6v6 tubes seem darker than 5881 ? for same preamp plexi style

[steveo7868]

Maybe Its just the sample tubes as I have some NOS 6v6 tubes VS new production 5881 sovtek,
but I guess just a general question for those who have built identical preamps with different power sections...
do you find the 6v6 to be darker than the 6l6 or 5881?
Sorry if this has been covered I did a quick search and did not see it.
I guess this may be too subjective to the specific circuit but  I am talking about a similar amp to the hoffman 6v6 plexi to the same thing with 5881's
I have not built that many 6v6 amps over the years is why I ask...

[tubeswell]

It could be your ’NOS’ tubes (depending on how new/worn out they are - one never exactly knows with NOS, and seller’s claims need to be taken on trust) and what they are (e.g. the cheap Russian 6P6 is not the brightest of old stock tubes, although they are plentiful and are more likely to be ‘NOS’ than anything else available). New 6V6s are quite ‘bright’ (all other things being equal).

[steveo7868]

Good point, not that I trust the tubes are really NOS,
I guess I need to get some more new production 6v6 tubes to see what is going on
I am glad these are just around the house amps, and nothing I am trying to sell..
there is a bright cap mod that, I may have to remove after trying new tubes..

Thanks for the sanity check
Steve

[HotBluePlates]

... some NOS 6v6 tubes ... to be darker than the 6l6 or 5881? ...

Different old production 6V6s sound different as well.  Some are brighter than others.

[steveo7868]

I have always liked the tone of old smoked glass or chrome dome sylvania
I guess I never built the same circuit,  this was a 470P bright cap on a volume pot..
on a darker channel, I will get some JJ's maybe and do some tube rolling..