Anybody running Sovtek 5881WXT's(or any 6L6) hot?

[rockon1]

I know I'd rather run them cooler but its as low as I can get them-70% Running 450v and 45ma per tube -yeah its hot. Just wondering if anybody else has run them that hot and how they held up? Thanks Bob

[slider313]

I had some JJ 6L6GC's running 42ma@445v without a problem for over a year.

[rockon1]

Im not real comfortable running so hot but for now I suppose the worst is that they will die sooner. Planning on getting some =C='s for it anyways.
70% isnt my target for biasing. Gernerally the cooler the better while still sounding good. Also it seems that a lot of guys calculate them as 25 watt tubes while biasing but Im not sure why. That obviously brings the "target" bias number lower. Bob

[slider313]

I usually like most 6L6's in the 34-36ma range but the JJ's and SED's seem to sound better in the 40-42ma range.

[RedRock]

What do you mean when you say "it's as low as I can get them"?
Will your bias pot supply any more voltage to get the tubes to run at
a lower level?

I usually bias them at 50% and adjust by ear from there.
There is a large bracket of ma draw within which the tubes will
reasonably operate.

[rockon1]

What do you mean when you say "it's as low as I can get them"?
Will your bias pot supply any more voltage to get the tubes to run at
a lower level?

I usually bias them at 50% and adjust by ear from there.
There is a large bracket of ma draw within which the tubes will
reasonably operate.


The amp is meant to take EL34's. The lowest I can get any set of 6L6's I have is 45ma. Im not ready/willing to change the bias resistor yet.It seems crazy high but is 70% on paper. Ive said before that I dont have any favorite type of power tube but I think I was mistaken. I seem to prefer 6L6's over EL34's -at least in the EL34 amps I now own. Bob

[davemccarthy707]

They can take it. They were built for russian military use. Heck they are dirt cheap anyways. Just buy a bunch of 6p3s-e off ebay.