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Dissimilar Power Tubes: I've always loved the tone of old Tweed Deluxe 5E3 amps with their pair of 6V6's; smooth and fat with singing sustain. I also love the tones of vintage British amps with a pair of EL84's in the power amp; a nice focused rhythm sound with a chimey top end. Wouldn't it be wonderful to get a huge, focused rhythm sound with a smooth, singing lead tone that cuts through without being harsh or too bright? This is what happens when blending these two tube types together - a tone that is the best of both worlds: full, rich, smooth, with beautiful clarity. Here is how it works: Single-ended amps and pure class A amps produce more even-order harmonics, which is why these type of amps can sound warmer than class-AB amps, but at the expense of inefficient operation and output power. The mismatch created from dissimilar power tubes has the advantages of more even-order harmonics, for a sound like those great single-ended and true class-A amps - but with the possibility of better efficiency and higher power output. Also, a fullness and body to the tone that would normally be found in amplifiers with twice the power rating. Of course, there is a delicate balance of how much even-order harmonics are necessary to create a great tone. Too much and the tone will lack focus and clarity; not enough and the tone will be harsh. Not all tube types mix well. It is essential to use tube types with similar operating parameters to get the right balance of thickness and clarity. After much experimentation, I have found that the 6V6 and the EL84 work together beautifully, especially when combined with the correct driver circuit and a custom output transformer.
The 40 watt amps have the ‘Power Tube Select’ feature which enables three different power tube combinations.
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Contact Info : STEPHENSON
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