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The 6y6 is a very similar tube to the 6v6. Pinout is the same but the it operates at lower voltages and it does have about the same output. Yet in audio the 6v6 is well known and loved while the 6y6 is relegated to the dusty boxes in the back of the closet. I just wondered if anyone can explain why the 6y6g is not as accepted in audio amplifiers. cheers, Dak
Follow Ups:
Efficiency is the main reason 6V6 was used so much - less heater power, less screen current, so it replaced most of the earlier tubes used at the 3-15W output level. It meant that manufacturers could use a smaller transformer for lowest overall cost, and less heat is always good. The 6BQ5 came later and could do a little more power for a little less money, and the extra heater power was worth it.
The 6Y6 needs more heater power because it needs more electron emission for higher current at lower plate voltage. It CAN run at higher plate voltage, but would need the screen voltage to be limited - 150V or 200V max, depending on version. In the old days, lower voltage, higher current meant lower efficiency, since the tube rectifier would drop more voltage at a higher current, and the rectifier drop was a greater percentage of the output voltage. The 6Y6 made an excellent regulator pass tube and TV vertical output due to its low voltage drop, but there's not much demand for those any more. Acrosound published an ultralinear circuit for 6Y6, made an output transformer for it, but was never popular due to the different output and power transformers required - transformer would be about 3K center-tapped.
Hi TB, thanx for the historical perspective. Even though there are limitations and drawbacks for the 6Y6 are there any attributes that would make this tube more useful for today's DIY'er? Besides its give away price? Right now I am mostly interested in using it as a driver tube. cheers. dak
"...are there any attributes that would make this tube more useful for today's DIY'er? Besides its give away price?"
It's only advantageous for replacement as original equipment. Fender used them years ago. I wouldn't consider building new gear around this tube when the 6V6 and 12V6 are so plentiful.
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Buy Chinese. Bury freedom.
But, the original brown/blackface era Reverb Unit used a 6K6GT is a single-ended setup.
Need to investigate. I kinda remember an amp bundled with a lap pedal guitar, that used a 6Y6.
Thanks for that, I WAS thinking of the 6K6 regarding Fender. No idea if they ever used the 6Y6. Sorry!
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Buy Chinese. Bury freedom.
Yeah, I saw that in the tube specs, but, I am mostly interested in the sound quality of 6y6g vs. 6v6g. More specifically, I was thinking about its use as a driver tube. Other than the heater draw, are there other drawbacks are problematic? Thank you for the link, cheers, Dak
I recently built a 6Y6GT amp with Eli's help. It sounds amazingly good, much like the 6V6 equivalent El Cheapo, which uses 6AQ5s. There is a little more bass output, and the rest of the sound is detailed and balanced.I agree that a main difference is the heavy heater draw. These tubes, however, are also quite bright when lit up, if that has any value to you. Otherwise the sound is a lot like the 6V6. In my case, I found NOS 6Y6GT at a surplus shop for $2.50 and on eBay for not much more. Fixed bias allows adjustment for matching DC current.
Here are the threads surrounding that amp design:
http://db.audioasylum.com/mhtml/m.html?forum=tubediy&n=239013 (design)
http://db.audioasylum.com/mhtml/m.html?forum=tubediy&n=240029 (updated schematics)
Edits: 11/05/15
Oops. Edited in original post. Should work okay now.
Hi, thank you for the link, but it doesn't seem to be working. is that on my end? cheers, dak
Try it again. Edited in original post.
While at a glance it looks similar in terms of dissipation, the 6Y6GT is REALLY different versus the 6V6. Besides heater draw (1.25A vs 0.45A of the 6V6), transconductance, load resistance, and more... The tube was purposed for radios and stereos. The heater draw is the killer here - 1.25A at 6.3v is horribly inefficient. Heating the 6Y6 draws as much power as the efficient audio output you'll get out of it, and that's STILL with 10% THD.
Just doesn't seem worth it...
If you check the link below, some have already discussed the matter in a bit of detail. Some interesting insight in there...
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May your tubes be lively, warm, and long-lasting. Holy be thy heater.
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