UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum - View Single Post

Hybrid tellies · 30th Jan 2010, 10:20 pm

Personally I think you would be better off sticking with the trusted EL34 or the beam tetrode equivalent .The PL509 (EL509) was designed to run in the rather harsh environment of a colour tv line output stage rather than that of the more sedate conditions found in HiFi outputs. As they are getting rather rare I would suggest there are better choices of valves with better characteristics. I have never seen the PL509 used in an audio output stages but have seen one perform really well in a home built transmitter on the 4m or 70Mhz band.
Going back to the EL509-2 it sounds like Svetlana have totally redesigned it for the audio world which I find intriguing as there are already good audio output valves which will take some beating.

30th Jan 2010, 10:20 pm	#17
Hybrid tellies Nonode Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: 1966-1976 Coverack in Cornwall and Helston Cornwall. 1976-present Bristol/Bath area. Posts: 2,967	Re: EL or PL509 as an audio output valve. Personally I think you would be better off sticking with the trusted EL34 or the beam tetrode equivalent .The PL509 (EL509) was designed to run in the rather harsh environment of a colour tv line output stage rather than that of the more sedate conditions found in HiFi outputs. As they are getting rather rare I would suggest there are better choices of valves with better characteristics. I have never seen the PL509 used in an audio output stages but have seen one perform really well in a home built transmitter on the 4m or 70Mhz band. Going back to the EL509-2 it sounds like Svetlana have totally redesigned it for the audio world which I find intriguing as there are already good audio output valves which will take some beating. __________________ Simon BVWS member