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I've been unsuccessful finding any threads regarding the sonics of this tube. I keep finding statements that they are in between Tung Sols and GEs .
Anyone here able to offer any better descriptions from experience ?
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Check out Issue #19 of Vacuum Tube Valley. There are shoot-out/reviews of a good many 6550 and KT88 tubes including 1970's vintage Philips/Sylvania.
Joe
Sylvania 6550 in an Ampeg head unit = a little brighter tone than the OEM Tungsol (US made). TS had a midrange to die for --- as big output tubes go.
Thanks for the VTV link...great info.
Anyone else care to share their experience with Sylvania 6550's?
I used them to see what I thought. I thought they were kinda dull sounding compared to the GE 6550A. Just my experience.
jstrm
I have a quad of Sylvania labeled 6550's that are really Gec KT88's.
I'm not positive if there were two Sylvania 6550 variants or not. VTV refers to a Sylvania 6550 in one article in issue #19 and to a 6550A in another. The only samples I have are marked Philips ECG 6550 with an ST shaped bottle that came in Sylvania sleeves. Although not positive, I think they are 1980's production.
As I recall Amperex was a division of Philips in the US although they were also produced in Europe under the Amperex label.
Of all the output tubes I've heard, I would totally agree with you that the original Tung-Sols had the best midrange.
Joe
...The 6550 on your pic is. Chinese? Clues are: thick, washer-like getter holder, TS were noticeably thinner, 2 x rectangular mica spacers at top, TS had 3 x flattened hex, 2 x large rectangular g1 radiator "flags", TS had 1 x "U" shapped radiator. Although not entirely visible, bet the tube in your pic has 4 vertical support rods, TS had 3. There are other differences.
Phillips ECG was known to reelable Chinese 6550s in th late 80s early 90s. The only "real" Sylvania 6550 I'm aware of had a straight sided envelope with a smallish plate structure and sloppy welds. I have no examples so no pics but I believe the VTV article has a decent pic or two.
Not exactly good news but I appreciate your letting me know. When I did a review of the tubes on a blog I occasionally write, I conjectured they were 80's or 90's manufacture and could be of Russian or Chinese origin although I thought more the former than the latter.
Once again, thanks. It's always good to know these things.
Joe
These are what I remember (it's been almost 15 years). Look more like GE than TS coke bottles.
Photo from Tube World site.
This straight bottle type is the one. Note the acid etched label on the glass. I am pretty certain that any ST type was tung sol made but rebranded for Sylvania. There may be some RCA branded Sylvanias running around too.
It is an excellent sounding tube and slightly smaller than GE's. cheers, Dak
The Sylvania labeled 6550's from the sixties had a coke bottle envelope just as the GE's did.
Sorry that is not correct. Sylvania and GE made 6550s from the sixties both had straight sided bottles like the one shown in FenderLover's picture.
However, both Sylvania and GE rebranded Tung Sol 6550s and those all had the "coke bottle" glass.
All great tubes.
Yep, that looks like the GE 6550A that I have. I just checked and I have some that are labelled RCA 6550 from 1978 with the brown base. Wonder who actually made the RCAs?
Joe
If the glass etched tube designation looks like the one in the photo posted by FL then it was made by Sylvania. The GE etching will have a series of dots and the tube number and made in USA. GE glass etching is larger and somewhat indistinct more "frosty" looking. Dak
Guess these are Chinese older production.
Joe
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