Power tubes to match or not to match =that is the question

[richny1977]

Help I just got a JCM 800 2205 . When I got it one power tube was broke so the guy who sold it gave me a set of old GE 6550's, one of them was dead so amp guy checked it out and said they were a close match.
The sound was insane OD channel was pure crunch and clean channel was a little hot but I liked it,
so in preamp got 5 JJ ECC83S and in power tubes had 1 Sovtek 6550 and one GE 6550 ,This gave killer sound
I put in a pair of Tung Sol 6550's power tubes to match and the amp lost a lot of crunch and bite.
Question Would it be OK to put back the mixed set of Sovtek and GE's 6550s. Will this f**k up the head? sound was insane .
I want MY sound back
Thanks Ritchie NY

 

[charveldan]

Everytime you change/swap power tubes you need to bias the amp, {everytime}

Only a total nOOb doesn't match & bias a set of power tubes.

 

[redscott131]

The problem you're having is the tonal loss that the rare GE 6550 provides. It is arguably, the best sounding 6550 ever made. It’s kind of like how Mullard is with EL34 power tubes.

Anyways, if you have one working GE 6550…..try to find another 6550 that is closely matched to it. Very doubtful you’ll find another GE 6550, but there are other current made tubes you could mix it with. Just match as close as possible, then Bias your amp.

I think Winged C 6550, are supposed to be the closest sounding match to a GE 6550.

 

[Username2]

It has never been required to match output tubes in a guitar amp. It's important for hifi electronics for sure but not guitar amps. Some players actually prefer having unmatched tubes and years ago nobody even asked about it. The asymmetric behaviour of using unmatched tubes results in a fatter tone, you still will get full power output without volume lose.

 

[AtomicRob]

If it sounded killer with the Sovtek/GE pair, why did you change them?

Anyway if you put in the Tung-sol tubes and didn't change the bias, then a) that's probably why the Tung-sol tubes aren't sounding right, and b) you can just put the old ones back in and it will be the same as it was.

 

[richny1977]

OK I should have made myself more clear
#1 Sovtek&GE 6550's were biased by amp tech
#2 Reason changed to Tung Sol was because Everyone always preaches
about matched pairs.
#3 Tung sol were biased to amp
#4 So I'm hearing it's ok not to have exact makes of power tubes, and it's cool if not perfect matching.
#5 Reason I changed tubes out was bought head on ebay ,when got it one Tube was dead couldn't play it,heard mega crunch not knowing it was mis-match tubes.
So anyway it's cool to mis- match?
Thank you For Help
Ritchie NY

 

[Username2]

So anyway it's cool to mis- match?

Yes you can mismatch power tubes, it is not problem.

 

[charveldan]

So i'm guessing it's a money thing, you don't have enough for a matched pair?

As long as the tubes are biased properly and not redplating they'll work for now.

SED SV6550C

As soon as you get an extra $110 bucks i'd pick up a pair of these, and if you think that's alot of dough, try owning two 2203 100 watters.

TUBE RULES:

Rule #1] Never skimp on tubes.

Rule #2] Don't forget rule #1.

 

[richny1977]

No it's not a money thing.it is a sound thing if you read the post
you will see i put new tung sol power tubes in and tone is gone.

NY RULES:
RULE #1 Read the POST! DUH, READING!
RULE #2 DON'T forget her name when you bang her the first time.

 

[richny1977]

Hey I better start selling my ass to make the $110, I spent all my $ on crack
And goddesses

I'm not bipolar I'm polarized

 

[charveldan]

Most of an amps voicing comes from the pre-amp, JJ are not that great for voicing IMHO.

If you have shitty power tubes, it will set you up for tube failure down the road, which could take out an OT.

You asked here what to do, yet you don't listen, so-ooo do what you want, you will anyway....../thread.

 

[diesect20022000]

if it were an amp that you could bias individual tubes then you wouldn't need them matched but,a 2205 needs a matched set. have it biased by a tech. shouldn't be more than $25 for the bias.

 

[richny1977]

Ok this is getting gay I just want an answer
I have amp tech.
I just want to know if I can use mismatched set /tech said they were close match and he biased amp. these gave me killer sound but don't what to f**k
up the head . Money is not issue sound is issue .
I would not be stuipd enough to think I could swap out power tubes at will and not bias them OK
That's all I want
Thank you for your help
for the record bought 12ax7's for preamp but put back JJ's
what is an OT? for real

 

[rich24a]

An OT is an output transformer. It transforms the high impedance signal of the tube output stage into the low impedance signal that the speakers need to operate...

 

[Frankie]

Nothing compares really to GE 6550's, that's why. Tung-Sols, IMO, are shit in comparison. I just gutted six Tung-Sols out of my bassist's SVT and replaced 'em with a sextet of GE's I had in my tube box. Talk about tone!

Scour eBay, you might be able to find a pair of GE's for not too unreasonable of a price.

 

[richny1977]

I found some GE 6550A's, they look exact like the one I have you guys are saying the crunch I first got comes from them .I don't mind buying them if
it gives me the sound ,their like $300-350 set.
Thanks

 

[Frankie]

Ouch, I don't think I'd spend $300 on tubes ever, that's a bit much. I would personally check to see if the amp is setup to run EL34's, and if not, make the necessary component swaps to run EL34's, then run some Groove Tube EL34-M's or RFT EL34's. If you want crunch, EL34's will deliver it in spades, and they GT EL34-M's are 1/10th the price of those GE 6550's.

In fact, I may have a pair of used 6550-A's, let me check my box of parts. If I do, I'll sell them to you for less than $350.

 

[Frankie]

I'm all out of GE 6550-A's, but I do have three Sylvania 6550's if you're interested in buying a pair. I'm about to throw them into one of my amps and make sure they work.

 

[richny1977]

Jackpot score matched pair GE 6550A on ebay for $140.
Yes I want crunch I want EVH sound on unchained!

 

[psychodave]

Matched power tubes aren't always necessary. I like them within 10ma of each other. There are MANY people who feel mis-matched power tubes sound better. How many people in the 60's, 70's and even 80's bought "matched" power tubes?