6550 used in ARC power supplies

[Pacha]

Hello All and Thanks in advance for the help.

I remember reading in a thread here that substituting an old USA make 6550 in the power supply of my Ref Phono 2se, Ref Line Stage 5se and my Ref 250se amps resulted in an improvement in bass reproduction. I've searched and can't seem to find that thread.

What are your opinions on this tube swap?

Thank You

 

[Argonaut]

Hello All and Thanks in advance for the help.

I remember reading in a thread here that substituting an old USA make 6550 in the power supply of my Ref Phono 2se, Ref Line Stage 5se and my Ref 250se amps resulted in an improvement in bass reproduction. I've searched and can't seem to find that thread.

What are your opinions on this tube swap?

Thank You

Simply enter GE 6550 into the search parameters… no shortage of hits , some from myself.

 

[Pacha]

Simply enter GE 6550 into the search parameters… no shortage of hits , some from myself.

Thank You, I guess I was too discriptive!

 

[tima]

I owned the Ref2 SE and Ref 5 SE, along with the Ref10 Phono and Ref10. I've also worked directly with ARC on a variety of projects over the years. I've tried different 6550s in different ARC products. While you can roll in any tube that meets required specs, ARC does not care for the original GE6550A. The GE is a fine tube in Conrad-Johnson and Ampeg gear, but it tends to be a bit warm and soft in ARC equipment and ARC discourages it use -- at least they did when I discussed it with them. Their current 6550 that ARC uses is the Sovtek WE6550 and they use that because they can obtain them in quantity.

Prior to the WE6550, ARC used the Svetlana SED 6550C, the "Winged C 6550" (=C=) out of St. Petersburg, and they likely would continue to use it if they could get them in quantity.

People said "Kevin Deal does not reccomend the Winged C for ARC gear." Well that was true, but the reason for it was the last of the Winged Cs out of the factory were of poor quality and the factory had been damaged in a fire. Production ended ~ 2012. That started the meme that the Winged C 6550s should not be used in ARC gear. Totally misleading as those are the tubes the Ref 2 and Ref 5 circuits were designed to use.

Apparently the Svetlana 6550C is back in production by New Sensor (Reflektor) - not the original manufacturer and not the original equipment - but I never tried those or know ARC's take on them. I don't believe they have the famous Winged C logo on them. New Sensor is American owned, made in Russia

If you can find original Svetlana Winged C 6550s, those are the ones to use. People have stashes of them and you can find them for sale.

I've heard people speak well of the original Tung-Sol 6550 black plates in ARC gear. These tend to be very expensive and hard to find.


L-R: SED Winged C, JAN GE6550A, Sovtek 6550WE

 

[Argonaut]

Thank You, I guess I was too discriptive!

No worries … that search will lead to a number of discussions regarding GE , TungSol vintage and new production as well as other recommendations, you might elicit a better response were you to begin posting on one of those threads . As an aside one might consider the morality of paying funds for a Russian export valve … given the current situation.

3 Audio Research Power Amps

Considering (preowned) 3 amps: AR Ref75SE, VT80SE, and GS150. I was wondering how they differ in sonic qualities. I know the GS is twice the power of the others. My speakers ar 90db efficient and room is 14x22x7. Pre is a Rogue RP7. Thanks.

www.whatsbestforum.com

Ref6 tube rolling

The 6H30 next to 6550 is for power supply. That one tube has the effect as all other 6H30 or 6H6P. But that one is not the “output” stage of Ref6? Anyhow have a stash of 6n6p at hand, so might change next time i pull it out from the rack...need to slowly change the 6550 due to hours on it...

www.whatsbestforum.com

 

[DasguteOhr]

Not that sound quality like lightgrey "c" from st.peterburg,but absolut good stable tube my tip.

Product - BTB - Elektronik

6550C-S4A-Carbon audio tube handselektierte Audio Röhre Die neue Carbon Serie erweitert das bereits da gewesene um das oft gesuchte i Tüpfelchen bei den Endröhren. Wir holen das Maximum mit einem Update der Kathode plus Handselektion aller wichtigen Parameter heraus. Das stellt sogar das Suchen...

btb-elektronik.de

 

[Pacha]

My reason for starting this thread was I have a small stash of GE and Tung Sol 6550 from my D79 days. Most of these are from the 50s and I wanted to be sure I would not have any use for them before passing them on.
Thank you for all the help and replies.

 

[Argonaut]

My reason for starting this thread was I have a small stash of GE and Tung Sol 6550 from my D79 days. Most of these are from the 50s and I wanted to be sure I would not have any use for them before passing them on.
Thank you for all the help and replies.

Are you still running ARC Ref equipment Pacha , we have converted a couple of times re ARC.

 

[Pacha]

Are you still running ARC Ref equipment Pacha , we have converted a couple of times re ARC.

Yes, I have the Ref Phono 2se, Ref Line Stage 5se and Ref 250se in one system and a SP20 and Ref 150 in another.

 

[Argonaut]

Nice , in that case if you have already rolled those tubes and found them not to your taste you may as well move them on , if still rolling perhaps hang on to them .

 

[Pacha]

I haven't done any tube rolling since my SP8, MCP33 and D79 days. Over the next few months I'll try the 6550 in my current system and see what I think.

 

[WillBthr]

"While you can roll in any tube that meets required specs, ARC does not care for the original GE6550A...it tends to be a bit warm and soft in ARC equipment and ARC discourages it use -- at least they did when I discussed it with them."

ARC used GE6550A tubes for decades in both the output stages and the power supply regulation sections in amplifiers. 10:1 ARC would be using GE 6550A tubes today if production hadn't ceased 35-40 years ago (and new GE6550A tubes sell for around $600 per quad). There is a valid reason for the current pricing of GE 6550A tubes. My experience is GE6550A tubes are very reliable and do not sound soft or warm in ARC output stages nor in the power supply regulation stages of ARC products. My experience is I hear the Russian 6550XX as sounding harsh and glaring in the output stage of ARC power amplifiers. My experience with Sylvania (Philips) 6550 tubes from the same era (1980s) is they also sound excellent in ARC power amplifiers.

"Their current 6550 that ARC uses is the Sovtek WE6550 and they use that because they can obtain them in quantity."

Available in quantities and they're inexpensive, relatively speaking. ARC goes to great lengths to ferret out (test) the bad tubes in each batch of Russian 6550XX tubes and yet they'll still occasionally blow/arc/short in the field, in the power supply, and take out nearby components.

 

[Argonaut]

"While you can roll in any tube that meets required specs, ARC does not care for the original GE6550A...it tends to be a bit warm and soft in ARC equipment and ARC discourages it use -- at least they did when I discussed it with them."

ARC used GE6550A tubes for decades in both the output stages and the power supply regulation sections in amplifiers. 10:1 ARC would be using GE 6550A tubes today if production hadn't ceased 35-40 years ago (and new GE6550A tubes sell for around $600 per quad). There is a valid reason for the current pricing of GE 6550A tubes. My experience is GE6550A tubes are very reliable and do not sound soft or warm in ARC output stages nor in the power supply regulation stages of ARC products. My experience is I hear the Russian 6550XX as sounding harsh and glaring in the output stage of ARC power amplifiers. My experience with Sylvania (Philips) 6550 tubes from the same era (1980s) is they also sound excellent in ARC power amplifiers.

"Their current 6550 that ARC uses is the Sovtek WE6550 and they use that because they can obtain them in quantity."

Available in quantities and they're inexpensive, relatively speaking. ARC goes to great lengths to ferret out (test) the bad tubes in each batch of Russian 6550XX tubes and yet they'll still occasionally blow/arc/short in the field, in the power supply, and take out nearby components.

Exactly so Will … 70’s production GE 6550A are without doubt likely the most balanced and for the most part neutral of any 6550A ever manufactured IMHO, to claim that they are ”Warm” or ‘Soft” sounding is simply ludicrous !!!

 

[hi5harry]

My Anniversary 40 liked the old GE6550A’s but LOVED the old Tung-Sol 6550’s, both black or grey.

 

[tima]

ARC used GE6550A tubes for decades in both the output stages and the power supply regulation sections in amplifiers. 10:1 ARC would be using GE 6550A tubes today if production hadn't ceased 35-40 years ago (and new GE6550A tubes sell for around $600 per quad). There is a valid reason for the current pricing of GE 6550A tubes. My experience is GE6550A tubes are very reliable and do not sound soft or warm in ARC output stages nor in the power supply regulation stages of ARC products. My experience is I hear the Russian 6550XX as sounding harsh and glaring in the output stage of ARC power amplifiers. My experience with Sylvania (Philips) 6550 tubes from the same era (1980s) is they also sound excellent in ARC power amplifiers.

The GE6550A is a fine tube. As with many vintage NOS tubes, they can be more expensive. Pre-20th C. ARC amplifiers tended toward a leaner, slightly silvery sound and the GE6550A will ameliorate that somewhat.
Perhaps the company used them in the past -- do you have model numbers? For the Ref 2 and Ref 5 going forward they do not recommend the GE6550A.