It is currently Tue Mar 17, 2020 3:49 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 10 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: 5E3 tube tone difference
Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 9:59 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2010 10:28 am
Posts: 69
Location: Vancouver Is, B.C. Canada
In a 5E3, what are the tone differences between 6L6 vs 6V6 power tubes?
thanx for your response.
cheers


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: 5E3 tube tone difference
Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 10:33 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 2:37 pm
Posts: 8708
Location: Natural Bridge, Virginia
A 5E3 is designed for 6V6s, not 6L6s. A 6L6 will draw more current than a stock 5E3 transformers are designed to handle and may destroy the transformer. Yes, I know that Neal Young runs 6L6s in his 5E3, or has in the past. Don't know about his current rig. He has fans blowing on the amp to keep it cool (if he hasn't replaced the transformers or entire amp with something more robust), a tech to take care of his equipment, and the money to do all this. There are 5E3 clones designed to use either type tube (see the latest Vintage Guitar magazine for a review of one of them). Unless you have a 5E3 clone designed to handle 6L6s or the money for upgrades or constant repairs, I wouldn't recommend it.

_________________
Bill

Image


Last edited by bluesky636 on Thu Nov 10, 2011 9:35 am, edited 1 time in total.

Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: 5E3 tube tone difference
Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 10:38 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26417
Location: Tombstone Territory
bluesky636 wrote:
Unless you have a 5E3 clone designed to handle 6L6s or the money for upgrades or constant repairs, I wouldn't recommend it.


+1

'Nuff said!

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: 5E3 tube tone difference
Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 11:09 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2010 10:28 am
Posts: 69
Location: Vancouver Is, B.C. Canada
Good to know. Thanx guys. So if your 5E3 clone was designed for 6L6s, how would they sound different than 6V6s?

cheers


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: 5E3 tube tone difference
Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 11:33 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26417
Location: Tombstone Territory
A skosh fatter tone, later breakup, and less compression with the 6L6GC's.

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: 5E3 tube tone difference
Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2011 6:04 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
Posts: 14050
Location: Province de Québec, Canada
You can use 6L6 in place of 6V6 safely IF ;

1- The power transformer heater voltage with the 6L6 is not lower than 6.1 volts AC . This mean your power transformenr is enough powerfull.

2- You keep the same bias as your 6V6

Your amp will work cleaner, very late breakup or no breakup


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: 5E3 tube tone difference
Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2011 8:24 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 2:37 pm
Posts: 8708
Location: Natural Bridge, Virginia
stratele52 wrote:
You can use 6L6 in place of 6V6 safely IF ;

1- The power transformer heater voltage with the 6L6 is not lower than 6.1 volts AC . This mean your power transformenr is enough powerfull.

2- You keep the same bias as your 6V6

Your amp will work cleaner, very late breakup or no breakup


I assumed the OP is going for the Neil Young sound, hence my reference in my first post. I do not consider this a "plug and play" mod. The amp needs to be designed for this application.

Leaving the bias for the 6L6 set the same as a 6V6 as you recommend is about 10 - 12 mA too cold for good performance from a 6L6 and is not what Neil Young does.

From an interview with Neil Young's tech, Larry Craig:

"I have fans pumping a lot of air into the back of the Deluxe, since we rebiased the amp to use 6L6s."

(http://thrasherswheat.org/friends/amps.htm)

_________________
Bill

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: 5E3 tube tone difference
Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2011 8:27 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2010 2:37 pm
Posts: 8708
Location: Natural Bridge, Virginia
Retroverbial wrote:
A skosh fatter tone, later breakup, and less compression with the 6L6GC's.

Arjay


Which means the amp is not going to really sound like a 5E3 any more.

_________________
Bill

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: 5E3 tube tone difference
Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2011 8:34 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2009 7:26 am
Posts: 616
Built the tube depot 5E3 a few months back and they say this about the changes needed.

Refers to changing to 5881 or 6L6 o/p tubes.

.
8. Change out 6V6 with 5881. This is a great spongy tube that responds extremely well
when pushed hard. Because the 5881 consumes twice the filament current as
compared to the 6V6, it is recommended to use a solid state rectifier in place of the
tube rectifier when using 5881 tubes. By not using the tube rectifier, there is additional
power transformer over head. This overhead is needed for the increased filament
requirements of the 5881. The filter caps must be upgraded to +500V.
9. Install solid state rectifier in place of tube rectifier – tightens up dynamics and power
output. Filter caps MUST be upgraded to +500V types. Additionally, the 6V6 tubes
must be very good quality to withstand the higher plate voltages.
10.Replace the 6V6's with 5881's or 6L6's for a more expansive sound scape and a todie-
for low end punch. It is best to only run the 5881's and 6L6's when using the solid
state rectifier in place of of the tube rectifier. This extra power transformer headroom is
needed for the 6L6's and their higher filament requirements.
TubeDepot.com

.... Al


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: 5E3 tube tone difference
Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2011 8:55 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26417
Location: Tombstone Territory
bluesky636 wrote:
Retroverbial wrote:
A skosh fatter tone, later breakup, and less compression with the 6L6GC's.

Arjay


Which means the amp is not going to really sound like a 5E3 any more.


Correct.

The amp's sonic character will be significantly altered.

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 10 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: