Can I use EA50 tube diodes as the basis for effects circuits?

[Jennings]

I wasn’t too sure where to post this; amplifiers or effects…but plumped for here as most appropriate.


I’ve got a little handful of EA50 diode valves kicking about (they were used in my AVO valve tester before I went solid state) and wondered what I could use them for…it is worth the time/effort/interest in perhaps trying to make some kind of pedal, or are these really not suitable for much in that regard? Could you use them as clipping diodes maybe in a tube overdrive design?

https://www.r-type.org/exhib/aaa0414.htm

[Rontone]

I'm interested in this too, looked into this a while back when those little Valvecasters were getting popular and some people were using 12**7 types wired up as a dual diode at the end for a clipping stage

I was thinking recently how well worn out tubes would work in this purpose, heres a link to diystompbox discussion

https://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=41416.0

I'm not sure what the specs are on tubes as diodes though, in order to get that clipping theshold near a germanium or silicon type diode...

[Jennings]

Thanks Rontone...you've lit the blue touch paper then!     OK, so it's not impossible, or necessarily a waste of time having a play about (everything's relative, right?!).  These EA50 valves are physically small-ish, and have a max plate voltage of 50V, so I'll have a little think about maybe some kind of basic circuit to try them out with.  I guess a sort of basic one or two dual triode preamp-ish boost pedal design to begin and work them in as the clippers.