Love Affair with Spuds – 6E5P, 6C45Pi and 417A

This has been an emotional roller coaster. You know how a love affair can swing along the gamuts of emotions.

Now imagine 3!

Anyway, this article is supposedly a continuation of A Purist’ Wet Dream and The Purist’ Wet Dream Gets Wetter but I got to change to a more pedestrian title as if I were to continue along the same theme, it is actually bordering on obscenity…

 

spud tubes

 

From left to right, 6E5P, Sovtek 6C45Pi and Western Electric 417A.

 

In case you are wondering, I have been enjoying my Purist’ Wet Dream with below schematic.

Just a change of wiring to accommodate different tubes, and it’s all system go!

 

All 3 tubes run at 150V with 6E5P’s cathode at 3 Schottkies level while 6C45Pi and 417A sat at 2 Schottkies. Of course, as the latter 2 tubes are triodes, there is no 120 ohm resistor between plate and g2.

 

Here is my unscientific, humble opinion on its virtues.

 

6E5P

Tallest tube between all 3. I have ran it at 250V @40mA (very hot!) and also a much cooler 150V @15mA. The sonics didn’t change that much but the heat in the room did.

Mids and highs were faultless but bass lacks a bit grunt. Lower midrange could do with a bit heft too.

Wonderful tube but a bit willowy.

Like Maria here.

yeo's squeeze

 

 

6C45Pi

All this while, I have been too scared to use this tube. Reason being, I was scarred by some really horrendous sound I heard from this tube. Soul destroying, devoid of life… It was like attending a funeral.

And not one system mind you, at least in 2 separate occasions, this tube made me depressed, asking myself “what the hell is this???”

Looking back, I think it’s their choice of operating point as when ran at 10mA which I have here, she’s simply amazing! I never thought this tube could sound so good!

Noise floor is a bit higher but the weakest point of 6E5P is 6C45Pi’s strength. Lower mids and Bass! Great for rock! Actually the lower mids and bass is a bit larger than life. Err, not that I’m complaining. This gives an energetic, uplifting feel to your music.

In one sentence, Always exciting! Like Kate!

yeo's squeezed!

 

 

WE 417A

Truth be told, I was having so much fun with Kate, err 6C45Pi, that I was reluctant to try out 417A, the tiniest of the lot here.

To make matters worse, until today, I have yet to have a chance to listen to a Western Electric tube. Yes, I’m an ignoramus.

So is the famed sonics of WE a myth? Or plain hyperbole? Would this be a continuation of my Thermionic Wet Dream or is it going to be a Thermionic Wet Blanket?

 

Once I tried her out…  OMG! OMG!! OMG!!!

Quieter than 6C45Pi, balanced, more refined (well, you could describe as cleaner, less distortion… take your pick)…

In short, I could live with her!

hee hee... the real wet dream...

 

So what does this tell you?

My choice of women sucks?

What kind of idiot compares 3 types of tubes in an amp?
Me of course!

Who would have thought you could get 2 totally different type of sonics from one tube?

WE tubes are gifts from the gods?

 

At the end of the day, I don’t care. All I know is whom I want to hang out with. Sorry, girls.

we 417a

 

7 Comments

  1. chris February 1, 2015
  2. yeo February 4, 2015
  3. Charly Beagrie April 12, 2015
  4. yeo April 28, 2015
  5. Luka June 24, 2016
  6. yeo June 25, 2016
  7. Luka July 14, 2016

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