Tubes Asylum

6680 vs 12AU7 vs .....

104.51.48.151

f1jim@yahoo.com

I'd love to hear recent experiences using the 6680 tube as a substitute for the 12AU7, 5814, 5963, or 6189. There seems to be a quantity of these tubes still in the pipeline. I tend to see GE, Motorola, Sylvania, and Tung Sol out there.
Any positive or negative experiences with this "mobile" version?
f1jim

Edits: 01/16/16

Follow Ups:

I had some 5814 NOS Mullards - Drew769 05:04:31 01/31/16 (0)
I didn't love them in my Rogue Pereus. They kind of sucked the life out if it. It has NOS RCA Blackplates in there now, which I like a lot for their balance of smoothness, punch and detail, without being at all harsh. The Mullards were pretty cheap, though, at $50 a pop, and they were UK Blackburn- made ones. Many love them.
RE: 6680 vs 12AU7 vs ..... - tvr2500m 21:57:55 01/19/16 (0)
Answer is covered well here. Same for the 6681. Their special rating designation has nothing to do with noise spec, of course. But, give 'em a try to see how you might like the 6680. My experience is that they don't sound or otherwise perform better than their ordinary-rated kin. Without a double check, I have RCAs (all clear tops), Sylvanias (all later construction types), GEs (also later construction style), and Tung Sols. All from the '60s, nothing from the '50s (at least I don't recall any types this early), and nothing later than the early-'70s.
RE: 6680 vs 12AU7 vs ..... - Caucasian Blackplate 10:08:55 01/17/16 (0)
A 6680 is just a 12AU7 under a different name. Looking at available 6680's online, there are at least a dozen different 6680 constructions available that are garden variety 12AU7's.

The datasheets say that the 6680 is a 12AU7 for mobile communications, which means that the heater voltage tolerance is widened a bit.
RE: 6680 vs 12AU7 vs ..... - FenderLover 19:02:01 01/16/16 (0)
Never heard the 6680. But, I did buy several 6681, a 12AX7 derivative which was mobile rated. Ironically, 3 out of the 5 were microphonic. Prolly bought a bad bunch.

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