

6U8
pin 1 68V
pin 6 92V
cath 1.7v
pen cath 3.9v V

The amp sounds Super at those Vs ( a little high)... Hope that helps !!

kleuck · Post by **kleuck** » Sat 09/11/10 11:41 am

Thanks, i bought them to build a little PP inspired by the 18 watts, (except for the Pi) and my PT with an EZ81 will give me to these kind of voltages
Now, i know it's perfect, thanks.

StarGeezers · Post by **StarGeezers** » Sat 09/11/10 12:19 pm

The Best of Luck on that !!!! I know you'll like the sound...

kleuck · Post by **kleuck** » Sat 09/11/10 4:31 pm

Pt and OT are from an old Hi-Fi amp, built with 6AQ5A.

StarGeezers · Post by **StarGeezers** » Sun 09/12/10 7:43 am

Love to recycler old parts !!! So COOL !!!

Dustpuppy · Post by **Dustpuppy** » Tue 10/05/10 11:04 pm

I just modded an 18w TMB to use 6p1p. These things sound great!

tubeswell · Post by **tubeswell** » Wed 10/06/10 12:06 am

kleuck wrote:By the way, i wonder if the 6P1P can stand high voltages like 6V6 can do ?
It's not clear in datasheets.

Don't know about the 6P1P, but the 6P6S subs quite happily for a 6V6GT in most 300-400V situations AFAICT. I can run them in my reverb unit at 360V on the plates. (Note to Mods - Sorry I know its not an 18Wer - I have yet to build one - but its on my to-do list)

laterider · Post by **laterider** » Mon 10/25/10 9:47 pm

StarGeezers wrote:The ones I'm using are specd' at 250V .. maybe a little more , but not like how I torture my JJ 6V6s with around... 400v

Careful, I've taken out a few JJ's in SF champs, maybe it had to do with the 400v on plates + the 470ohm cathode resistor.

I don't have many of them(NOS), but I really like NOS 6V6 over any of the new production 6v6's. I think that 6V6s are the worst sounding type of the new production stuff....

Post by **zaphod_phil** » Mon 10/25/10 11:56 pm

I think it depends on the amp. JJ 6V6s sound fantastic in some amps - although it has also been pointed out that the JJs are effectively a modern NOS tube that have been built the same way, in the same factory for many years.

Careful, I've taken out a few JJ's in SF champs, maybe it had to do with the 400v on plates + the 470ohm cathode resistor.

At those voltages in an SE amp you need more like 700+ ohms. The tubes probably were dissipating way over spec, with only a 470 ohm resistor in there.

I have run various 6V6s at up to 450V, including JJs and 6pi6s. I've also seen JJs running happily at 470V in a friend's amp (which also had tone to die for BTW). Once there was an electrical fault in his house and he ended up with 500V on those JJs - and they continued to work quite normally.

laterider · Post by **laterider** » Tue 10/26/10 12:16 pm

I believe that SF champ I finally put in a 510. I think that was an issue with the at least some of the SF champs is that the B+ was up there due to use/change of a higher output (V not current) PT. I haven't played that amp in quite a while as I have a tweed champ clone that I use when I want the SE champ bark. I put in a PT with a lower output in the tweed champ to allow me to use anything in that one.

To stay on topic, I do have quite a few of those 6pi6 tubes, mostly from the seventies. Back when I was checking them I believe I a/b'ed them in the tweed champ with a new 6V6EH and they sounded identical. At the time I concluded the EH and maybe other new ones were coming from the same factory that made the 6pi6s or maybe is still making the 6pi6s too. The tubes really looked identical (EH and 6pi6), but of course the 6pi6 have black glass so I couldn't be sure. I wanted all of them to sound 'great', they work, but the 6V6EH and 6pi6 seemed so harsh/sterile to say a NOS RCA or GE. I eventually threw down some cash to have a handful of NOS tube just for my tweed champ. When I did run new 6V6's I believe the JJ's were the best sounding of the newer 6v6's.

Post by **zaphod_phil** » Tue 10/26/10 5:40 pm

I think how these tubes sound depends a lot on the amp, as well as the voltages and load impedances being used. In some amps I've found the 6pi6s have a nice smoky vibe. In other amps, they just sound dull. In my own amps the JJ 6V6s sounded shrill at 450V and above, while in the other amp I mentioned they sounded just amazing at 470V.

It's also no secret that EH = Sovtek

laterider · Post by **laterider** » Tue 10/26/10 5:57 pm

zaphod_phil wrote: It's also no secret that EH = Sovtek

Thanks zp, that was the the actual company I was trying to think of when talking about new stuff!!!

Back on the 6pi6 tubes - I do travel to ukraine once a year. Three years ago I bought the 6pi6 tubes I have from there for pretty much nothing. Very cheap, but I can't really remember how much. Maybe you guys can key me in on what might be good (other types) and I'll stock up next summer!!!

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Opinions on Russian 6P6S (6n6c) 6v6 Tubes