6V6

Beam Tetrode — Octal

RCA

Known Equivalents & Substitutes

58716AY56P6C6V6G6V6GT6V6GTA6V6GTYCV509CV510CV511VT1077184

Similar Tubes (Not Drop-In Compatible)

Electrically very similar (same mu, gm, Pout) but miniature B7G base — not pin-compatible with Octal

Brans lists as equivalent but Soviet tube — verify pin compatibility before substituting

7C5

Electrically identical but Loctal base — not compatible with Octal sockets

Electrical Specifications

Section 1 — Beam Tetrode

Absolute Maximum

Anode Voltage (max)Anode Voltage (max)350V

Screen Voltage (max)Screen Voltage (max)315V

Anode Dissipation (max)Anode Dissipation (max)14W

Screen Dissipation (max)Screen Dissipation (max)2.2W

Notes

TDSL lists Va_max as 350 V (metal 6V6); 6V6GT datasheets commonly rate Va_max at 315 V. The 315 V screen voltage maximum applies across all variants.
Pin 1 is the shell connection on the metal 6V6 envelope; on 6V6GT/6V6GTA glass types it is no connection.
Pin 8 connects to both the cathode and the internal beam-forming plates (which serve the suppressor function).
Grid circuit resistance: typically 0.5 MΩ max for fixed bias, 1 MΩ max for cathode bias (per RCA data).
7C5 is the Loctal-base equivalent with identical electrical characteristics.
6P6C (6П6С) is the Soviet equivalent; electrically similar but some production lots have tighter or looser parameter spreads.
Triode-strapped data (mu, gm, rp) sourced from Tom Schlangen's 'Pentodes Strapped as Triodes' (2009) measured data table, not from the manufacturer datasheet.

Pin Layout — Octal

1No Connection (shell on metal type)

2Heater

3Anode (Plate)

4

Socket-Compatible Tubes ⚠ Not electrically compatible

References