Nick Gorham wrote:

Ian Bell wrote:
Ian Bell wrote:


I notice RDH has several examples of using a 6AU6 in preamplifiers. These
seem readily available for reasonable prices (unlike the EF86 which seems
to be getting more expansive every day). Has anyone any experience using
the 6AU6 in preamps and is it any good?


Cheers

Ian



Anyone?



Andy Grove went through a period of using them as the first stage in
World Design power smplifers. I don't have personally experence, but
they should be ok.

As to if they are better than (say) a C3g or D3a is a different
question. Of course they came after RDH.

I suspect part of the price of the EF86 is due to the amplifiers that
used it instead of any implicit virtue of the valve.


The only obvious (specified) virtue of the EF86 is its AF noise and hum
performance neither of which is specified for the 6AU6 probably because it
was intended as and RF amp.

I suspect you are right about the causes of EF86 price rise - which in a
sense pleases me because I should be able to get 6AU6s cheaply.

Ian