New JJ tubes - 6CA7 and 6550

[killertone]

Anyone heard anything about them? I am a huge fan of 6CA7s wonder if they are anywhere close to the old Philips ones I used to have. I also really dig 6550s and with the SED price increase it is nice to have another alternative. Thoughts?

 

[killertone]

Yes, I have tried the JJ 6CA7's.

I have also had the Philips (Sylvania) US made 6CA7's

The JJ's are much darker than the real deal, but I have found that this is a quality of their entire tube line.

They are much tighter and bigger in the bottom that EL34's but still have the EL34 mids.

I find they are the better of the new 6CA7 offerings (Sovtek, EH, etc)

But they do not have the tightness and sheer punch that the real 6CA7's had and nice top end.

But a good alternative to the EL34 tone.

Excellent. Thanks a lot for that info.

 

[fearhk213]

Those 6CA7's sound very interesting. Not to hijack the thread, but can you use these in any EL34 amp? What's their reliability & longevity compared to an EL34?

 

[fearhk213]

Yes!

For the most part 6CA7/EL34 are equivalents. They are interchangebale.

6CA7 was the US designation.

Sylvania made the only True 6CA7 and this tube was re branded by Philips and RCA here in the states. It was more of a beam power tube than a true pentode like EL34's. This let to a much tighter larger bottom and more focused tone.

Kind of a hybrid EL34/6L6/6550 tone. These tubes are almost impossible to find NOS anymore as many weren't made.

Eddie Van Halen used these tube exclusively on his Marshall's of the famous brown tone.. The brown sound you here is US 6CA7's, not EL34's.

For guitar amps I think they were some of the best tubes. Because you got the tightness of the big bottles, but the musical saturation of the EL34's.


This amp has the JJ 6CA7's in it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYU19_Jbwdk

Killer info man. I'll check out the clip after work

 

[killertone]

Those 6CA7's sound very interesting. Not to hijack the thread, but can you use these in any EL34 amp? What's their reliability & longevity compared to an EL34?

I had US made Philips 6CA7s in my JCM800 2205 for a long time until they finally gave out which was about 3 years of gigging 3 nights a week. They ruled. Best EL34 variant I have ever used. Much better than a KT77 for my personal taste.

 

[joepete77]

i have the EH 6ca7 in my 79 2204 and they sound pretty nice,

 

[FortinAmps]

Yes, I have tried the JJ 6CA7's.

I have also had the Philips (Sylvania) US made 6CA7's

The JJ's are much darker than the real deal, but I have found that this is a quality of their entire tube line.

They are much tighter and bigger in the bottom that EL34's but still have the EL34 mids.

I find they are the better of the new 6CA7 offerings (Sovtek, EH, etc)

But they do not have the tightness and sheer punch that the real 6CA7's had and nice top end.

But a good alternative to the EL34 tone.

Have you witnessed any intermittent cracklings with the new JJ 6CA7?

Cheers,
Mike