Describe how a 6550 Sounds

[Doubleneck]

Just like the title says.
How does a 6550 sound compared to a E34LS, EL-34 or 5881. Tighter bass, More mids less mids, More treble less treble?
Do you need to buy the retainer springs or do they just fit in the existing clips that come with the amp?

 

[muudrock]

Paging Eric, Paging Eric.....

I find them very "Hi-Fi" sounding compared to an EL34 and 6L6 tube. More headroom and with cleaner, tighter highs and lows. Mids seem neutral to the source and not colored like an EL34. IMO, they are the most neutral sounding power tube.
I think they sound great on the Marshall-based modules.
I had to remove the tube retainers when I had them in the Mod 100. The base is too big.

 

[Roddy]

They also have lots of clean headroom, if you want that...muudrock's description is right on the $$

 

[fuzzyguitars]

i find the svet 6550 to sound like a giant 6l6 without low end smear when driven, flatter mids, and extended but smoother highs.

i am wanting to try some kt88s again. i remember when i had em in an vht ultra lead.

sounded like god, but gave me a headache after 20 minutes!

 

[Doubleneck]

Thanks for the description guys, I think this time I'm gonna try (2) to see if I like em in the MOD100. Everytime I try another tube I always seem to go back to the GT-E34L's

 

[Doubleneck]

Paging Eric, Paging Eric.....

I find them very "Hi-Fi" sounding compared to an EL34 and 6L6 tube. More headroom and with cleaner, tighter highs and lows. Mids seem neutral to the source and not colored like an EL34. IMO, they are the most neutral sounding power tube.
I think they sound great on the Marshall-based modules.
I had to remove the tube retainers when I had them in the Mod 100. The base is too big.[/quote

Thanks Scott, great description

 

[muudrock]

Paging Eric, Paging Eric.....

I find them very "Hi-Fi" sounding compared to an EL34 and 6L6 tube. More headroom and with cleaner, tighter highs and lows. Mids seem neutral to the source and not colored like an EL34. IMO, they are the most neutral sounding power tube.
I think they sound great on the Marshall-based modules.
I had to remove the tube retainers when I had them in the Mod 100. The base is too big.[/quote

Thanks Scott, great description

Anytime!

FWIW, I always go back to the GT E34Ls in the Mod 100 too. They just get it done in that head.

 

[jmgman69]

Paging Eric, Paging Eric.....

I find them very "Hi-Fi" sounding compared to an EL34 and 6L6 tube. More headroom and with cleaner, tighter highs and lows. Mids seem neutral to the source and not colored like an EL34. IMO, they are the most neutral sounding power tube.
I think they sound great on the Marshall-based modules.
I had to remove the tube retainers when I had them in the Mod 100. The base is too big.[/quote

Thanks Scott, great description

Anytime!

FWIW, I always go back to the GT E34Ls in the Mod 100 too. They just get it done in that head.

I love both,6550s in the middle and the GTE34Ls on the outside

 

[aeroic]

Paging Eric, Paging Eric.....

I find them very "Hi-Fi" sounding compared to an EL34 and 6L6 tube. More headroom and with cleaner, tighter highs and lows. Mids seem neutral to the source and not colored like an EL34. IMO, they are the most neutral sounding power tube.
I think they sound great on the Marshall-based modules.
I had to remove the tube retainers when I had them in the Mod 100. The base is too big.[/quote

Thanks Scott, great description

Anytime!

FWIW, I always go back to the GT E34Ls in the Mod 100 too. They just get it done in that head.

I would agree to the most part with Scott here. BUT...one thing you must do w/ 6550s...is push them a bit higher on your mV usage. The sweet spot for most Svetlana 6550s is about 47-48...about 70% for that particular tube. They are super punchy on the low end, and are big and round like a 6L6 but without the scooped mids of a 6L6. I personally think they are a mixture of a E34L's mid-range...with extended highs and lows...and higher headroom.

So..I did a lot of tests in my Mod50 yesterday...Sovtek 5881s, Tung Sol 5881s, Svetlana 6550s, and GTE34L's.

The GTE34L's have this throatiness to them that is killer...best sound EL34 type tube I've ever played. Probably one of my favorite non-6550 tubes. The Sovtek 5881s I actually liked better than the Tung Sol 5881s for the COD, Twin and such. For Marshall stuff the Tung Sol 5881s did a bit better, as they have that more mushy / compressed / warm mid-range that the Sovteks don't have. But...I've found I personally really don't like the TS 5881s much anymore..as they are just a bit too "congested" for me. Love the EG5 for example MUCH MORE w/ 6550s. So...for 5881s...Jeff / Bruce have a great tube w/ the Sovtek 5881. Only complaint I had w/ it was it doesn't have the sparkle on the top end that I'm used to vs the 6550s.

The GTE34L is a killer tube....I like it more than the TS5881 personally. I will definitely keep 1-2 sets of them around. I'm gonna try out a couple more sets of 6L6's (Svetlana and JP NOS ones) to see how those compare to the Sovteks. I thought...what the hell..why not get a couple more JP NOS tubes since that 5751 is so damn killer!!! I wonder if there is a new production 5751 tube that is close to the JP's that the Eggie boys could use in the BMAN / VX / Twin / DLX / COD as that's by far my tube of choice in V1 those. I know Sovtek makes one. I personally think the JP5751 adds tons of mojo in those for sure!

So...I then went back to the 6550s...and accidentally put them a bit too low (about 41) and hated em. stiff..."hifi"...etc. I was like WTF...went back to the TS5881s....and GTE34L's..and loved that more...I was like..this ain't right...so I checked it the bias...and noticed it was off...put them at about 47-48...and bam...the life came back. So...moral of the story...is that 6550s need to be juiced a bit more to really start getting that warm buttery mid-range. They sounded like Sovtek 5881 w/ tighter low end...juicer / thicker mids...and an extended top end that makes the clean channels adore you!

So...moral of the story...6550s can get warm and juicy similar to a E34L...but won't have that "throatiness" of a E34L though. But...if you have a Mod100...you'd be well served to do 2 6550s and 2 E34L's. You'll love the tone!

I personally will probably stay with just 4 6550s...ahahaha I'm just a lil "bitch" like that

 

[Telefied]

Eric I was a deciple of the TS 5881 for a year then tried the Groove Tubes you speak of (GT E34L) and I can't switch back to the 5881 TS haha. I have the Svet 6550 and felt the "hi fi" stiffness and gave up. That was a year ago soooo I am gonna dust them off and try your bias suggestions. Man I love this amp

 

[jlbaxe]

I have a set of JJ E34L's in my RMod100 and luv it. I wouldn't ship them in the mail when I had it modded because I was worried the may get broke, so I sent some 6L6's. I have JJE34L/JJ6L6 combo in it but I think I'm going to pull the 6L6's out. I might run a quad of Svet 6550's in it and use the E34L's in the RT2/50.

I would say my choice is Svet 6550's then JJ E34L's and you have to have 6L6's and a set of Yellow jackets w/el84s. I find that depending on my mood/playing/feel I like switching tubes around for different modules. RT2/50

 

[aeroic]

Eric I was a deciple of the TS 5881 for a year then tried the Groove Tubes you speak of (GT E34L) and I can't switch back to the 5881 TS haha. I have the Svet 6550 and felt the "hi fi" stiffness and gave up. That was a year ago soooo I am gonna dust them off and try your bias suggestions. Man I love this amp

Give it a try....hell it's only gonna take like 5 minutes to try it out!

YMMV though...I do really dig the E34L's and 6550s

Eric

 

[jmgman69]

Eric I was a deciple of the TS 5881 for a year then tried the Groove Tubes you speak of (GT E34L) and I can't switch back to the 5881 TS haha. I have the Svet 6550 and felt the "hi fi" stiffness and gave up. That was a year ago soooo I am gonna dust them off and try your bias suggestions. Man I love this amp

Give it a try....hell it's only gonna take like 5 minutes to try it out!

YMMV though...I do really dig the E34L's and 6550s

Eric

Weapons of choice!! Great combo in the RT and Mod100

 

[Doubleneck]

I'm gonna try the 6550 / GTE34L combo and go with Eric's bias recomendation.
Thanks for the all the advice.

 

[aeroic]

I'm gonna try the 6550 / GTE34L combo and go with Eric's bias recomendation.
Thanks for the all the advice.

For those that don't like the 6550 by itself...the GTE34L / 6550 combo is pretty f-in brutal..and EXTREMELY versatile!

Eric

 

[jmgman69]

I'm gonna try the 6550 / GTE34L combo and go with Eric's bias recomendation.
Thanks for the all the advice.

For those that don't like the 6550 by itself...the GTE34L / 6550 combo is pretty f-in brutal..and EXTREMELY versatile!

Eric

BRUTAL

 

[swimrunner]

Eric, would you say that KT88's are 6550's with "more" of the stiff / hifi-ness?

 

[aeroic]

Eric, would you say that KT88's are 6550's with "more" of the stiff / hifi-ness?

No I wouldn't say that. Well..maybe...I didn't like the mid-range of a KT88...it was dry...a bit scooped...and kinda harsh and grainy. Wasn't my personal pleasure!

 

[Roddy]

Is the GTE34L a JJE34L tube???

 

[Doubleneck]

Is the GTE34L a JJE34L tube???

The GTE34L is modified version of the stock JJ. They add these heat sink wings to the tube which stabilizes the operation of the tube at higher power levels. I have both and like the GT much better than the JJ's.
I found this on Groove Tubes website.