6550's?
- Thread starter AdamB
- Start date
EWSEthan
Active member
For what its worth Im in the minority here. I did not like the 6550s very much. They are VERY stiff feeling and crisp, clear sounding tubes. They just sounded too "clinical" to me. Big lows and bright highs, but I like a little bit of sag. I find the TS 5881s the perfect mix of stiffness with a little sag and a real real thick wall of sound.
aeroic
Active member
We're all different, hence the reason why we have all the options. That said, I'll have to say, I'm not a big fan of 6550s w/ V30s...well...anything w/ V30s rather. Like recently, I got a GC Eggie TM4x12 w/ V30s loaded... Very boring, stiff feel to that cab. Even after breaking them in for 5-6 hours. Threw in CL80s and T75s in a X-pattern, and the feel TOTALLY changed. The CL80s give you a bit of sag...and such, and really relaxes the 6550s a lot. I'll tell you, tubes / speaker combinations really do make or break a tube. I'm not a big EL34 guy, but...with a set of greenbacks...holy shit I love them. But with V30s...they sound brittle to me. With V30s, the best tubes I've used to get them sounding good were always a 6L6. So keep that in mind.
Secondly, with 6550s, I usually run the module gain 1-2 clicks higher than I do w/ EL34s or 6L6s. This helps counteract the higher headroom w/ the 6550s, and get more of that "feel" going again.
But, 6550s aren't for everyone. But, they do sound across all modules, whereas a EL34 sounds best on the SL, SL2, etc. It's a good "best of both worlds" tube. If the 6550s is too sterile...try a 6CA7 or a KT77. Might be more of your cup of tea.
Secondly, with 6550s, I usually run the module gain 1-2 clicks higher than I do w/ EL34s or 6L6s. This helps counteract the higher headroom w/ the 6550s, and get more of that "feel" going again.
But, 6550s aren't for everyone. But, they do sound across all modules, whereas a EL34 sounds best on the SL, SL2, etc. It's a good "best of both worlds" tube. If the 6550s is too sterile...try a 6CA7 or a KT77. Might be more of your cup of tea.
aeroic
Active member
AdamB":213dukl5 said:Well, i don't mind buying some 6550's, it's a small price for what be a great difference
I use 2 V30's and 2 G12K-100's in an x pattern in my cab, that's my favourite combo by far. But, like you said, everyone is different!
Will KT77's fit in the Mod 50 ok?
Dude...aren't those G12K100s the most massive, tight, killer sounding speakers!!!
They do sound great w/ a V30 in a X pattern. I use them by themselves in a 2x12 and I absolutely love it!Yeah the KT77s will fit just fine!
Eric
I am going to be trying some 6550s soon, but the Tung Sol EL34B's are untreal to me. They work on everything from the Bassman to the SL2 to the Erect. The Erect sounds huge and sweet with the Tung Sol EL34B's. I haven't used my TS 5881s since. Leads are so much fatter with the EL34Bs than with the 5881s to my ears which were too stiff for me. I like lots of sag, tons of it! Hehe..
AdamB
New member
aeroic":2c6wscgx said:AdamB":2c6wscgx said:Well, i don't mind buying some 6550's, it's a small price for what be a great difference
I use 2 V30's and 2 G12K-100's in an x pattern in my cab, that's my favourite combo by far. But, like you said, everyone is different!
Will KT77's fit in the Mod 50 ok?
Dude...aren't those G12K100s the most massive, tight, killer sounding speakers!!!
Yeah the KT77s will fit just fine!
Eric
I love them! I did a blind test on 12 speakers at the factory where i got my cab made, these sounded killer. I find them to have quite a flat EQ and respond very well to your amp tweaking
aeroic
Active member
AdamB":3ewekimv said:aeroic":3ewekimv said:AdamB":3ewekimv said:Well, i don't mind buying some 6550's, it's a small price for what be a great difference
I use 2 V30's and 2 G12K-100's in an x pattern in my cab, that's my favourite combo by far. But, like you said, everyone is different!
Will KT77's fit in the Mod 50 ok?
Dude...aren't those G12K100s the most massive, tight, killer sounding speakers!!!
Yeah the KT77s will fit just fine!
Eric
I love them! I did a blind test on 12 speakers at the factory where i got my cab made, these sounded killer. I find them to have quite a flat EQ and respond very well to your amp tweaking
I agree man. I really like them a lot. Very very big sound! I really do like that they are flat across the EQ spectrum, with really tight defined low end.
Got a Scumback M75-LHDC off of evilBay. I'm interested in seeing how that compares! I really like the G12K100 in my Eggie TM212, but in my new grendel dead room, there is too much low end that muddies up the cab. Right now I'm using the Weber Blue Dog for recording in the GDRmkII. I'm really digging that!!! I'm interested in seeing how the Scumback M75-LHDC 100-watter compares in there.
Eric
aeroic
Active member
AdamB":2sydnbx3 said:Eric; Man of many tubes and speakers!
Ha!
So true so true
. Ever since hearing the Peter Thorn recording for Dave Friedman, I've been wanting to try a Scumback M75. I've not been 100% pleased with my recorded tone w/ my Grendel Dead Rooms. Tried a Weber Blue Dog in there, and I'm really pleased with it. Interested to see how the Scumback M75's compare to the Blue Dog. I do need to sell a bunch of speakers though. I have way too many . Upwards of 15-20 speakers I'm not using!!! The tubes I don't mind having extras of! I've sold a few the last couple weeks, so I've whittled down my collection to ones I know I want / need.Eric
I am ordering some 6550s now and am going to ask they try to give me a super close matched pair. I hate when tubes are off too much! Maybe I'll see if any local stores carry them to save on shipping and possible shipping damage. Then again, they had to be shipped to the store to begin with!
What is the ideal bias and the best place to buy? I have always liked Doug's tubes and he is careful about matching.
One thing I noticed about Doug's is he grades his tubes different than others, you can choose early distortion, average distortion or late distortion. I was going to to choose average.
What is the ideal bias and the best place to buy? I have always liked Doug's tubes and he is careful about matching.
One thing I noticed about Doug's is he grades his tubes different than others, you can choose early distortion, average distortion or late distortion. I was going to to choose average.
emailed the tube store.
I asked about tube matching and the distortion grading.
Response:
"We aim to match within 5%, http://thetubestore.com/powertubeinfo.html#q5
Regarding distortion, the truth is that it's dictated by how the tube are bias in the amp. If you have an adjustable bias amp, these rating systems lose their meaning. If you have a fixed/non-adjustable bias amp they are more worthwhile. You can request whatever rating you like in the comments box when you checkout and we'll select accordingly."
So where do you all bias the svet 6550s?
I am going to check with Doug's tubes as well. I like to get tubes as close as possible, 3% or so.
I asked about tube matching and the distortion grading.
Response:
"We aim to match within 5%, http://thetubestore.com/powertubeinfo.html#q5
Regarding distortion, the truth is that it's dictated by how the tube are bias in the amp. If you have an adjustable bias amp, these rating systems lose their meaning. If you have a fixed/non-adjustable bias amp they are more worthwhile. You can request whatever rating you like in the comments box when you checkout and we'll select accordingly."
So where do you all bias the svet 6550s?
I am going to check with Doug's tubes as well. I like to get tubes as close as possible, 3% or so.
aeroic
Active member
I bias my Svets at 46-48 typically. Like Doug said...since you don't have a fixed biased amp, it doesn't matter. If you want early breakup, run your bias hotter. If you want average breakup, run it in the middle. If you want low breakup, run them colder.
I personally like the Svets running around 45-48. Just juices them enough for me personally.
Eric
I personally like the Svets running around 45-48. Just juices them enough for me personally.
Eric
Buckeyedog
Active member
I've got mine around 44 or 45.