It's been my main recording and "around the house" amp now for almost 3 years. I sold my Blues Junior, Matchless Lightning clone and Gibson GA-100, but the VHT Special 6 is a keeper.
Still have it? A 6BQ5)EL84 with the adapter and the stock bias resistor is great. 12AT7 or Y in V1 sounds better to my ear than the 5751. I use 5751s all the time in other stuff, its stuffy in this circuit. Grab some NOS or good used off label 6v6s and 12AX7, Baldwin, Hammond, etc. Cheaper. Anythings better than that Chinese dog it comes with. So it was unclear, sorry, did you install the switched parallel bias resistor to hot the bias up for 6L6/5881?
I have not done the bias mod... I have the resistor and switch, just haven't gotten around to it... sounds great just like it is. 5751 preamp, 5881 power tube.
Played it with the included 6l6b GT branded sovtek and gt branded 12ax7 no mods with a g12h heritage celestion and very impressed more power and clarity than I thought I would have. I put the wiring in for the bias mod will try tomorrow. I did notice that the outputtube and the tanny got pretty hot. Im thinking of adding an chassis mounted fan, the hotter the tubes get the more distorted they sound.
+Sin sin sinner Lower the bias setting to run cooler and less distortion. Less overall power, though. Improves tube life. Well that's all I know from actual experience.
If the power switch is off, it's perfectly safe to pop out a power tube (and I was wearing a heavy glove). That said, safety first is always a great motto. :)
With the power on the amplifier on... turn off at the mains and remove the plug. Valve/Tube amplifiers retain very high voltages... better safe than sorry... you know it makes sense!
Very nice comparison video. I bought a second hand VHT special 6 ultra that had a damaged original speaker. I found an inexpensive Jensen C12Q that I plan to mount. But this speaker is 8 ohm, and I want to plug it into the internal 16 ohm output. Will it work without any problems? Or do I need to replace the power tube with a 5881 as you describe here? Thank you.
I’m not sure about the Ultra model, but I understand that either replacing the power tube with a 6L6 or 5881 would accomplish that end - facilitating using the 16 ohm tap with an 8 ohm speaker. There are also mod instructions online to install a “bias switch” that changes the cathode resistor value to accommodate the larger tubes, that might help, too.
JJ's are fuller in all aspects to me . How is it possible to use the 5881 tube in a 6V6 with out issues? I use them in place of 6L6GC in my Older tube amps
So, the VHT Special 6 is specially designed to allow you to use *any* octal power tube. It has overbuilt power and output transformers to allow tube rolling, and if you are so inclined, they also give you the schematics and show you mods you can do that won't void the warranty. I have been using the Tung Sol 5881 in this amp for several years with no adverse issues. Using a 5881 power tube brings the amp's output power up from the stock 6w it gets with a 6V6 to around 10w before distorting/overdriving.
Hi, I just bought the VHT special 6 ultra and so far i am liking the sound of it. Anyway i have just played it with my epiphone les paul standard and this guitar always sounded crap. It seems to me that the sound (might be because of the guitar) lacks a bit of bass response and it has alot of treble, specially using the bridge pick up. Which is the best valve combination i can use to get the best warm clean sound?
The Ultra version of this amp is significantly different from the standard VHT Special 6, but my recommendation would be to first get your pickups properly adjusted for overall height and pole screw setup, then adjust the EQ on the amp. You might try a 6L6 or 5881 power tube to increase power output and a 5751 or 12AU7 preamp tube to reduce preamp distortion.
Hi again! :) My ultra came with a problem... It started making a buzz sound when i hit the lower notes on guitar... I am thinking about sending it back to the store and order the vht special 6 combo, and buy some new tubes and a better speaker with the extra 100€. Do you think it is a good option considering that the only thing that interests me on the ultra is the 12" speaker?
+José Fidalgo Honestly, I like the 10" speaker that came with the standard VHT Special 6. It has better transient response than a 12" speaker, less speaker cone distortion. My preference for amps runs toward simplicity as opposed to complexity, so I also prefer the amp section of the standard Special 6 vs the Ultra. The factory tubes are complete junk, and should be replaced in any case.
+SDB Guitars Sorry for being upsetting you again... I just sent the Ultra back and i will order the special 6 combo, just because of the portability and because i really don't need the ultra channel. I was thinking about order the 5881 power amp tube just as you recommended but the store only has sovtek or bugera 5881 tubes, not the tung-sol... Do you think they are similar? Would it be ok to replace the stock tubes with a 12AT7 and one of those 5881 without the necessity of changing anything in the amp? I mean bias or fuse (I don't know much about this things)... Also do you think that would be a good choice to buy those tubes keeping in mind that i don't need much output power and i like to have a bluesy slight distorted sound? What i mean is, i think it is better to have less pre amp distortion and use a nice overdrive pedal to get that blues sound am i right? Thank you for the advices you have been giving me! :)
+José Fidalgo you didn't upset me. :) you can definitely use a different brand 5881. Sovtek should be fine. Not sure who makes the Bugera branded one. I wouldn't recommend a 12AT7 for the preamp just because it requires more current than any other 12A*7 variant. Another 12AX7, 12AY7 or 12AU7 would be fine. You don't need to rebias the amp for a 5881, it will just be biased a bit cool. It will be fine. Mine has been fine for several years now.
I'm currently using a JJ 5751 pramp tube and a Tung-Sol 5881 power tube. The same tubes, in fact, that were demoed in this video over 4 years ago. Sounds great, very Fender-y. Which makes sense, since this amp is basically an overbuilt Blackface Champ.
Any idea why the Variable Watts Control would stop working after I changed the 6L6GT tube made in China, to a 6L6GC Goovetube? Sounds did not change, but my watts dose nothing now. Making me crazy and sad. Help anyone.
+Mojo Bro No idea, the standard Special 6 doesn't have a Variable Watts control... I think that's limited to the Ultra version. If you're having an issue with it, I would contact VHT support. They're very helpful, providing full schematics and even mod tips for these amps. You can apparently even mod them (within reason) without voiding your warranty.
Well thats what I have. Ultra 6. I contact them, they contact me for a video of it, then never got back to me. I sent the video, that shows it makes no difference at all on the sound.
Have you ever held or play a VHT Special 6 Ultra. This is made very very very well, and sound is as good as my Hughes and Kettner. I play stereo and on some songs the VHT sounds great, just want the watts control back.
+Thunder Death 2 there is nothing wrong with an amp being made in China. Marshall and Vix amps are also now made in China, and many of them use lower quality components (PCB/surface mount construction) then you will find in the VHT Special series (eyelet board/full size through hole construction). I don't know why the variable watts control has stopped working. I don't have the Ultra version, so my all doesn't have that option. I would never use a feature like that because if I wanted low volume, it would also be with the intent of keeping the amp as clean as possible, so I wouldn't need a watts control. That said, I'm sorry yours is giving you trouble. Contact VHT support again and see what they have to say.
the Special series is cathode biased, that's true. It is based on a Blackface Champ circuit, with the TMB controls hard-wired internally and a tweed-style tone control inline. However, "cathode bias" sets a voltage range for a particular tube, and from the factory it is idealized for a 6V6. If you swap in a 6L6, it will by the nature of the cathode resistor be biased very "cold" for what a 6L6 wants to see. Adding another resistor (switchable in and out of the circuit) with the correct value parallel to the factory cathode resistor will allow you to bias the amp for 6V6 tubes (stock) or 6L6/EL34.5881/KT66 tubes.
I honestly think that's heavily dependent on tube selection. I owned a SF Champ (same circuit as BF Champ) and sold it after I bought this. Mind you, I'm using a 5881 power tube and 5751 preamp tube and I haven't bothered to do the bias switch mod. The factory tubes VHT uses are complete crap, but once I dropped a JJ 6V6S into the VHT, it outperformed the Fender Champ in tone, clarity and output. Even more so with the Tung Sol 5881/JJ 5751 tube combination.
It really is... unlike most other amps on the market (Chinese made or otherwise), this amp is built like a boutique amp. Completely hand wired, using high quality full-size components, and VHT will even give you the schematic if you want to mod it yourself. They will even go so far as to *not* void the warranty if you mod the amp, so long as you don't do something stupid that damages the amp's factory components. They even tell you (in articles you can find on the internet) how to add BMT controls, what resistor to jumper with a switched resistor to allow switchable bias for larger tubes, etc., all while maintaining your warranty.
You can definitely see what is so special about it. Amp companies just dont make amps like this or in this way, it's all about giving you the minimum for the most money they can squeeze. I hope this amp goes down in legend as the years roll on because this was one time when a company really took care of it's customers. Amp companies usually want you buying the next model in 12 months time and build quality has that in mind, but I reckon in this case they sacrificed potential return custom in favour of developing a serious amp that you could ride happily for years. Brilliant idea and a brilliant company for doing it. I'd love to own one.
It doesn't have more hum, it's actually the guitar. My Tele pickups are not RW/RP so there is no hum-cancelling position, and depending on where I stand the hum is pretty bad in my house (also basically none of my outlets are grounded). Connected to a grounded outlet the amp is dead quiet. Start adding certain noisy effects (delays, reverbs, etc.) and it adds back up.
welp you really need to play the base stock tubes more or better? there isn't really much to compare to for some reason you didn't play anything with the stock tubes in you kept muting the strings then just stopped, we wont know what it sounds like stock? go back and watch, you should play the EXACT same thing same pick attack everything for comparison, let the chords ring out till dead so we can experience the sustain as well as the attack, then hit a few lead notes and let those ring out as well, maybea mid then a high.. you;re not really playing anything here very difficult to compare?
Thanks for commenting. This video is over 8 years old, and I’m clearly not a professional gear demo channel 😂 Maybe, someday, I’ll go back and repeat this demo, but with a real mic on the amp instead of an iPhone camera mic 6’ away. Given that this amp now costs double what it cost when I made the video, I feel like people may not be purchasing them specifically to mod as much as they used to. 🤷♂️
@Nicko Lps Fair… though I think it’s less a voltage issue and more a bias issue… the amp will also easily use other big bottle octal power tubes such as 6L6/5881/EL34 if the bias resistor is is swapped out. 🤷♂️
Видеоклипы
Wow same guitar/amp setup that I just ordered! Good to hear as I am contemplating the Tung-Sol swap
I am getting the vht special 6 head today. I hope they are as well made as everyone says
It's been my main recording and "around the house" amp now for almost 3 years. I sold my Blues Junior, Matchless Lightning clone and Gibson GA-100, but the VHT Special 6 is a keeper.
Still have it? A 6BQ5)EL84 with the adapter and the stock bias resistor is great.
12AT7 or Y in V1 sounds better to my ear than the 5751. I use 5751s all the time in other stuff, its stuffy in this circuit.
Grab some NOS or good used off label 6v6s and 12AX7, Baldwin, Hammond, etc. Cheaper. Anythings better than that Chinese dog it comes with.
So it was unclear, sorry, did you install the switched parallel bias resistor to hot the bias up for 6L6/5881?
Wow sounds great im getting the ultra tomorrow hope it sounds like yours with the G12h heritage I plan to use it with.
Good luck! I prefer the original, but I've heard decent things about the Ultra...
Thanks did you do the switchable bias mod?
I have not done the bias mod... I have the resistor and switch, just haven't gotten around to it... sounds great just like it is. 5751 preamp, 5881 power tube.
Played it with the included 6l6b GT branded sovtek and gt branded 12ax7 no mods with a g12h heritage celestion and very impressed more power and clarity than I thought I would have. I put the wiring in for the bias mod will try tomorrow. I did notice that the outputtube and the tanny got pretty hot. Im thinking of adding an chassis mounted fan, the hotter the tubes get the more distorted they sound.
+Sin sin sinner Lower the bias setting to run cooler and less distortion. Less overall power, though. Improves tube life. Well that's all I know from actual experience.
Sounds good. I think you should unplug the amp when changing tubes though. Don't wanna fry and die.
If the power switch is off, it's perfectly safe to pop out a power tube (and I was wearing a heavy glove). That said, safety first is always a great motto. :)
With the power on the amplifier on... turn off at the mains and remove the plug. Valve/Tube amplifiers retain very high voltages... better safe than sorry... you know it makes sense!
Very nice comparison video. I bought a second hand VHT special 6 ultra that had a damaged original speaker. I found an inexpensive Jensen C12Q that I plan to mount. But this speaker is 8 ohm, and I want to plug it into the internal 16 ohm output. Will it work without any problems? Or do I need to replace the power tube with a 5881 as you describe here? Thank you.
I’m not sure about the Ultra model, but I understand that either replacing the power tube with a 6L6 or 5881 would accomplish that end - facilitating using the 16 ohm tap with an 8 ohm speaker. There are also mod instructions online to install a “bias switch” that changes the cathode resistor value to accommodate the larger tubes, that might help, too.
JJ's are fuller in all aspects to me . How is it possible to use the 5881 tube in a 6V6 with out issues? I use them in place of 6L6GC in my Older tube amps
So, the VHT Special 6 is specially designed to allow you to use *any* octal power tube. It has overbuilt power and output transformers to allow tube rolling, and if you are so inclined, they also give you the schematics and show you mods you can do that won't void the warranty. I have been using the Tung Sol 5881 in this amp for several years with no adverse issues. Using a 5881 power tube brings the amp's output power up from the stock 6w it gets with a 6V6 to around 10w before distorting/overdriving.
Hi, I just bought the VHT special 6 ultra and so far i am liking the sound of it. Anyway i have just played it with my epiphone les paul standard and this guitar always sounded crap. It seems to me that the sound (might be because of the guitar) lacks a bit of bass response and it has alot of treble, specially using the bridge pick up. Which is the best valve combination i can use to get the best warm clean sound?
The Ultra version of this amp is significantly different from the standard VHT Special 6, but my recommendation would be to first get your pickups properly adjusted for overall height and pole screw setup, then adjust the EQ on the amp. You might try a 6L6 or 5881 power tube to increase power output and a 5751 or 12AU7 preamp tube to reduce preamp distortion.
Hi again! :) My ultra came with a problem... It started making a buzz sound when i hit the lower notes on guitar... I am thinking about sending it back to the store and order the vht special 6 combo, and buy some new tubes and a better speaker with the extra 100€. Do you think it is a good option considering that the only thing that interests me on the ultra is the 12" speaker?
+José Fidalgo Honestly, I like the 10" speaker that came with the standard VHT Special 6. It has better transient response than a 12" speaker, less speaker cone distortion. My preference for amps runs toward simplicity as opposed to complexity, so I also prefer the amp section of the standard Special 6 vs the Ultra. The factory tubes are complete junk, and should be replaced in any case.
+SDB Guitars Sorry for being upsetting you again... I just sent the Ultra back and i will order the special 6 combo, just because of the portability and because i really don't need the ultra channel. I was thinking about order the 5881 power amp tube just as you recommended but the store only has sovtek or bugera 5881 tubes, not the tung-sol... Do you think they are similar? Would it be ok to replace the stock tubes with a 12AT7 and one of those 5881 without the necessity of changing anything in the amp? I mean bias or fuse (I don't know much about this things)... Also do you think that would be a good choice to buy those tubes keeping in mind that i don't need much output power and i like to have a bluesy slight distorted sound? What i mean is, i think it is better to have less pre amp distortion and use a nice overdrive pedal to get that blues sound am i right? Thank you for the advices you have been giving me! :)
+José Fidalgo you didn't upset me. :) you can definitely use a different brand 5881. Sovtek should be fine. Not sure who makes the Bugera branded one. I wouldn't recommend a 12AT7 for the preamp just because it requires more current than any other 12A*7 variant. Another 12AX7, 12AY7 or 12AU7 would be fine. You don't need to rebias the amp for a 5881, it will just be biased a bit cool. It will be fine. Mine has been fine for several years now.
Anyone tried this amp with a gold lion 12ax7?
I have a vht special 6 ultra 1x12, what tubes should i buy?, i like the twed fender sound, i saw a guy that used tungsol preamps and JJ's power tubes.
I'm currently using a JJ 5751 pramp tube and a Tung-Sol 5881 power tube. The same tubes, in fact, that were demoed in this video over 4 years ago. Sounds great, very Fender-y. Which makes sense, since this amp is basically an overbuilt Blackface Champ.
@@sdbguitars hey did you re biased for the 5881?
@@borgassi I did not. It's biased a little cold. Still sounds great, though
@@sdbguitars Ah cool then! I will try it this week, also connecting the cabinet on a half impedance output. Thanks!
Any idea why the Variable Watts Control would stop working after I changed the 6L6GT tube made in China, to a 6L6GC Goovetube? Sounds did not change, but my watts dose nothing now. Making me crazy and sad. Help anyone.
+Mojo Bro No idea, the standard Special 6 doesn't have a Variable Watts control... I think that's limited to the Ultra version. If you're having an issue with it, I would contact VHT support. They're very helpful, providing full schematics and even mod tips for these amps. You can apparently even mod them (within reason) without voiding your warranty.
the problem is you Baught a Chinese amp that was your first mistake
Well thats what I have. Ultra 6. I contact them, they contact me for a video of it, then never got back to me. I sent the video, that shows it makes no difference at all on the sound.
Have you ever held or play a VHT Special 6 Ultra. This is made very very very well, and sound is as good as my Hughes and Kettner. I play stereo and on some songs the VHT sounds great, just want the watts control back.
+Thunder Death 2 there is nothing wrong with an amp being made in China. Marshall and Vix amps are also now made in China, and many of them use lower quality components (PCB/surface mount construction) then you will find in the VHT Special series (eyelet board/full size through hole construction).
I don't know why the variable watts control has stopped working. I don't have the Ultra version, so my all doesn't have that option. I would never use a feature like that because if I wanted low volume, it would also be with the intent of keeping the amp as clean as possible, so I wouldn't need a watts control. That said, I'm sorry yours is giving you trouble. Contact VHT support again and see what they have to say.
I thought the VHT's were self (cathode) bias amps? with no need to change the bias when changing power tubes.
the Special series is cathode biased, that's true. It is based on a Blackface Champ circuit, with the TMB controls hard-wired internally and a tweed-style tone control inline. However, "cathode bias" sets a voltage range for a particular tube, and from the factory it is idealized for a 6V6. If you swap in a 6L6, it will by the nature of the cathode resistor be biased very "cold" for what a 6L6 wants to see. Adding another resistor (switchable in and out of the circuit) with the correct value parallel to the factory cathode resistor will allow you to bias the amp for 6V6 tubes (stock) or 6L6/EL34.5881/KT66 tubes.
thanks for the heads up. I like the amp it's a keeper but I do find it darker(less chime) , dirtier and louder than a BF Champ.
I honestly think that's heavily dependent on tube selection. I owned a SF Champ (same circuit as BF Champ) and sold it after I bought this. Mind you, I'm using a 5881 power tube and 5751 preamp tube and I haven't bothered to do the bias switch mod. The factory tubes VHT uses are complete crap, but once I dropped a JJ 6V6S into the VHT, it outperformed the Fender Champ in tone, clarity and output. Even more so with the Tung Sol 5881/JJ 5751 tube combination.
if they are then that's tremendous bang for your buck
It really is... unlike most other amps on the market (Chinese made or otherwise), this amp is built like a boutique amp. Completely hand wired, using high quality full-size components, and VHT will even give you the schematic if you want to mod it yourself. They will even go so far as to *not* void the warranty if you mod the amp, so long as you don't do something stupid that damages the amp's factory components. They even tell you (in articles you can find on the internet) how to add BMT controls, what resistor to jumper with a switched resistor to allow switchable bias for larger tubes, etc., all while maintaining your warranty.
You can definitely see what is so special about it. Amp companies just dont make amps like this or in this way, it's all about giving you the minimum for the most money they can squeeze. I hope this amp goes down in legend as the years roll on because this was one time when a company really took care of it's customers. Amp companies usually want you buying the next model in 12 months time and build quality has that in mind, but I reckon in this case they sacrificed potential return custom in favour of developing a serious amp that you could ride happily for years. Brilliant idea and a brilliant company for doing it. I'd love to own one.
5881 sounds like it has more hum.
It doesn't have more hum, it's actually the guitar. My Tele pickups are not RW/RP so there is no hum-cancelling position, and depending on where I stand the hum is pretty bad in my house (also basically none of my outlets are grounded). Connected to a grounded outlet the amp is dead quiet. Start adding certain noisy effects (delays, reverbs, etc.) and it adds back up.
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welp you really need to play the base stock tubes more or better? there isn't really much to compare to for some reason you didn't play anything with the stock tubes in you kept muting the strings then just stopped, we wont know what it sounds like stock? go back and watch, you should play the EXACT same thing same pick attack everything for comparison, let the chords ring out till dead so we can experience the sustain as well as the attack, then hit a few lead notes and let those ring out as well, maybea mid then a high.. you;re not really playing anything here very difficult to compare?
Thanks for commenting. This video is over 8 years old, and I’m clearly not a professional gear demo channel 😂
Maybe, someday, I’ll go back and repeat this demo, but with a real mic on the amp instead of an iPhone camera mic 6’ away. Given that this amp now costs double what it cost when I made the video, I feel like people may not be purchasing them specifically to mod as much as they used to. 🤷♂️
@@sdbguitars I just picked another one up at guitar center for 200
Respectfully....Ppl want to hear the amp more
Respectfully, this demo is 8 years old 😂
@Nicko Lps Fair… though I think it’s less a voltage issue and more a bias issue… the amp will also easily use other big bottle octal power tubes such as 6L6/5881/EL34 if the bias resistor is is swapped out. 🤷♂️