Dennis Had Inspire Amps

[FloridaBoy]

Originally Posted by BearCityUSA

My RCA manual informed me as such. It also began the thought based on that the 7027 was listed as similar to the 6550. I guess similar is not meant to imply pin out and output.

On another note I was browsing the Sophia site recently and saw the blue glass 274b. Interesting comment regarding size of cap following it in relation to the other Sophia 274Bs. I have seen my mesh plate throw a star (spark) when I have turned it on in a pitch black room. Pretty but I am sure not the best for it. I wonder it is has something to do charging said cap which I figure is likely a higher value. I recall the limit of the mesh plate's follower cap being somewhat small. Of course this is all I have done,... wonder. I figure after a couple years in the rect socket I have gotten my money's worth, not that I do not want it to last forever. Love that tube. BTW this is in my lp-2 modified to lp-3a pre.

I'd ask Dennis about the cap. Sophia sources tubes from TJ/Full Music.

[BearCityUSA]

Originally Posted by FloridaBoy

I'd ask Dennis about the cap. Sophia sources tubes from TJ/Full Music.

I was looking at my LP- Pre and KT Amp and see that in it Dennis used a Common Choke Filter which, as I read more on the Sophia site, is not cause for alarm when using the mesh plate 274B. Sorry for bringing up a non issue. Sometimes it helps to finish an investigation before opening the feeding hole.

[FloridaBoy]

There are some 'super' 274's that draw 3 amps. Never hurts to be safe or ask.
I really like the mesh 274's too.

[Musica Amantem]

After consistent tube-rolling for the past few months, I've come to the following conclusions for my Triode-configured Inspire HO KT-88 amp and Inspire LP-27a preamp:

1. The balloon-type 56 tube beats any 27 tube in the preamp for the types of output tubes I prefer

2. There are three preferred rectifiers, depending on the output tube at hand: Sophia Electric mesh plate 274B, for 6V6 / 6L6 / KT-66 and KT-77 families; Westinghouse-labeled Amperex Holland 5AR4 for 6550 / KT-88 family; and Brimar 5Z4 for any output tube.

3. Preferred Input tubes: Psvane CV-181 T-II, Super Radiotron 6SN7 GTA, Shuguang CV-181 T, Sylvania Chrome Dome 6SN7 GTB and RCA VT-231. I've found the first of these works almost with any output tube, bringing the ideal combination of detail, transparency and 3D-imaging, but the next ones on this list are also quite competitive.

4. Output tubes in order of preference: Gold Lion KT-77, Shuguang KT-66z and 6P3S-E (in a tie), Valve Art 6550, Gold Lion KT-88, and the rest.

I'll soon be trying the RED High MOD Filter at 100 Hz adapters to relieve the amp from toughest under 100 Hz frequency loads while channeling those low frequencies exclusively through my Velodyne SUB.

I continue to study the Gold Lion KT-88 and Valve Art 350B to find their sweet input tube spots, as I believe these tubes have great potential.

As it is, I've never heard my system sound any better!

[BearCityUSA]

MA,

You are an analytical machine. Cool on ya. I am currently running a Quad of RCA 6k6gts in my PSE with a Zenith 6sn7gt, bottom getter, 2+5 hole driver. I see it as my stubby configuration. Still breaking in one pair of the 6k6s but it does sound sweet and crunchy.

[Musica Amantem]

Originally Posted by BearCityUSA

MA,

You are an analytical machine. Cool on ya. I am currently running a Quad of RCA 6k6gts in my PSE with a Zenith 6sn7gt, bottom getter, 2+5 hole driver. I see it as my stubby configuration. Still breaking in one pair of the 6k6s but it does sound sweet and crunchy.

Guilty!

I'm not familiar with the 6K6 tube family. I'll Google these to find out more about them. Any specific reasons for your choice? It never ceases to amaze me the wide range of output, input and rectifier tubes one can make sound good in these music machines.

Edit: Data sheets for the 6K6 GT show a max plate current slightly lower (33 A) than that of the 6V6 GT (36 A), so I guess these can be interchanged in most cases with a slight loss in output power relative to the 6V6. In my system, though, 6V6's already sound anemic and the amp starts to become magical with the 6L6 (44 A) and larger tubes (up to around 80 A) ... This of course in a Triode SE configuration.

[BearCityUSA]

The 6k6s were something I learned of here on this thread. It was a while back so not sure who it was. I had a pair I got a while back for my KT which I did not give enough of a listen to at the time. I have since rolled them in my KT to some enjoyment and just today received a second pair so I could try them in my PSE. I cannot say they are my favorite but I do like them. My current favorite, Like you is the GL KT-77. My favorites do change though. When I was a kid my favorite color was red. Now it is not.

[FloridaBoy]

Originally Posted by BearCityUSA

The 6k6s were something I learned of here on this thread. It was a while back so not sure who it was. I had a pair I got a while back for my KT which I did not give enough of a listen to at the time. I have since rolled them in my KT to some enjoyment and just today received a second pair so I could try them in my PSE. I cannot say they are my favorite but I do like them. My current favorite, Like you is the GL KT-77. My favorites do change though. When I was a kid my favorite color was red. Now it is not.

I have 6K6's too and run them with a 5W4GT rectifier. They sound BIG for a small tube.

[FloridaBoy]

Originally Posted by BearCityUSA

MA,

You are an analytical machine. Cool on ya. I am currently running a Quad of RCA 6k6gts in my PSE with a Zenith 6sn7gt, bottom getter, 2+5 hole driver. I see it as my stubby configuration. Still breaking in one pair of the 6k6s but it does sound sweet and crunchy.

Which rectifier are you using with the 6K6's?

MA is an analytical machine!

[Bombadil]

The 6K6 is a fairly low wattage power tube. In a single ended application, it would probably produce about 4 watts. You can push them higher if you run them at higher voltages than spec'ed, but that would shorten their life. I would be concerned that they would be running pretty hot in an Inspire amp as I suspect Dennis runs more plate voltage to the output tubes than the 6K6 max spec of 315V.