The beam tetrode 6V6 metal valve was designed by RCA in the mid 1930s and became a standard design for audio output stages of broadcast receivers. The 6V6 is the little brother of the 6L6. Subsequently the 6V6 was produced in the shouldered glass envelope (6V6G) and the smaller glass tubular format (6V6GT).
The 6V6 was capable of push pull use but the normal environment was as a single end output stage. With the revival of valve audio amplifiers in the 21st century the 6V6GT and variants remained popular for both single ended and push-pull designs.
In the museum we have tested many 6V6 family valves and most used valves test to the correct curve shape even if the emission is low, however, the later EL84 design often tests with a distorted curve that indicates internal faults.
The Lewis & Kaufman name and Made in USA.
The Los Gatos cat logo.
The thin metal tube envelope is 25 mm in diameter and, excluding the IO base pins, is 67 mm tall.
References: Data-sheet, 1040 & 1043. Type 6V6 was first introduced in 1937. See also1937 adverts.