Favorite Power Tube?

Very curious about what opinions on power tubes are these days. Feel free to elaborate with a post about why and maybe some favorite examples and if you have NOS favorites or any current production favorites. Oh and what amps do you like that run your preferred tube?

I realize the circuit the tube is run in is very important. I think we all know that.

 

I clicked 6L6, but only because my favorite's not listed, the Russian variant of this, the 6P3SE (or 6N3CE). I use it in a Latino VTA ST-70 and find it gives a very balanced sound with great dynamics.

John K.

 

I voted for the KT150 as its the tube in my Ref75SE which I love! In my VS110 I liked the 6550s much better than the KT120s.

 

EL34 now, but only because I haven't ordered and tried the KT66 yet.

 

New to the tube-rolling world so far, and I'll I've tried are Electro-Harmonix 6CA7EH, JJ 6L6GC, and Mullard reissue EL34s. The EH's were my favorite, but that may be biased because they only lasted a few hours before one burned out and I was still in the new amp honeymoon phase. I did NOT like the JJ 6L6GCs—a very rolled off top end, which (seems to have) lead to a condensed sound stage and loss of detail. I like the Mullard reissues better than the JJs, but they're still not as good as my memory leads me to believe the EH 6CA7s were, and I think I'm hearing a very slight cupped-hands coloration.

But since I'm new to tube-rolling, I've been wanting to ask something and this seems like a good place: how widely do sounds within tube types vary across brands? That is, how reliable is it to say "I like 6CA7 power tubes" when what I liked was EH 6CA7s? If I liked those, will I likely like other 6CA7s? Do all 6CA7s sound mostly the same (slightly bright, huge soundstage, and very detailed) with slight variation? If I didn't like the 6L6GCs will I not like other 6L6GCs? (And, further, how much do they change across interchangeable types, e.g. EL34/6CA7? Obviously there's some notable difference or Electro-Harmonix wouldn't be selling both at the same time...)

 

I selected the lowly EL84/6BQ5 not due to the sound (which I do like) but due to the reasonable availability of old tubes. My second choice would be the 6L6 for the same reason.

I know many people here don't consider the old 6v6 audiophile quality but it still should be on the list out of respect.

 

For Hi-Fi it's tough to improve on the EL34, although there are several good output tube types. But for midrange realism they are difficult to beat, it's spooky, and addicting. I use a stock Dynaco 70 that was completely rebuilt by Chris Keller some years ago and it sounds quite good.

In my experience the differences in the way different brands of tubes sound are there, but mostly slight. A new quad of el-cheapos will generally sound fine, and better than a clapped out set of Telefunken. Tubes wear out, no way around it. And, I have not had good luck with modern tubes in terms of longevity. They sound fine, even superb, but hey are not anywhere near as long lived as the old European or American tubes and also need to have the bias set back a little or they will usually go roman candle.

 

Just wondering why the 6V6 isn't considered audiophile quality? It is a common tube found in old hifi sets and guitar amplifiers.

 

I assume we can only pick one, right? I have several favorites, so it's hard to pick one, but I would probably go with the EL84 if I had to limit it to one in particular. I love the bloom and openness it has in both guitar AND hi-fi circuits.

That said, the EL34 has been growing on me a lot, and that one may end up being my ultimate favorite in a couple years. Plus, I also like the 7591, the KT66, the 6v6, the 6L6, and even the 6550, so it's complicated. A quartet of Westinghouse 7591's can be wonderful, and there's nothing like the old '50's blackplate RCA 6L6's in a Fender Super Reverb (I had a non-master one from maybe '67-'68 that was awesome... Wish I still had it... That thing was magical with classic analog effects pedals.

 

RCA 6L6's. Second best current production is the Winged "C". In a Twin reverb of course.

 

Of the choices offered I clicked on 6L6--not much power but a very sweet sounding tube. Of tubes in the tetrode/pentode output tubes, I like the 349, but, talk about low powered (my pushpull amp puts out about 5 watts).

 

7189, so I had to vote for EL84

 

I voted 6L6 because my Golden Tube SE 40 uses Russian 5881, and my Dared SE amp can use any of the 6L6 variants. The Dared sounds very lush with 350B tube in each amp. The Golden Tube can only use the 5881 tubes in stock mode but it can be modded for others as well.

 

I read people saying it just doesn't have that certain sparkle. I like the 6v6 but when I use a tube socket converter and put in an el84 the sparkle is there.

 

Why no option for 300B, 2A3 or 45?

 

EL34 - specifically the old, old Dutch Philips EL34s. Best tone I've ever heard out of a pentode.

I'll add the original Genalex KT77s, the original Tungsol 6550, GEC KT88, and Western Electric 350Bs.

And of course I love the 2A3 and 300B - even the EH version of the 300B has a certain magic.

 

Actually I thought about that after I posted it. I was thinking about the more common power tubes because I'm considering a new amp and hadn't been looking in that direction. Of course I just talked to a friend and am now thinking about the Line Magnetic with the two 845s.

 

If I was looking for a new tube amp- I would seriously at Line Magnetic and 845s are interesting tubes- a lot of the SET midrange magic with more power.

 

45 if you can deal with the 2 watt output.

 

This question is so amplifier dependent.

 

Unless you have an amp that can take all of the tubes listed, like mine! So keep the opinions coming!

 

What are you running?

 

Audio Electronics Supply (Cary Audio) AE-25 Super Amp Signature. A slight clarification, though: it can't take EL84s as power tubes (though it does use a pair as current source tubes), and I'm not sure about the last two in the poll, but it can take everything listed from EL34 to KT150 as power tubes.

 

Wow, that's incredible. I would love to be able to roll different OP tubes in the same amplifier.
That takes all the other junk out of the equation and lets you concentrate just on the tubes.

 

For everything but my wallet, it was an incredibly lucky and fortuitously timed Craigslist score; a friend had just gotten one and was singing high praises, and it happened to pop up the next day when I searched for amps on Criaglist, which I was only doing because my previous amp had died two or three weeks before. I ended up contacting several other owners trying to track down the manual, and every single one of them mentioned that they loved it and it's one of the most "fun" pieces of equipment they've ever had for that reason: it's incredibly flexible about what tubes it takes—which is a blessing and a curse for a first-time tube-roller like me!

I'm (trying my best to keep myself?) happy with the Mullard reissue EL34s for now, as there are some other upgrades in the chain I've been dying to make since before the previous amp died and this one busted the budget, but it's mighty tempting to get some more tubes to try out... I really can't wait to hear some other types. So.... if anybody in the Bay Area wants to bring over some quads and have a tube-swapping party...