6CA7 virtues

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 11:43 pm

Drawing from that long description bluefuzzguitar gave of different tubes thats a sticky on this page, and the follow up posts on the original thread, Im curious about using 6CA7 instead of EL34s in my new amp. I wonder if I can get a few opinions from the GT6CA7 users here. Anyone use both those and Mullard EL34s? Theyve been described several times here as great replacements for Mullard sounding tubes. Ive never used 6CA7s so Im considering it now.

Zoso · Post by **Zoso** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 2:22 am

When I first got my amp (1976 50 watter I bought on ebay last year) it had 6CA7's in it. AFter I had it a couple of months, I started using EL34's. But to be honest, the 6CA7's seemed a bit smoother and tighter, not as pronounced in the midrange area. I have been seriously considering going back to them myself. Mine were EH's, not GT's, BTW, but I imagine they sound similar enough. Plus, they must be tough as nails, cause at the time I didn't know much about biasing, all I heard was "Make sure they aren't redplating." So for like the first 3 weeks I had it I kept a close eye on it everytime I played to make sure. When I finally learned some about biasing, I checked the the current and it was like 50ma! Granted, this was when I had my old PT that only did about 375 plate voltage, but still. But I played that thing for about 2 or 3 hours a day during that time, and I never saw a redplate and the tubes still sounded good when I took them out. I just wanted to try EL34's.

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 8:40 am

The GT's are just so damn expensive but I do want to try em badly.

Steve R · Post by **Steve R** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 12:06 pm

I've got a set of Sylvania 6CA7's that I use from time to time. They seem to give more bottom end and a bit less midrange. To me they sound a bit more ballsy, but a bit less Marshally. IMHO

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 12:37 pm

But thats how people describe Mullards. A little less midrange bite. A little more focused low end. A little more headroom.

Steve R · Post by **Steve R** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 12:53 pm

I can't reference the 6CA7's to a set of Mullard EL-34's because I don't have any mullards. I can only compare them to Tesla and Svetlana EL-34's. So it's difficult for me to say how much or how little of a difference there would be.

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 12:58 pm

This is one area Ive seriously lacked experimenting I admit. I didnt want to get into NOS mullards then go chasing them around evilbay as prices steadily rise. Not that the GT6CA7s are cheap but at least steady and plentiful with no risk.

Steve R · Post by **Steve R** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 1:03 pm

Billy Batz wrote:Not that the GT6CA7s are cheap but at least steady and plentiful with no risk.

Exactly! And that is worth a lot. That's why I don't have any NOS tubes.

dynaman · Post by **dynaman** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 8:18 pm

I've had terrible luck with EH6CA7's but the old GE and Sylvania's are super rugged. I've a pair of GT6CA7's too but haven't gotten around to trying them. Are you looking for a quad or pair?

Pester George to do a shootout of EL34's. He mentioned this a few months back and I loaned him five different brands of vintage quads to sample.

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 8:31 pm

dynaman wrote:I've had terrible luck with EH6CA7's but the old GE and Sylvania's are super rugged. I've a pair of GT6CA7's too but haven't gotten around to trying them. Are you looking for a quad or pair?

Pester George to do a shootout of EL34's. He mentioned this a few months back and I loaned him five different brands of vintage quads to sample.

A Quad if I decide to go with them.

dynaman · Post by **dynaman** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 8:44 pm

No quads, but I've a pair GT6CA7's you can try if you want.

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 8:51 pm

I think Im just gonna go and buy a quad. Thanks a lot though. If nothing else it may be a different sound Ill keep in one of the amps I dont use as much but Im thinking I may like them. The current EL34s always had kind of a trashy quality to the midrange I dont like. Im not about always getting more gain and more bite. I still dont want to surrender to the shrinking NOS market.

dynaman · Post by **dynaman** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 8:55 pm

Happy to hear someone is going to pay for an American made product.

dynaman · Post by **dynaman** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 8:55 pm

Eat your heart out, Wal-Mart.

bluefuzzguitar · Post by **bluefuzzguitar** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 6:15 pm

Here I am asking George to sticky the original thread my tube description post came from called 'Tube Info' in the Repairs, Restorations and Mods section, only to discover George has created a new Tubes section and stickied my post here. Now it's a sticky in both sections! I'm honored, George, thanks.

Anyway, Dan, you already know my comments on the 6CA7's that are currently in my Super Bass. For those of you who are interested, see 'Tube Info' under Repairs, Restorations and Mods. Happy tube hunting!

Mike