5881 vs. 6L6

[Leopold]

This is a question for all of you electronics/guitar amp walking encyclopedias. My amp has 5881 power tubes, i've heard that these are interchangeable with 6L6s (after biasing). How do these tubes characteristics differ i.e. tone and power output?
Info and opinions as to which type you like more and why ?


Thanks everyone,
Leo

[nacho459]

Good question, I don't really know the answer but I think the 5881s are "industrial" 6L6s.

6l6, 5881, 7027, KT88, EL34, KT66, etc, are all somewhat interchangeable depending on the pinout and power supply/transformer.

[eh91311]

Tesla/JJ or Winged C 6L6's are a good choice. I'd stay away from Shuguang, Ruby, Sovtek, E-H or Svetlana power tubes.

Check some 6L6 tube reviews here:
http://thetubestore.com/6l6review.html

[Coco]

As far as I know 5881 is the European designation number for a 6L6. kind of like ECC83 is the same as 12AX7, ECC81 is a 12AT7 ect. Hope that helps.

[New Orleans Steve]

I'm no amp expert, but I just tubed up a Boogie 50/50 power gtr. amp. The story I got from the Boogie dealer is that they are fully interchangable. The 5881 was LOWER Output and less distorted, described as "Sweeter" sound.

Steve

[Scodiddly]

The 5881 is just the "industrial" number for the 6L6. But these days, it really doesn't matter. Pretty much all the "6L6" tubes you'll see these days are essentially the 6L6-GC, which are good up to ~500vdc and maybe 50 watts per push-pull pair.

I think the European version of the 6L6 is really the KT-66, although that tube might be a bit heavier duty than the usual American 6L6-GC.

The specs for the original 6L6 are rather disappointing... it's been around for a long time, and has been upgraded at least twice.

[Wild Bill]

Tesla/JJ or Winged C 6L6's are a good choice. I'd stay away from Shuguang, Ruby, Sovtek, E-H or Svetlana power tubes.

Check some 6L6 tube reviews here:
http://thetubestore.com/6l6review.html

The Svetlana 6L6's are amongst the best 6L6 in present production. Mine will absolutely cream Tesla 6L6's. Tesla does make great EL( X4) series tubes, I got mine from "The Tube Store" whose review you quoted. They do need to be biased hotter to get them so that the harmonics are full.

[eh91311]

Wild Bill, I haven't tried the "new" Svetlanas, but I have a few amps with ARS/JJ EL34's and 6L6's, they're good tubes. I have a Marshall Artist 50w with Winged C EL34's which sound good, powerful and tight. Winged C (SED) are the "old" Svetlana tubes, some other company recently bought the name for tubes made at another Russian factory.

Sovtek power tubes stink.

[AWright418]

Yes, the 5881 and 6L6GC are equivalent. The above post that stated that new 6L6's have a 500V max plate voltage is correct. This is the only important factor. Original 5881's have a maximum plate voltage of only 400V, so 500V is certainly adaquate. The only place you would run into trouble is with a true 6L6(no GC) These have a max plate voltage of 360V. As far as I know... no one actually makes a new 5881. New Sovtek 5881's are actually closer to 6L6GC's.

Just for info... the holy grail of old 5881's are Tung-Sol's. They were used in military bombers, and are tough as nails. They sound excellent too. VERY EXPENSIVE.

Also, the 5881 is the industrial number for the 6L6GB.

I really like the Electro-Harmonix 6L6GC's. They sound sweet. I've done my own test with these against a set of Tung Sol's and couldn't hear a noticeable difference.

Hope this helps.

www.wrightamp.com

[thenumber]

ive only switched tubes in my amp once. a fender hot rod deville 2x12. thing sounded like total ass untill i put all EH 12ax7s and 6L6s in it. it actually sounded like a god damn guitar amp. ive never used any other tube, but the EH ones were rediculous compared to the stock fender groove tubes (which are known to be garbage)

[Wild Bill]

Wild Bill, I haven't tried the "new" Svetlanas, but I have a few amps with ARS/JJ EL34's and 6L6's, they're good tubes. I have a Marshall Artist 50w with Winged C EL34's which sound good, powerful and tight. Winged C (SED) are the "old" Svetlana tubes, some other company recently bought the name for tubes made at another Russian factory.

Sovtek power tubes stink.

I have a quad of the "new" svets in my Mark IV and they are great tubes. Clear and musical with rich harmonics. They really sound round and "blackface Fenderish" in clean channel use and break up quite nicey when you open them up. Nice and quiet when they're idling.


I use the Tesla EL34's in the class A section when I run the Mark in Simulclass and use the EL84's in my F-30. Can't beat them in those applications.

[Coco]

Tesla/JJ or Winged C 6L6's are a good choice. I'd stay away from Shuguang, Ruby, Sovtek, E-H or Svetlana power tubes.

Check some 6L6 tube reviews here:
http://thetubestore.com/6l6review.html

The Svetlana 6L6's are amongst the best 6L6 in present production. Mine will absolutely cream Tesla 6L6's. Tesla does make great EL( X4) series tubes, I got mine from "The Tube Store" whose review you quoted. They do need to be biased hotter to get them so that the harmonics are full.

I got some nos Philips 6L6WGB tubes from the tubestore.com They are more cash than newer Russan tubes but sound bloody amazing and will last 5 times longer.

[Coco]

ive only switched tubes in my amp once. a fender hot rod deville 2x12. thing sounded like total ass untill i put all EH 12ax7s and 6L6s in it. it actually sounded like a god damn guitar amp. ive never used any other tube, but the EH ones were rediculous compared to the stock fender groove tubes (which are known to be garbage)[/quote

Both of these types of tubes were made by Sovtek in Russia. Eh and GT just get then rebranded and test them more thouroughly than the Russians. New production tubes also have a higher plate voltage and run hotter than older nos ones.

[MattGrabe]

Tesla/JJ or Winged C 6L6's are a good choice. I'd stay away from Shuguang, Ruby, Sovtek, E-H or Svetlana power tubes.

Check some 6L6 tube reviews here:
http://thetubestore.com/6l6review.html

I have had different experiences. I am a gigging guitarist and love the way my Vox AC30's and Vox AC15's sound with JJ tubes. I like the way the Marshall's I have jammed with sound with Svetlena tubes. I also run a 1967 Blackface head that I used original RCA tubes in and it sounded great (as RCA's should) but upon trying a retube with Sovtek's, it sounded fantastic as well! I use Mesa Mark IV's and Mark III's with Ruby's and they suit the amp well.

What am I saying? Maybe there is no particular "suck brand." They really do all have different tonal characteristics that suit different amps for different styles. What I would be more concerned about is the quality control of the company!

[thenumber]

Both of these types of tubes were made by Sovtek in Russia. Eh and GT just get then rebranded and test them more thouroughly than the Russians. New production tubes also have a higher plate voltage and run hotter than older nos ones.

no shit? ive heard lots of complaints against the stock GT 6L6s that come with hot rod devilles. is the difference just between brand new and used for 2-3 years, or were they just different grade batches?

that weirds me out