what is the best B+ voltage for evh sound?

5150loveeddie · Post by **5150loveeddie** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 12:47 am

I'll try to found an article where Ed says it relatively clear about it........let me dig my source.................BTW going at 90volts will smooh think up but you get cathode shredding unless you bring your heaters back to 6.3vac, the shredding thing is not very good if you use expensive tube like any NOS type tybe you don't won't to reduce there like......be back with that article.....Jon get in there so we can once in for all finish talking about all that supposed this, supposed that crap..................it as been cover here a few month ago anyhow!!!!

Your tone if heard on your clips are really nice already BTW....

flemingmras · Post by **flemingmras** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 2:25 pm

rockstah wrote: sigh... yes i have heard this way as well.. i have heard also he ran the varaic at 140volts so then who says thats the way he did it? you?

140? No that was a misprint in that article. He was really using a 240 volt variac cranked to 240 VAC!

Jon

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 5:12 pm

5150loveeddie wrote:I'll try to found an article where Ed says it relatively clear about it........let me dig my source.................BTW going at 90volts will smooh think up but you get cathode shredding unless you bring your heaters back to 6.3vac, the shredding thing is not very good if you use expensive tube like any NOS type tybe you don't won't to reduce there like......be back with that article.....Jon get in there so we can once in for all finish talking about all that supposed this, supposed that crap..................it as been cover here a few month ago anyhow!!!!

Your tone if heard on your clips are really nice already BTW....

Somebody has a site somewhere where they did a whole bunch of tests and measurements regarding using a variac. The more important points were at a 110-90v drop on the variac (or 120-100) a B+ of around 490-500 drops to around 400v. The bias drops as well and the heaters are then around 5.1v. According to some old chart regarding heater voltage vs tube life anything 5v or higher wont really degrade tube life due to cathode stripping though 6.3 is best obviously. After 5v it drops pretty rapidly though. That chart was probably made using tests of old tubes keep in mind.

5150loveeddie · Post by **5150loveeddie** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 7:22 pm

Billy Batz wrote:
5150loveeddie wrote:I'll try to found an article where Ed says it relatively clear about it........let me dig my source.................BTW going at 90volts will smooh think up but you get cathode shredding unless you bring your heaters back to 6.3vac, the shredding thing is not very good if you use expensive tube like any NOS type tybe you don't won't to reduce there like......be back with that article.....Jon get in there so we can once in for all finish talking about all that supposed this, supposed that crap..................it as been cover here a few month ago anyhow!!!!

Your tone if heard on your clips are really nice already BTW....
Somebody has a site somewhere where they did a whole bunch of tests and measurements regarding using a variac. The more important points were at a 110-90v drop on the variac (or 120-100) a B+ of around 490-500 drops to around 400v. The bias drops as well and the heaters are then around 5.1v. According to some old chart regarding heater voltage vs tube life anything 5v or higher wont really degrade tube life due to cathode stripping though 6.3 is best obviously. After 5v it drops pretty rapidly though. That chart was probably made using tests of old tubes keep in mind.

Interesting stuff Dan, I ask that question to a few guys (Tubetramp, ******, ...) those two told me around 5.7, 5.8vac is borderline and below that you will start having life problems for the tube.......who knows really??

Dai H. · Post by **Dai H.** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 8:33 pm

tube shred!!!! 140VAC PEDAL TO THE METAL!!!!

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 9:36 pm

5150loveeddie wrote:Interesting stuff Dan, I ask that question to a few guys (Tubetramp, ******, ...) those two told me around 5.7, 5.8vac is borderline and below that you will start having life problems for the tube.......who knows really??

Its not the same as 6.3, it definitely is shorter, but the chart I saw was like a parabola. Ive seen it in quite a few places actually. It was a parabola with voltage on the x axis and life in hours on the y axis. Ill try and fin it again

5150loveeddie · Post by **5150loveeddie** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 11:23 pm

Billy Batz wrote:
5150loveeddie wrote:Interesting stuff Dan, I ask that question to a few guys (Tubetramp, ******, ...) those two told me around 5.7, 5.8vac is borderline and below that you will start having life problems for the tube.......who knows really??
Its not the same as 6.3, it definitely is shorter, but the chart I saw was like a parabola. Ive seen it in quite a few places actually. It was a parabola with voltage on the x axis and life in hours on the y axis. Ill try and fin it again

That would be great Dan!!!!!!!

texwest · Post by **texwest** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 7:14 pm

My two cents about voltage:

I have a plexi 50 reissue with metro board, sozos and oei transformer that has 475 on the plates and a 1976 stock 50 watt lead amp with original transformers with 400 on the plates. I can definitiely say that the stock 76 amp has more of the brown sound going for it. It originally came with 6550 tubes and that when you switch it over to EL34's you seem to get an automatic variac effect. I think the trannie with two plate voltages is a great idea. I'm planning on selling both of these amps to finance a 12000 series build, so email me if you know anyone who would want them. They are both killer 50 watters, but different. I often wonder what the 76 would sound like with a metro board in it. But I want to build that 67 100 circuit.

wes

sub · Post by **sub** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 7:23 pm

Billy Batz wrote: Its not the same as 6.3, it definitely is shorter, but the chart I saw was like a parabola. Ive seen it in quite a few places actually. It was a parabola with voltage on the x axis and life in hours on the y axis. Ill try and fin it again

I remember on this "graphic"
If i right remember 0.3-0.5 voltage drops halve the tube life

Post by **VelvetGeorge** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 7:26 pm

Proper voltage for EVH sound:

5,150

For AC/DC sound:

High

George

Flames1950 · Post by **Flames1950** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 11:19 pm

texwest wrote:My two cents about voltage:

I have a plexi 50 reissue with metro board, sozos and oei transformer that has 475 on the plates and a 1976 stock 50 watt lead amp with original transformers with 400 on the plates. I can definitiely say that the stock 76 amp has more of the brown sound going for it. It originally came with 6550 tubes and that when you switch it over to EL34's you seem to get an automatic variac effect. I think the trannie with two plate voltages is a great idea. I'm planning on selling both of these amps to finance a 12000 series build, so email me if you know anyone who would want them. They are both killer 50 watters, but different. I often wonder what the 76 would sound like with a metro board in it. But I want to build that 67 100 circuit.

wes

The lower voltages of the mid-70's fifty watters makes them very brown indeed. My '75 does a very reasonable cop of EVH -- as close as I ever need to come. I've never thought Eddie's low end was particularly tight, so that works in the 50-watter's favor as well.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 11:27 pm

I say, STOP TRING TO PARODY EVH AND DO YOUR OWN THING! YOU ACT SO SILLY WITH THIS CRUD. MOVE ON AND DO YOUR PANTERA RIFFS BROTHER!

rockstah · Post by **rockstah** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 2:54 pm

i wanjt to try the metroamp dagnall and a pt that gets me 460 or 470 B+

Mark

carson5150 · Post by **carson5150** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 7:33 pm

Anonymous wrote:I say, STOP TRING TO PARODY EVH AND DO YOUR OWN THING! YOU ACT SO SILLY WITH THIS CRUD. MOVE ON AND DO YOUR PANTERA RIFFS BROTHER!

So, are you a metal snob or what?