VH4 with 6L6

ProgFree

New member
A couple of months ago I've tried JJ 6L6 tubes in my VH4 and am loving it. I was running the bias at 66 mA (pair) but yesterday tried sinking the bias. After some testing got to the sweet spot of to 61 mA (if we want to be pedantic 61.4 ^^ ). And that's tonal heaven for me! Tighter bottom end and clearer mids that really sing. Wonder how many here are using 6L6 in their Diezels and at which ratings.
Cheers!
 
With the VH4 specifically, I have always liked 6L6 types.
It's been my main gigging amp since I first got it way back in 2002.
It came from Peter with EL34 BSTR , didn't like those tubes in it so I went on a mission trying a bunch of different types.
Finally settling on JJ 6L6 , and for many years and many quads , that's all I used.
I like the cool bias as well. , depending on the set.. around 56ma. More bias and they seem to be less defined.

Keep in mind these are my personal interpretations of the tone....

I use the whole tonal range of the amp, crystal clean channel 1 to smooth channel 4 lead.
However the majority of my time is spent on channel 2 and 3.
I think of the JJ's 6L6 as the best compromise of cleans and heavy sounds.
They're softer sounding than most other 6L6's but not dark or spongy as el34s.
There is nice harmonic content but it's not so overbearing that the cleans suffer.
They also have a nice upper mid percussion that cuts like a knife.

Recently I put in a set of TungSol 6L6GC STR, only because my last few quads of JJs
haven't lasted long. With them biased cold was better, around 45- 50ma.
They sound as good as the JJ's , only different. ;)
 
To each his own, I thought the sound was lacking in midrange character myself. I've been stuck on JJ e34l's... just works for me. Extra tight lows and nice midrange grind.
 
Hey_bert_whtcha_doin_bert":37dq5a8q said:
To each his own, I thought the sound was lacking in midrange character myself. I've been stuck on JJ e34l's... just works for me. Extra tight lows and nice midrange grind.

For a more classic Marshallesque grind, I agree.
The EL34L cannot be beat.
 
rickenbacker198":2242m97b said:
With the VH4 specifically, I have always liked 6L6 types.
It's been my main gigging amp since I first got it way back in 2002.
It came from Peter with EL34 BSTR , didn't like those tubes in it so I went on a mission trying a bunch of different types.
Finally settling on JJ 6L6 , and for many years and many quads , that's all I used.
I like the cool bias as well. , depending on the set.. around 56ma. More bias and they seem to be less defined.

Keep in mind these are my personal interpretations of the tone....

I use the whole tonal range of the amp, crystal clean channel 1 to smooth channel 4 lead.
However the majority of my time is spent on channel 2 and 3.
I think of the JJ's 6L6 as the best compromise of cleans and heavy sounds.
They're softer sounding than most other 6L6's but not dark or spongy as el34s.
There is nice harmonic content but it's not so overbearing that the cleans suffer.
They also have a nice upper mid percussion that cuts like a knife.

Recently I put in a set of TungSol 6L6GC STR, only because my last few quads of JJs
haven't lasted long. With them biased cold was better, around 45- 50ma.
They sound as good as the JJ's , only different. ;)

:thumbsup:
That is how I use my VH4 as well. I use all channels almost equally. I'm loving the cleans with 6L6 and the BearFoot pale green compressor in the cleans loop. But when going for such low bias currents don't you start to get some fizziness in the high end?
 
ProgFree":2rh0dg1q said:
That is how I use my VH4 as well. I use all channels almost equally. I'm loving the cleans with 6L6 and the BearFoot pale green compressor in the cleans loop. But when going for such low bias currents don't you start to get some fizziness in the high end?

Never noticed any fizziness, unless I had a bad screen resistor.

This is just my personal method,
When biasing the amp, measure for about 70ma per pair then mentally "mark" the bias pot position, so I know, not to go too much hotter.
Then I do it by ear, at band volumes.
Moving the bias down and back up a few times until in the sweet spot.
To my ears, the mids get denser and kind of muddy when the tubes are too hot.
Similarly, the tone thins and is shrill when too cold.
There is a window that is just right for me, usually a bit cold.
 
rickenbacker198":2kwbgpf5 said:
ProgFree":2kwbgpf5 said:
That is how I use my VH4 as well. I use all channels almost equally. I'm loving the cleans with 6L6 and the BearFoot pale green compressor in the cleans loop. But when going for such low bias currents don't you start to get some fizziness in the high end?

Never noticed any fizziness, unless I had a bad screen resistor.

This is just my personal method,
When biasing the amp, measure for about 70ma per pair then mentally "mark" the bias pot position, so I know, not to go too much hotter.
Then I do it by ear, at band volumes.
Moving the bias down and back up a few times until in the sweet spot.
To my ears, the mids get denser and kind of muddy when the tubes are too hot.
Similarly, the tone thins and is shrill when too cold.
There is a window that is just right for me, usually a bit cold.

Thanks, nice tips. Next time I'll bias mine I'll try at band volumes and lower even more the bias. The too dense mids at hot bias values that you talk about was why I went to experiment with a colder bias and "problem" solved :)
 
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