Tube mixing


So what would happen (theoretically anyway) if in a "push pull" tube amp where each tube has its own bias pot, you stuck disparate tubes next to each other. I have 3 sets of power tubes...if I put 6550s and KT120s next to each other in each channel biased properly (or to the amp specs), or a KT88 next to a 6550 in 1-2-1-2 pairs...would this trigger cosmic calamity? Gear meltdown? Audio magazine subscription rejections? Would the tubes sit there and stare at each other in disgust? I'm not necessarily gonna try this, but it seems to be a way to get the advantages of different tubes ALL AT ONCE! Ha...and hmmmmmm....
wolf_garcia

Showing 1 response by almarg

Wolfie, if the Large Hadron Collider is in use at the time you try this, the result will be a black hole that will eventually suck in the entire known universe.

If the LHC is not in use at the time, I agree with Mlsstl that the result would be a significant increase in distortion. The positive-going and negative-going halves of a symmetrical sine wave, for instance, would most likely emerge no longer symmetrical, as a result of differences in transconductance (Gm) and/or other parameters.

The same thing would apply to using a 6L6 and a 6V6 together as a push-pull pair, probably even more so (i.e., even greater distortion, and/or more rapid destruction of the universe), as Gm and several of their other parameters differ widely. On the other hand, while using a pair of 6L6's in one channel and a pair of 6V6's in the other channel would eliminate the possibility of interaction with the LHC, it would most likely result in a significant sonic mismatch between channels.

Best regards,
-- Al