Whats the story on the 6ca7-ge tubes...

[robertray]

I`m running =c= 6l6`s... love them, but feel I`m missing some of the growl and grunt of el34`s. So... in go some =c= el34`s. Theres the upper mids I was missing... but I lost some low end and sparkle. I find myself dialing in more highs and taking out more bass (cause its flubby) and not very pleased overall with the tone. Thought about combining (el`s on inner sockets) but havent tried it yet. From all my searching of old threads here on the boards, the groove tube 6ca7-ge tube keeps coming up as the best of both worlds. Does the hype justify the price? Has anyone tried the JJ 6ca7 (much, much cheaper)? NOS GE`s are crazy expensive! Can someone please elaborate. Thanks.

 

[lockbody]

6ca7 is just the American name for an EL-34 tube. The KT-77 is what I think you'd want. It's kind of a hybrid between a 6L6 and the EL-34.

 

[stephen sawall]

I have the GE 6CA7's in my Tremoverb .... Mesa told me these are the best tubes you could put in the Tremoverb more than once on the phone with different people. .... and they sound great in my Mark IV with 6L6 in the middle slots.

They very much do get the EL34 crunch & bottom bass of 6L6.... but tighter. They are not the same as EL34 but they are similar / Just like the KT77 are similar. I have not tried the JJ 6CA7. I have a set of JJ KT77 here as well as several sets of NOS Mesa 6L6 & EL34 & 5881 from the 80's & 90's. I also have a quad of NOS Sylvania 6CA7 that are very similar to the GE 6CA7.

I much prefer the GE & Sylvania 6CA7 .... but when these die I will not be paying the price they go for now.

 

[Chester]

I have the GE 6CA7's in my Tremoverb .... Mesa told me these are the best tubes you could put in the Tremoverb more than once on the phone with different people. .... and they sound great in my Mark IV with 6L6 in the middle slots.

They very much do get the EL34 crunch & bottom bass of 6L6.... but tighter. They are not the same as EL34 but they are similar / Just like the KT77 are similar. I have not tried the JJ 6CA7. I have a set of JJ KT77 here as well as several sets of NOS Mesa 6L6 & EL34 & 5881 from the 80's & 90's. I also have a quad of NOS Sylvania 6CA7 that are very similar to the GE 6CA7.

I much prefer the GE & Sylvania 6CA7 .... but when these die I will not be paying the price they go for now.

Interesting ... so now to the dumb question. What bias select would you use on a V? 6L6 or 34 if you ran these?

 

[stephen sawall]

EL34, KT77 & 6CA7 are all in the same family ... bias range.

 

[robertray]

Cool, Thanks fellas. Might give the KT77`s a shot. I gave the mixing a shot - el centers, 6l6 outs. Seemed to me like the 6l6`s were way more prominent when mixed. Didnt sound much different from running all 6l6`s.

 

[Zakkmylde]

I have same question, which bias range to set it on markV using kt77's? Until I read on eurotubes that it states kt77 are more closely matched to 6l6 in impedance. So waiting for an answer my self for eurotubes what I should set my markV to on bias switch?

 

[Zakkmylde]

Got a response (eurotubes) and basically yes it's the 34 setting. He said kt77 run hotter so a cooler grade is probably needed other wise it will burn out fast. Since I have no idea what grade it is because I got them from thetubestore.com I can't really tell. As for grade I assume bias reading they are set for? On the tube it reads 39.

 

[robertray]

yeah,its basically a drop-in replacement for an el34. 39 is your bias point which is somewhere in the middle for average distortion/break-up. How do the kt77`s sound? I almost bought a quad of Gold Lions, but ended up holding off for now. What brand did you get?

 

[Zakkmylde]

I got JJ KT-77's. I swapped them out for my stock 6l6's. difference mainly is little less bottoms the 6l6's and more in your face tone. I love both but trying to get a Alice in chains tone and I know Jerry uses el34's. Struggling till yet to dial in tones on this amp, I'm new to boogie and need a chains tone ASAP before my first gig

 

[stephen sawall]

I would ask Mesa direct for advise...... You might find it very different than the tube vendors.

 

[Zakkmylde]

I did talk with mesa. They really advised me not to use other tubes. Warranty void. Tubestore said its ok, within range so I'm ok I guess.

 

[robertray]

Cool, thanks Zakk for the heads-up on the kt77. I think I`ll stick with the 6l6`s for now. I like the lowend of the 6l6`s. May save up for a quad of nos sylvania 6ca7`s. Supposedly the holy grail tube. We`ll see. I trust you`ve tried el34`s searching for the AIC tone?