Category 5
Well-known member
I've been looking up NOS EF86 tubes for my G7 project and found that I know very little about tubes.
How can it be that these folks claim that a rating of 2.3mAh at the oputput gets a rating of good, and an output of 3.0mAh is considered NEW, but...
There are tested NOS Telefunkens with output rating of 5.8mAh, and even as high as 6.5mAh!
How can 3.0 be considered new while there are tubes outputting over 100% more?!
In a G7 circuit, I assume the output will be directly proportional to the maximum rated output of the tube, regardless of the plat voltage. Or am I incorrect in thinking like this and it works more like a voltage regulator where the output is 100% designed by the circuit, and it will not vary between 2 known good tubes with different max outputs?
I am wondering how much better a G7 will sound with a NOS Telefunken EF86 rated at 6.0mAh output current, compared to a NOS Telefunken tube with a tested 3.0mAh max output current.
Should I spend the extra bux for the higher rated tube, even though 3.0mAh is considered good/new? What will the difference be soundwise? I assume you will be driving the transformer harder and thus hear more influence from it, correct?
Can I use 2 different rated tubes (but close) and still get a close match between 2 mics?
I'd buy a bunch of these tubes and test this myself, but Fuk they are expensive!!!
How can it be that these folks claim that a rating of 2.3mAh at the oputput gets a rating of good, and an output of 3.0mAh is considered NEW, but...
There are tested NOS Telefunkens with output rating of 5.8mAh, and even as high as 6.5mAh!
How can 3.0 be considered new while there are tubes outputting over 100% more?!
In a G7 circuit, I assume the output will be directly proportional to the maximum rated output of the tube, regardless of the plat voltage. Or am I incorrect in thinking like this and it works more like a voltage regulator where the output is 100% designed by the circuit, and it will not vary between 2 known good tubes with different max outputs?
I am wondering how much better a G7 will sound with a NOS Telefunken EF86 rated at 6.0mAh output current, compared to a NOS Telefunken tube with a tested 3.0mAh max output current.
Should I spend the extra bux for the higher rated tube, even though 3.0mAh is considered good/new? What will the difference be soundwise? I assume you will be driving the transformer harder and thus hear more influence from it, correct?
Can I use 2 different rated tubes (but close) and still get a close match between 2 mics?
I'd buy a bunch of these tubes and test this myself, but Fuk they are expensive!!!