High gain submini tube amp?

[therecordingart]

I'm just curious...do any of the submini tube amps on this site get you into metal territory? I want to build another amp with the success of my Firefly, but I'm not sure what to build. I definitely want an amp for metal.

[Zapp Brannigan]

Seek for russian 6H17Б-В (6N17B-V) and 6П30Б (6P30B) tubes - the first is 12ax7 analogue, but with 6.3 v heater, and 6p30b is almost the same thing as 6V6, but requires lower plate voltage (about 300 volts, if I remember well), then find a schemo you like and build it! Power amp schematic can be similar to Mark Huss 6V6 Plexi, but with lower plate voltage values:
http://mhuss.com/Plexi6V6/index.html
In preamp section you may use this, for example, it's Laboga Mr. Hector:
http://www.onlinedisk.ru/file/533870/

[gtudoran]

You could also use 6n16b insted of 6n17b. 6p30b has a maximum anode voltage of 200v (i don't recomand excedeing this rating) and a maximum anode dissipation power of 5w (a little more for the dual anode version -6p30b-r) and you need about 4k for anode load in a SE configuration and a 2-4k for a PP configuration. Do not be fooled by the size of the tubes they are little beasts, ohh and btw take into consideration that 6n16b eat about 350-400mA for heaters and so the 6p30b.

Best regards,
Gabriel Tudoran
Analog Sound

[Zapp Brannigan]

You could also use 6n16b insted of 6n17b

Best regards,
Gabriel Tudoran
Analog Sound

.....but it has lower amplification factor.

[gtudoran]

That is correct (in fact .. i think that @ that power you could stick a inter stage fet booster that is switchable...).

Best regards,
Gabriel Tudoran
Analog Sound

[petemoore]

I'm just curious...do any of the submini tube amps on this site get you into metal territory?
 Here come's the comments.
 Haven't tried submini amps yet.
 Not sure what they can be made to do...as shown on scope or heard by ear.
What the capacitences and HF response that can be wrought out of them of course might matter.
 That said:
 Electronic scaling is generally possible, how well that translates to 'Metal tone from submini" is unknown.
 The tranduction interface of course is quite different with smaller speaker cones and cabinets. A big part of big-amp tone comes from compressing a relatively large volume of air, or pushing larger coned [and therefore inherintly more lower frequency oriented] speakers to compressing levels...this part doesn't scale so well or so easy.
 
   

[MetalGuy]

I've built several high gain preamps with 6N16B and 6N17B. The verdict is ONLY 6N17B are good for high gain and heavier stuff. If you're feeding them 250-300V you can use them in any 12AX7 preamp.
6N16B is good for overdrive only and distorts nasty when pushed very hard. It's good for other things like PI or a ~0,5W SE amp.
According to datasheet the  recommended voltage for 6P30B is 120V (330 Ohm cathode resistor). Maximum allowable voltage on plate is 250V. On of these will get you 1W in SE mode and two of them will get you 3-4W  in PP mode. They also have a military version - 6P30B-R which has a different construction and pinout.
I'm finishing a high gain amp with 4x6N17 and 2x6P30B and will get back to you with samples when I'm done.