Poweramp valve question...

[KH Guitar Freak]

I've got this email from a valve seller on ebay, regarding a possible purchase of a matched quad of Winged Cs...

They are 32mA based on comparing mesa branded 6L6 tubes on my matching system tho this is not the current that the tubes will bias up to when the tubes are installed.

Would that be ok for my Roadster? Of the top of me head, that should be fine. Also, would running them in the EL34 mode actually cause any harm whatsoever???

 

[Restless Rocks]

Running 6L6's in the EL34 bias mode is a BAD idea. Sure they will run hot and sound bolder but you run the risk of red plateing them and damaging your amp. Even if you find a set of tubes that will run under these conditions it will drastically shorten the life of the tubes and place undue stress on your output transformer.

 

[KH Guitar Freak]

Running 6L6's in the EL34 bias mode is a BAD idea. Sure they will run hot and sound bolder but you run the risk of red plateing them and damaging your amp. Even if you find a set of tubes that will run under these conditions it will drastically shorten the life of the tubes and place undue stress on your output transformer.

Cheers. Yeah, cause I was reading somewhere in this forum that people run the EL34 mode with them 6L6s... :shock:

 

[Old BF Shred]

Running 6L6's in the EL34 bias mode is a BAD idea. Sure they will run hot and sound bolder but you run the risk of red plateing them and damaging your amp. Even if you find a set of tubes that will run under these conditions it will drastically shorten the life of the tubes and place undue stress on your output transformer.

Cheers. Yeah, cause I was reading somewhere in this forum that people run the EL34 mode with them 6L6s... :shock:

Well, there is a way.......go to Eurotubes' website for more info.

If you run "spongy" and "tube rectifier", this may lower operating voltages enough to allow this, depending on the range of the tubes.
Mind you, I'm not saying I do it or condone it, just that I have heard it can be done. As I say, it's kinda a "Eurotubes thing".

Good luck!

 

[KH Guitar Freak]

Running 6L6's in the EL34 bias mode is a BAD idea. Sure they will run hot and sound bolder but you run the risk of red plateing them and damaging your amp. Even if you find a set of tubes that will run under these conditions it will drastically shorten the life of the tubes and place undue stress on your output transformer.

Cheers. Yeah, cause I was reading somewhere in this forum that people run the EL34 mode with them 6L6s... :shock:

Well, there is a way.......go to Eurotubes' website for more info.

If you run "spongy" and "tube rectifier", this may lower operating voltages enough to allow this, depending on the range of the tubes.
Mind you, I'm not saying I do it or condone it, just that I have heard it can be done. As I say, it's kinda a "Eurotubes thing".

Good luck!

Well, the rectifier tube setting would marginally reduce the amperage, so it might work. But hell, I use the silicon diode mod e as well, so I'll stick with the 6L6 setting then...

 

[droptrd]

My DR runs at 13mA in 6L6 mode and 21mA in EL34 mode. I had another one that was the same. If yours is like mine, you should no problem what so ever running 6L6's in EL34 mode. I personally like the sound of my amp in the colder setting though. Typically 6L6's are run in the 25-35mA range - other amps, not mesa's

 

[R_ADKINS80]

I run 6L6's as hot as 42mA in EL34 mode on my Triple for a while now. Nothing bad yet.