6L6s in a VH4S

[mdc]

i am going to change the powertubes on my VH4S and decided to put 6L6s in it. now i'm not really sure if i should go for the JJ 6L6GCs or the TAD 6L6GC-STRs. any suggestions?

 

[mdc]

any opinions? duesentrieb, peter?
i know, there's an other similiar thread. but i'm wondering what you guys think about these two tubes in direct comparison.

 

[ajharris1215]

i am going to change the powertubes on my VH4S and decided to put 6L6s in it. now i'm not really sure if i should go for the JJ 6L6GCs or the TAD 6L6GC-STRs. any suggestions?

the JJ6L6GCs are great for a more aggressive tone. i wouldn't say they sound "metal", but they lean in that direction. the TAD 6L6GC-STRs have a more open sound with a slightly bigger bottom end and more prominent highs than the JJs.

there's also SED Winged "C" 6L6GCs, which are thick and punchy with a very smooth tone. basically a vintage sound. in overall tone goodness, the SEDs win out, but i'm not sure they're right for the VH4.

it depends on what kind of sound you want. both the JJs and the TADs seem to compliment the VH4. the JJs are darker than the TADs. personally, i went with the JJs because i wasn't crazy about the crispy highs the TADs produced.

i'd like to try the JJ KT-66s. if anyone has any input on them i'd love to hear it...

 

[mdc]

i am going to change the powertubes on my VH4S and decided to put 6L6s in it. now i'm not really sure if i should go for the JJ 6L6GCs or the TAD 6L6GC-STRs. any suggestions?

the JJ6L6GCs are great for a more aggressive tone. i wouldn't say they sound "metal", but they lean in that direction. the TAD 6L6GC-STRs have a more open sound with a slightly bigger bottom end and more prominent highs than the JJs.

there's also SED Winged "C" 6L6GCs, which are thick and punchy with a very smooth tone. basically a vintage sound. in overall tone goodness, the SEDs win out, but i'm not sure they're right for the VH4.

it depends on what kind of sound you want. both the JJs and the TADs seem to compliment the VH4. the JJs are darker than the TADs. personally, i went with the JJs because i wasn't crazy about the crispy highs the TADs produced.

i'd like to try the JJ KT-66s. if anyone has any input on them i'd love to hear it...

thanx for your reply! i'm not sure at all, which tubes i should put in my vh4. the sound i'm looking for should go in the direction of bands like ISIS, PELICAN and NEUROSIS. i play my vh4 with jj 6L6s at the moment and i like the sound. but as they're old, i don't know, how new ones would sound.

 

[ajharris1215]

thanx for your reply! i'm not sure at all, which tubes i should put in my vh4. the sound i'm looking for should go in the direction of bands like ISIS, PELICAN and NEUROSIS. i play my vh4 with jj 6L6s at the moment and i like the sound. but as they're old, i don't know, how new ones would sound.

hmm... you have what i've heard referred to as "Neurelicanisis". its a common syndrome these days

but seriously, those are some of my favorite bands. i've played shows with all of them. Neurosis has always used Marshalls (sometimes modified). Isis and Pelican both are using Sunn Model T's, along with other amps (mostly Mesa).

i run my VH4 stack along side a '74 Sunn Model T on a Mesa Powerhouse 1000 bass cabinet. but i go for a different sound than "neurelicanisis" bands. for that tone, besides the Sunn, Orange or Matamp is the way to go. i have an Orange Thunderverb 200 that kills. speakers are also a big factor. vintage 30s combined with g12H-30s are the answer.

for the sound you're aiming for in a VH4, i'd have to recommend the SED Winged "C" 6L6GCs. next on the list would be the TAD 6L6GC-STRs.

of course, these are all just my humble opinions...

 

[mdc]

thanx for your reply! i'm not sure at all, which tubes i should put in my vh4. the sound i'm looking for should go in the direction of bands like ISIS, PELICAN and NEUROSIS. i play my vh4 with jj 6L6s at the moment and i like the sound. but as they're old, i don't know, how new ones would sound.

hmm... you have what i've heard referred to as "Neurelicanisis". its a common syndrome these days

but seriously, those are some of my favorite bands. i've played shows with all of them. Neurosis has always used Marshalls (sometimes modified). Isis and Pelican both are using Sunn Model T's, along with other amps (mostly Mesa).

i run my VH4 stack along side a '74 Sunn Model T on a Mesa Powerhouse 1000 bass cabinet. but i go for a different sound than "neurelicanisis" bands. for that tone, besides the Sunn, Orange or Matamp is the way to go. i have an Orange Thunderverb 200 that kills. speakers are also a big factor. vintage 30s combined with g12H-30s are the answer.

for the sound you're aiming for in a VH4, i'd have to recommend the SED Winged "C" 6L6s. next on the list would be the TAD 6L6GCs.

of course, these are all just my humble opinions...

ok, cool. you really helped me out! as my finances are not those of a billionaire, i can't afford a new amp. beside that, the vh4 is a great amp and i'm not looking for another one. so i'm going to try the SEDs or the TADs. thanx a lot!

 

[ajharris1215]

ok, cool. you really helped me out! as my finances are not those of a billionaire, i can't afford a new amp. beside that, the vh4 is a great amp and i'm not looking for another one. so i'm going to try the SEDs or the TADs. thanx a lot!

sometimes i feel like i live in poverty because every extra dollar i've ever had was spent on gear (especially guitars, amps, cabs, etc.). i need to post some pics someday...

 

[guitarobert]

Just my humble opinion but I'd recommend the TADs instead of the SEDs. For me the SEDs were way too smooth. Lots of bass, but not much definition. The TADs brought a nice unique and mean tone. It was easier for me to dial out the shrill of the TADs than to dial in some definition on the SEDs. If you find it to be too harsh you can substitute the V1 preamp tube with one of those smoother sounding Tung Sol or Mullard reissues. All the rest use Shuguangs. I like the TAD and the Ruby 6L6s over the SEDs.

Just my opinion.

 

[ajharris1215]

Just my humble opinion but I'd recommend the TADs instead of the SEDs. For me the SEDs were way too smooth. Lots of bass, but not much definition. The TADs brought a nice unique and mean tone. It was easier for me to dial out the shrill of the TADs than to dial in some definition on the SEDs. If you find it to be too harsh you can substitute the V1 preamp tube with one of those smoother sounding Tung Sol or Mullard reissues. All the rest use Shuguangs. I like the TAD and the Ruby 6L6s over the SEDs.

Just my opinion.

i appreciated the input you gave on my previous topic regarding an inquiry about 6L6s in a VH4. but didn't you say that you needed an EQ in the loop to dial out the harshness on the 6L6s you tried? i know some tone junkies that consider rack EQs to be the guitar amp equivalent of strict-9.

since that post, i've had the chance to perform a shootout with JJ6L6GCs, TAD6L6GC-STRs, and the SED Winged "C" 6L6GCs. i didn't try the Ruby 6L6GCM-STRs, so i don't know anything about them.

i'm very familiar with the sounds he's striving for, and it is a rather "smooth" sound. also, its usually very loud, which i notice brings out the harshness in certain power tubes. its more about a "wall of tone" than definition or aggression. that's why every band he mentioned is using marshall, sunn, or matamp/orange amps built in the seventies... i still say the SEDs are the way to go.

again, maybe i'm wrong. its just my opinion...

 

[mdc]

i'm very familiar with the sounds he's striving for, and it is a rather "smooth" sound. also, its usually very loud, which i notice brings out the harshness in certain power tubes. its more about a "wall of tone" than definition or aggression.

i think i'm going to order some SEDs, since your description of the sound i'm striving for is a 100% what i want to get! i'll post the result and my opinion as soon as i tested the tubes.

by the way: in which band do you play?

 

[ajharris1215]

i think i'm going to order some SEDs, since your description of the sound i'm striving for is a 100% what i want to get! i'll post the result and my opinion as soon as i tested the tubes.

by the way: in which band do you play?

its called collapsar... the myspace link is in my signature.

i would agree with guitarobert when he says the TADs have more definition than the SEDs. like i said, the TADs and JJs seem to compliment the VH4. but those tubes are aggressive and can be harsh. you're looking for that smooth bass heavy singing drone sound. the SEDs deliver that much better that the TADs or JJs.

if you notice a lack of definition with the SEDs, try boosting the mids or presence. i generally keep my presence low (around 9:00am). when the SEDs were in my amp, i noticed that turning the presence up a bit improved the definition, which sounded pretty good because the SEDs' highs weren't nearly as shrill or harsh as lots of other tubes i've tried, incuding many el34s.

incidentally, if you get the SED 6L6GCs and don't like them, i'll buy them from you (paypal?money order?) and you can try something else. i can always use a spare set for my amps.

good luck...

 

[Peter Diezel]

any opinions? duesentrieb, peter?
i know, there's an other similiar thread. but i'm wondering what you guys think about these two tubes in direct comparison.

Depends on Your taste. For me the 6L6 family is a bit stiff.

 

[mdc]

its called collapsar... the myspace link is in my signature.

cool, i'll check it out!

incidentally, if you get the SED 6L6GCs and don't like them, i'll buy them from you (paypal?money order?) and you can try something else. i can always use a spare set for my amps.

good luck...

that's a deal! i've ordered the tubes today and will post my experience. i'll tell you for sure if the tubes don't match my sound-visions and will sell them to you (we could do it via paypal). but for now i hope that the SEDs are the tubes i'm looking for!

thanx once more for your constructive help!

 

[ajharris1215]

no problem!

 

[guitarobert]

i appreciated the input you gave on my previous topic regarding an inquiry about 6L6s in a VH4. but didn't you say that you needed an EQ in the loop to dial out the harshness on the 6L6s you tried? i know some tone junkies that consider rack EQs to be the guitar amp equivalent of strict-9.

since that post, i've had the chance to perform a shootout with JJ6L6GCs, TAD6L6GC-STRs, and the SED Winged "C" 6L6GCs. i didn't try the Ruby 6L6GCM-STRs, so i don't know anything about them.

i'm very familiar with the sounds he's striving for, and it is a rather "smooth" sound. also, its usually very loud, which i notice brings out the harshness in certain power tubes. its more about a "wall of tone" than definition or aggression. that's why every band he mentioned is using marshall, sunn, or matamp/orange amps built in the seventies... i still say the SEDs are the way to go.

again, maybe i'm wrong. its just my opinion...

Much respect, as you have obviously done your homework and you have a good grasp on the tone he's after! Thanks for the feedback on my post.

 

[mdc]

i should get my SED 6L6GCs soon. now two last (?) - maybe dumb - questions before i'll change the tubes and bias my VH4S:

1.
do the tubes get harmed if i touch them with my hands without using a towel or something similiar? i' m asking this, because i know, that there are light bulbs, which shouldn't be touched by hand.

2.
do i have to plug the amp to the boxes while i bias it or isn't it a problem to run the amp without plug it into the cabinet?

 

[ajharris1215]

1. you can touch them.

2. please plug into a speaker cabinet with matching impedance. never power on any amp without doing this.

 

[mdc]

1. you can touch them.

2. please plug into a speaker cabinet with matching impedance. never power on any amp without doing this.

thanx a lot! i soon have to name you my "personal consultant"

 

[mdc]

i've installed the SED 6L6GCs winged "C" in my VH4S and i definitely leave them in the amp. the sound is really amazing - exactly what i was looking for. far more smooth than the JJs.

but unfortunately i could not bias them
the digital multimeter did not display any current. all i got, was 0.00. i did all exactly in the way as the instructions say. i even tried two differen DMM and it didn't work. what am i doing wrong?

here's the DMM ad the setting i've used:

 

[sean106ESP]

any opinions? duesentrieb, peter?
i know, there's an other similiar thread. but i'm wondering what you guys think about these two tubes in direct comparison.

Depends on Your taste. For me the 6L6 family is a bit stiff.

yeah I agree with that one. I got mine and swapped them out for Ruby BSTRS El34's and ahd it biased. Kicks maximum arse