5881 JJ Power Tubes Compared w/EL34 & 6L6 (TAD Tubes)

0:00 Intro
1:18 Clean EL34
1:41 Clean 5881
2:04 Clean 6L6
2:28 Pushed EL34
2:56 Pushed 5881
3:23 Pushed 6L6
3:52 Dirty EL34
4:14 Dirty 5881
4:34 Dirty 6L6
4:56 HiGain EL34
5:17 HiGain 5881
5:37 HiGain 6L6
The differences are subtle so listen carefully. I mainly hear differences in volume, midrange, and low end. The clean channel breaks up a bit, but notice the difference in its saturation between the tubes.

[@YourBestNeighbor7]

Funnily enough, at high gain the 5881 tube is supposed to sound like the 6L6 but it actually got the loudest upper-mids out of the three tubes

[@mmagoon67]

Yes, they definitely do. I would add that it might also be because they're JJ and not TAD. The JJ tubes seem to run louder and have more of those mids you're describing, more than most other brands I've noticed.

[@florabee9283]

I think the jj5881 might be the most reliable power tube for guitar amps that take 6L6 and el34 types. The physical construction with all the support by those mica wafers combined with the small bottle size makes for a consistent and robust tube.

[@ChristopherFreedom]

Excellent Demo! Subscribed

[@AlexGarcia-ij5bc]

I enjoyed your playing and love your Triamp. Was the high gain riff a dream theater song or one of your own riffs?

[@mmagoon67]

Thanks. It was my own. I typically just noodle until I play something I like. The only actual song in here I felt like including is Rain by The Cult.

[@ericolson8016]

The 5881 sounds more like the EL34 when pushed. 6L6 sounds like a scooped dud of a power tube. Great video..

[@mmagoon67]

Don't be fooled by a comparison video like this. The 6L6 in comparison to the other two other here may not sound like a good tube, but on its own in the room they sound fantastic. I definitely wouldn't want to steer someone away from a good tube based on it being slightly quieter. It just has slightly less headroom.

[@ericolson8016]

I have an ongoing battle with 6L6's. It's the tone structure, a great tube in some amps. They usually end up making me crazy. I don't like the mid cut and loose low end. @@mmagoon67

[@mmagoon67]

@@ericolson8016 I hear you. I used to have a Dual Rec and hated the 6L6s. The EL34s smoothed it up a lot. 6L6s were too crunchy and flabby in the low end.

[@MrLeavemikealone]

Can you tell us where you run your bias currents?

[@mmagoon67]

The H&K Triamp Mark 3 has a self-biasing system.