6V6 tubes in a stereo amp?

Did any stereo amps from back in the day utilize 6V6's?
Thanks.

Dave_in_Va wrote:Did any stereo amps from back in the day utilize 6V6's?
Thanks.

Back in the day, 6V6 tubes were often used in mid-range radios in the output stage, almost interchangeably with the 6F6. I have seen any number of home-brew amps using these tubes as well.

BUT - to answer your question directly re: the 6V6, the short answer is Yes. Maganvox, for one, favored the 6V6 over many years in their console stereos - here is one linked on eBay as an example. Several others also, although the specific brands escape me at this minute.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Magnavox-175-HI-FI-stereo-tube-amplifier-6V6-tube-amp-12AX7-Front-End-/171944214599?hash=item2808ac8047

I have several Zenith radios that use 6V6s both single-ended and in PP.

Enjoy!

Harman Kardon used 6V6's and their close relative the 7408 in their lower power amps. I know that several other amp manufacturers used 6V6's as it is a great tube for lower power amps. They are good for about 12 or 13 watts in push pull configuration and maybe 4 or 5 watts single ended.

Bogen used them, I have an AP35 (Stereo 17.5 wpc) with 7408's. Bogen drove them pretty hard, but I hear NOS 6V6's can take it usually (the later 6V6GT, like RCA's) as they were overbuilt. This amp has a very similar schematic to the HK amp mentioned.

Pilot also used 6V6's in some of their amps along with many of the smaller guitar amps. I've heard stories about the new production 6V6's failing in guitar amps due to the stress involved. It's tough to go wrong with an NOS RCA or GE 6V6 GTA. They are quality tubes with a good lifespan in most applications.

I have a ton of these from my collection of old guitar amps and I wish they could be used somewhere else. Most low to medium power guitar amps used these up to the early 60's. I inherited a huge Hammond tone cabinet last year from a rural church and there were like 10 6v6GT's in there. They ranged from some old old original Raytheons and Sylvanias to some fairly recent Sylvanias, some old RCAs etc.. There were some real oldies in there but alas, I have no where to put them except rolling my guitar amps.

Usually those tone cabinets are filled with 6SN7s...

Last night I bought a fully serviced Harmon Kardon A300 to use as a secondary amp for TV streaming (Netflix, youtube, etc) and my BluRay player. I bought a touslink splitter that was mentioned in another thread so that when I listen to a concert BluRay I can listen with my VTA system.
It uses 4 6v6s (7408) to put out about 12-15 watts per channel. It should sound a lot nicer than the old Pioneer SA-520 (perfectly good little amp).

I was interested in 6V6s as they are a lot more affordable than most other power tubes (NOS). So I can keep a nice backup quad around without breaking the bank.

By the 1950s, most designs that would have used the 6V6 had gone to the EL84/6BQ5 (or 7189) instead. It was smaller, generated less heat, used a smaller, less expensive socket, and was a damn good-sounding tube, besides.

Yes it seems most of the stuff from the early 60's on did not use the 6v6 perhaps for the reasons outlined above. It sure was a popular power tube in the 40's and 50's. The latest thing I have is a 1968 Vibro Champ that still has the 6v6. Most of the 50's and 60's guitar amps used that design but it was way underpowered by the mid 60's. That's when a couple of guys in Seattle began putting stock Mark IIIs into their bass guitar amps with a tone stack and the Sunn Instrument Corporation was born....and 6550's began to rule the world at least temporarily.