tubes-matched pair?

  • Thread starter Thread starter antispatula
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antispatula

antispatula

Active member
How do I buy matched pairs when I've got 6 tubes I'm meaning to change? Are the six tubes somehow paired together? Thanks.
 
oh, and one more thing. Do bais adjustements come in the form of pots? Where would they be? I'm not going to open up the chassis if they're in there.

Oh, and the tubes are sylvania 6L6GC's. If I buy those exact types from the same brand, can I get away with not trying to bias it? I mean, it'll be usable, right? As long as it won't really mess anything up, I'm ok with it for now.
 
1. Order the tubes from a store that sells them, ask them for a matched quad and then tell them you want a matching pair for quad as well.
2. If your amp is a fixed bias (such as a Mesa Mark series), you need to buy the tubes rated for your amp (or have a trim pot installed).
If it is not fixed, then it should have a trim pot somewhere inside to adjust to suit the new tubes.
If you don't know how, you should probably get a tech to do.

3. Buying the same type (or at least a type rated for your amp: Some amps can handle different types) from the same brand isn't going to make a difference in terms of bias at all.
Each tube, even from the same manufacturer is going to be different.
That's why they are matched and sold as pairs / quads etc.

You will get some sound out of them if they are not matched, but it will sound bad and may shorten the life of the tubes.
Biasing is done to ensure the optimum amount of current is flowing through the tube.
 
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