2. amps-preamps
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5AR4 rectifier tube question

I am sort of shopping for one or more 5AR4s for a Cary SLP05 power supply because I’d like to have at least one spare and because I’d maybe like to roll two or three ad see if I can hear an improvement or vice versa. I make no claims of knowing much about the vacuum tube game; occasionally I get lucky & stumble on something that really works for me. As far as the 5AR4, I did a hit at Uncle Kevin’s site, and there were some that looked interesting (I am thinking of one in particular, it had a Japanese sounding name that started with a ’M’) but when I click on it, all I get is a picture of Uncle Kevin’s screaming face telling me "not to buy tubes" (later, when I finally took time to read, apparently his tube tester is down).

So I started doing hits on Ebay, and oh my gosh! I was inundated with choices and the variation in prices! Which do I stay away from and which should I be interested in? Would a 5AR4 from Bugera also be suitable for what I’d want to use it for? Could a rectifier tube provide a big sonic upgrade if I spent enough money on it? Can I make a sonic upgrade from what I believe (I haven’t opened up the power supply yet) is the stock EH 5AR4 without breaking the bank? I would be totally good with the $50.00 range and picking up 2 or 3 different ones to play with if those with experience thought I could improve the power supply in that range. If I had to I guess I could go more (the $100.00 range) but I probably wouldn’t be buying too many of them, and I was kind of HOPING not to go much over that.

Anyway, thanks in advance for the input; I always consider it part of my education.

immatthewj

Showing 1 response by atmasphere

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
12,099 posts
 

The rectifier tube shouldn’t make any difference in sound.

’Shouldn’t’ is why this statement is true; in practice the rectifier will affect the sound. This is because the rectifier has a voltage drop across it, which varies according to current draw and from tube to tube (and rectifier tube type as well).

Amps designed with a tube rectifier will certainly sound different if a different rectifier is used simply because the B+ Voltage might be changed- if going from tube to solid state the change could be as much as 75 Volts in the power supply (which might challenge existing power transformers, filter caps and the like, so don’t do it...).

If the amp were to employ enough feedback it could be able to reject the effects of the rectifier, but no tube amp made can employ the amount of feedback required! So in practice, rectifiers affect the sound, plain and simple.

Power tubes and driver tubes probably affect the sound more though...

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