# High Plate Voltage



## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

So if an amp was made specifically to have a very high plate voltage, what are the possible drawbacks of this type of amp? Premature failure of power tubes?


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## nonreverb (Sep 19, 2006)

Depends, if the tubes are poor quality, or are operating out of their specified range, then yes. A well designed amp will not necessarily kill power tubes prematurely.
The Fender PS400 used over 600 Volts on the plates of it's 6550's. Yes , if pushed hard, the GE 6550A's wear out faster but not necessarily fail.
Here's and extreme example. This thing goes through the mercury vapour rectifers fairly quickly but hey it's running around 3KV @ a quarter amp!!!
[video=youtube;GHRYjrsM5CI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHRYjrsM5CI[/video]


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## Fader (Mar 10, 2009)

nonreverb said:


> Depends, if the tubes are poor quality, or are operating out of their specified range, then yes. A well designed amp will not necessarily kill power tubes prematurely.
> The Fender PS400 used over 600 Volts on the plates of it's 6550's. Yes , if pushed hard, the GE 6550A's wear out faster but not necessarily fail.
> Here's and extreme example. This thing goes through the mercury vapour rectifers fairly quickly but hey it's running around 3KV @ a quarter amp!!!
> [video=youtube;GHRYjrsM5CI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHRYjrsM5CI[/video]


That rig must belong to a CBer.


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## WCGill (Mar 27, 2009)

GuitarsCanada said:


> what are the possible drawbacks of this type of amp?


It'll probably be damn loud!


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