Hey Aeroic - Tell Me About 6550s

[Zaphod B]

I'm a little confused about the 6550 variations.

At the MF web site, the Tungsol 6550s have options for a hard/blue, soft/red, and medium/green.

Same for the Svetlanas.

Then amongst the other brands there are 6550As and 6550Cs, and at other tube retailers the Sovtek is referred to as a 6550WE.

Help!

 

[aeroic]

I'm a little confused about the 6550 variations.

At the MF web site, the Tungsol 6550s have options for a hard/blue, soft/red, and medium/green.

Same for the Svetlanas.

Then amongst the other brands there are 6550As and 6550Cs, and at other tube retailers the Sovtek is referred to as a 6550WE.

Help!

So...the SVETLANA 6550's I personally use are the 6550C's. The 6550WE's are the winged edition of the 6550s. I'd personally recommend 6550C's honestly.

The hard / soft / medium ratings are the ratings of the tubes themselves. Most people need those because they have a fixed biased amp. With the Mod series, you can bias the tubes as you need based on your ears and such since you have that option.

I'd recommend you get your tubes from either thetubestore.com or dougstubes.com.

Eric

 

[richedie]

Zaphode, which amp do you have? Eric, wasn't it the Tung Sols you suggested for the Mod 50?

 

[aeroic]

Zaphode, which amp do you have? eric, wasn't it the Tung Sols you suggested for the Mod 50?

Yes....I recommend the Mod50 to use Tung Sol 6550s. RT2/50s (which is what Zaphod has) I recommend the Svetlana 6550C's. The TS 6550s won't fit in the RT2/50, since the glass bows out in the middle.

Eric

 

[Zaphod B]

Thanks, Eric. I appreciate the help.

 

[eddiespaghetty]

Hi,

one more question, please: When you talk about Svetlana - do you mean the SEDs (which supposed to be the original Svetlanas) or do you mean the newer (rebuilt) "Svetlanas"?

Cheers
ed

 

[RockManiac]

Hi Ed, the Svetlanas referred to here are not the winged C (SED).

By the way Eric, the TungSol 6550s fit in the RT2/50, I've tried them i my amp. They are a little warmer than the Svetlanas, as you mentioned. I like both of them very much.

 

[aeroic]

Hi Ed, the Svetlanas referred to here are not the winged C (SED).

By the way Eric, the TungSol 6550s fit in the RT2/50, I've tried them i my amp. They are a little warmer than the Svetlanas, as you mentioned. I like both of them very much.

Sweet on the TS6550s I was always worried that the tubes could move slightly and hit the sides of the RT2/50, which is why I never tried them, and use the Svetlana 6550s instead.

Both Svetlana (not SED) and TS 6550s are awesome! Love them both.

Eric

 

[Zaphod B]

Just thought I'd let y'all know - I obtained some gently used Svetlana 6550s (thanks, Dog!) and they really do help out the tone of the VX and SL2X. Just to confirm what Eric said, they have a bit more of midrange forwardness, a less harsh and fuller overall sound and really help the tone of both those modules.

I think the 6L6 tubes (which I still have in Ch1 of the RT2/50) are better sounding for the DLX/DLX module.

The COD is still making me kind of crazy. I don't like the overall tone compared with the other modules but it dials in some tones that are instantly recognizable and unique. It is a difficult child regardless of the power tube, it seems.

 

[aeroic]

Just thought I'd let y'all know - I obtained some gently used Svetlana 6550s (thanks, Dog!) and they really do help out the tone of the VX and SL2X. Just to confirm what Eric said, they have a bit more of midrange forwardness, a less harsh and fuller overall sound and really help the tone of both those modules.

I think the 6L6 tubes (which I still have in Ch1 of the RT2/50) are better sounding for the DLX/DLX module.

The COD is still making me kind of crazy. I don't like the overall tone compared with the other modules but it dials in some tones that are instantly recognizable and unique. It is a difficult child regardless of the power tube, it seems.

Glad you are liking them!!!! Pick up a set of TS6550s sometime, and I think you'll like them a lot too!

The DLX does sound great w/ the NOS JP 6L6's I have. When recording, I'd definitely use those for my DLX, Twin type of tones.

On the COD, you really need to experiment w/ 12ax7 tubes in V1...and really go wild with the EQ. I love the JP 5751 in both V1/V2 of the COD. Try running the mids all the way up, and treble nearly all the way down, for a cool J Bonamassa / Eric Johnson type of tone. Definitely a module that needs to be experimented with ... definitely with your ears...not your eyes...on the knobs!

Eric

 

[Zaphod B]

Eric, you know what's funny?

Last night after posting my previous post I fired up the rig determined to get something out of that COD.

Since it has such a middley, thin sound I had been cutting the mids and trying to compensate with bass and treble and that just wasn't getting it.

Then I thought, what the hell, and ran the mids full up, treble down a good ways, and it just opened that module up like a dream. The mid control on the COD seems to be more like a hi-bass/lo mid control.

Then this morning I checked the BBS and here is your post recommending exactly the same.