The 6V6 is a beam power tetrode vacuum tube developed in the 1930s by RCA. It became one of the most widely used audio output tubes in consumer electronics and musical instrument amplifiers.
Function: Beam Power Tube (Tubeentode Triode, Vacuum tube)
Manufacturer: RCA, TUNG-SOL
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Description
This device is a beam-power tetrode vacuum tube. Metal type 6V6 and glass octal type 6V6GTA are used as output amplifiers in automobile, battery-operated, and other receivers in which reduced plate-current drain is desirable. It is still in use in audio applications, especially electric guitar amplifiers.
It remains highly popular in guitar amplifiers and vintage audio reproduction due to its tonal characteristics and ease of integration into octal-based tube circuits.
Pinout
1 – the shell connection of the metal
2, 7 – Filament / Heater
3 – Anode / Plate
4 – Grid 2 / Screen Grid
5 – Grid 1 / Control Grid
6 – No connection. Pin normally absent
8 – Cathode & Beam-Forming Plates
Electrical Characteristics
| Parameter | Typical Value |
|---|---|
| Heater Voltage (Vh) | 6.3 V |
| Heater Current (Ih) | 0.45 A |
| Plate Voltage (Va) | 250 V (typical max 315 V) |
| Screen Voltage (Vg2) | 150–250 V |
| Plate Current (Ia) | 35 mA (typical class A) |
| Screen Current (Ig2) | 5 mA (typical) |
| Load Resistance (Rp) | 5 kΩ – 8 kΩ (for audio applications) |
| Power Output | 5 W (class A single-ended) to ~14 W (class AB push-pull) |
| Transconductance (gm) | ~5,000 µmho |
| Amplification Factor (µ) | 36 |
| Maximum Plate Dissipation | 12 W |
| Base | 8-pin Octal (RCA standard) |
Features
1. Heater Voltage ( ac/dc ) : 6.3 V
2. Heater Current : 0.45 A
Applications
1. Guitar Amplifiers: Fender Tweed, Princeton, Deluxe Reverb, small practice amps
2. Hi-Fi Audio Amplifiers: Vintage radios and early home audio systems
3. DIY Tube Projects: Small output stages, hybrid tube/solid-state amps
6V6 Datasheet PDF
