NNOSTD

[tsp17]

New New Old Stock Tube Day

Looking forward to trying out these JAN 6L6WGBs.  Got them second hand.  Look to be in good shape.

[tsp17]

just realized that my  thread title is subject to another interpretation.  LOL.

🤦‍♂️

[tbonesullivan]

NICE!!! Do you have a planned home for them? Those have a maximum plate voltage of 400V, right? I only have amps designed for 6L6GCs, so they all run the plates around 450V, so 6L6WGBs would probably get toasted.

[tsp17]

Primary purpose: 3rd Power Wooly Coats Extra Spanky .  Plate voltage 390 per the manual.  It came with JJs which are not usually my favorite, but in this amp they sound pretty darn good.   I’ve got a box of other 6L6’s that I’m going to swap in and out to see what I like best.  TAD, Tungsol, Mesa Boogie 5881 (I like those a lot in my Mesa Boogie Express 5:50+)

Im really impressed with this amp.  Best 1x12 combo amp I’ve ever had.  

[tsp17]

well- the JAN 6L6wgb were disappointing.  kind of dull and lifeless even after rebias.  then when removing them the center plug with the notch on it snapped off of one.  Fortunately it did not get stuck in the socket.  So, I put in some telefunken 6L6gcs.  really good. very hi-def.  TAD6L6WGC-STRs also very very good.  I'll leave the TADs in for a while.  They came as a matched pair but are a good 5 mv apart.  Sounding good so far.   I might go back to the JJs.  They sounded great, so if its not broke, don't fix it. 

[bolero]

GC was the final designation of the 6L6 right?

I wonder if design changes between them has anything to do with the sound.

Did you measure the actual plate voltage of the Wooly amp?

[tsp17]

On 3/30/2025 at 2:39 PM, bolero said:

GC was the final designation of the 6L6 right?

I wonder if design changes between them has anything to do with the sound.

Did you measure the actual plate voltage of the Wooly amp?

didn't measure, but manual says 395 plate voltage.  ended up with TAD 6L6gc.  surprisingly the OEM JJs were just as good.   I might put them back in.  happy about that as they are cheaper and easier to get.   I did also like the Telefunken 6L6GC a lot.  really good.  Most high-def of the bunch.   

[big bob]

Good thing you didn’t get a new old stock std!

[bolero]

yeah that takes admiration of old tubes to a whole new level

 

 

 

[Kuz]

I am 100% in favor of spending the money on NOS PREAMP tubes.  They sound great (better than current production preamp tubes) and last at least 10-12-15 years with regular use.

As far as paying top dollar for NOS power tubes, no thanks.  I never heard a difference and I really like the Tungsol RI, TAD, and other reissue power tubes.  

The main preamp and power tubes that I (personally) can't stand are JJ tubes.  To me they are sterile and lifeless.  Yea, they work, but that's about all they do well.  I had two sets of JJ power tubes redline and have a major failure, nearly ruined a Carr Rambler amp that I used to have.  No other power tubes failed on me like the JJs did. 

[tbonesullivan]

On 4/2/2025 at 8:16 AM, Kuz said:

I am 100% in favor of spending the money on NOS PREAMP tubes.  They sound great (better than current production preamp tubes) and last at least 10-12-15 years with regular use.

As far as paying top dollar for NOS power tubes, no thanks.  I never heard a difference and I really like the Tungsol RI, TAD, and other reissue power tubes.  

The main preamp and power tubes that I (personally) can't stand are JJ tubes.  To me they are sterile and lifeless.  Yea, they work, but that's about all they do well.  I had two sets of JJ power tubes redline and have a major failure, nearly ruined a Carr Rambler amp that I used to have.  No other power tubes failed on me like the JJs did. 

I'm still in mourning over the closure of the "The Tube Shop", which is where I got a lot of ANOS (As New Old Stock Used) preamp tubes, as well as some NOS rectifier tubes. Yes it was all order by email and they would get back to you, but I got some great tubes at nice prices. There's still KCA Nos Tubes out there, which has some good deals on the ANOS tubes.

JJ Tubes, unfortunately are now the tube of choice for a lot of amp companies, as they can withstand high cathode follower voltages, and are rugged. My Mesa Mark V was full of them when I got it, and I think my Friedman JEL-50 probably is as well. When I get some time I've gotta get rollin' rollin' rollin'. Keep those tubes a rollin'.

[tsp17]

11 hours ago, tbonesullivan said:

I'm still in mourning over the closure of the "The Tube Shop", which is where I got a lot of ANOS (As New Old Stock Used) preamp tubes, as well as some NOS rectifier tubes. Yes it was all order by email and they would get back to you, but I got some great tubes at nice prices. There's still KCA Nos Tubes out there, which has some good deals on the ANOS tubes.

JJ Tubes, unfortunately are now the tube of choice for a lot of amp companies, as they can withstand high cathode follower voltages, and are rugged. My Mesa Mark V was full of them when I got it, and I think my Friedman JEL-50 probably is as well. When I get some time I've gotta get rollin' rollin' rollin'. Keep those tubes a rollin'.

yeah, the Tube Shop was solid.  

So far I have had very limited  success with NOS tubes.  maybe it is user error but I find they fail at a much higher rate than my experience with new production tubes - both preamp and power sections.  I've not liked JJs at all  until they came in this 3rd Power amp.  they sound great in this amp.  they sound a little different but as good as TAD 6L6GC and Telefunken 6L6GC.  

[tbonesullivan]

13 hours ago, tsp17 said:

yeah, the Tube Shop was solid.  

So far I have had very limited  success with NOS tubes.  maybe it is user error but I find they fail at a much higher rate than my experience with new production tubes - both preamp and power sections.  I've not liked JJs at all  until they came in this 3rd Power amp.  they sound great in this amp.  they sound a little different but as good as TAD 6L6GC and Telefunken 6L6GC.  

This is one reason I almost prefer ANOS... at least I know they work. Some dealers pretty much won't even touch / test the NOS stuff.