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Best modern 6550 tube for ARC per-amp

There are a lot of modern 6550 tube in the market such as Reissue Tung-Sol 6550,  GE-6550A (Green letter), Svetlana 6550, Russia Gold Lion 6550/KT88........etc.  What is the best modern 6550 tube for ARC per-amp in your opinion?  (PS: GE 6550A is not newly made but still a lot in the market).

I used to own a NOS black plate 3 holes Tung-Sol 6550 but which has leak and now I’m using the stock Svetlana 6550. I want to buy a nice sound 6550 for my ARC Ref 6 and my stock Svetlana 6550 will be used as spare. Will not consider NOS black -plate Tung-Sol again because of pricy and not sure the condition.


mmbl622
roberjerman
4,319 posts
 
Any 6550 will work fine! That tube is a voltage pass-regulator in the power supply. It is used to regulate the B+ voltage. The music signal does NOT go through it! No effect upon sound quality!
noromance's avatar
noromance
9,766 posts
 
All Tubes Matter.
noromance's avatar
noromance
9,766 posts
 
Think about it. The amplification tubes modulate this B+. The cleaner it is, the better the sound. 
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billwojo
397 posts
 
Wow, it's a regulator in the power supply, helps keep the B+ at a constant voltage. Music doesn't pass through the power supply at all. That happens at the output stage.
If the music is modulating the power supply than the power supply is sagging due to poor design, good in a guitar amp, not in a hifi amp. And certainly won't be happening in an ARC amp.

BillWojo
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