Some tube questions... Rectifier tubes? Power tubes? - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

SmallWalrus · #1 (**permalink**) 07-01-2008, 01:47 PM

Hi all,

I am rather new to this whole vacuum tube thing and am just curious what is the difference between the two tubes used in a Darkvoice 336SE. Which one of them is the rectifier tube? And which is the power tube?

What is the rectifier tube used for? And similarly what does the power tube do? Sorry if these seem to be dumb questions, but I can't seem to find them asked before anywhere on headfi

breakfastchef · #2 (**permalink**) 07-01-2008, 02:54 PM

Based on my limited knowledge and research, the rectifier basically converts the AC line current coming into your amplifier to the DC voltages that are needed. Power tubes amplifiy the signal to the outputs of the device. Power tubes are larger.

Skylab · #3 (**permalink**) 07-01-2008, 03:05 PM

The Darkvoice 336SE does not use a rectifier tube. It uses a 6SN7-type tube for the driver tube, and a 6AS7-type tube for the power tube. Both of these tubes are dual-triodes, and so the reason that the amp works with just the two tubes is that in each case one triode section is for the left channel, and one for the right.