6ES8
6ES8 is also designated ECC189. Completed sales put the typical price at $12.47 per tube.
Description
The 6ES8 is a semi-remote cutoff double triode designed for use as a cascode VHF amplifier, featuring extremely high transconductance, low capacitances, and low noise. It has a coated unipotential cathode and uses a 9AJ basing.
Construction
The tube comprises two sections. Section No. 1, the grounded cathode input section, connects to Pins 6, 7, and 8. Section No. 2, the grounded grid output section, connects to Pins 1, 2, and 3.
Ratings
The 6ES8 has a heater voltage of 6.3 volts and a heater current of 365 mA. Maximum ratings include a plate supply voltage of 550 volts, a plate voltage of 130 volts, a plate dissipation of 1.8 watts, a negative grid voltage of 50 volts, and a grid circuit resistance of 1.0 megohm. The heater-cathode voltage rating is 50 volts RMS maximum for both the grounded cathode and grounded grid sections. For the grounded grid section, the cathode positive with respect to heater rating is 130 volts maximum.
Characteristics
At a plate voltage of 90 volts and a grid voltage of -1.2 volts, the plate current is 15 mA and the transconductance is 12,500 µmhos. The grid voltage for a transconductance of 0.625 mA/V is -5 V, and for a transconductance of 0.125 mA/V is -9 V. The noise figure, measured with the tube operating in a TV tuner, is 6.5 db.
Capacitances
The grid-to-plate capacitance is 1.85 μμf, the plate-to-cathode capacitance is 0.18 μμf, and the heater-to-cathode capacitance is 2.7 μμf. Maximum inter-section capacitances are 0.040 μμf unshielded and 0.015 μμf shielded for plate-section-1-to-plate-section-2, 0.003 μμf for plate-section-2-to-grid-section-1, and 0.002 μμf for grid-section-1-to-cathode-section-2.
| Designation | Evidence | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| ECC189 | 63 independent documents | strong |
Equivalence is asserted only where the archive's own literature states it directly, in at least 40 separate documents. Tubes that merely substitute in some circuits are not listed here.
| Measure | Per tube |
|---|---|
| Median | $12.47 |
| Typical range (25th–75th) | $10.72 – $15.58 |
| Most sales (10th–90th) | $7.77 – $19.57 |
| Extremes incl. outliers | $6.25 – $19.99 |
| Completed sales | 16 |
| Brand | Median | Range | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| RCA | $11.66 | $10.33 – $12.74 | 6 |
| GE | $11.50 | $10.72 – $14.99 | 5 |
| Condition | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| NOS | $13.73 | 13 |
| used | $7.77 | 3 |
Per-tube prices from completed sales, 2026-03-10 to 2026-09-23. Matched pairs and quads are divided out. See the price index for how these move over time.
Original manufacturer datasheets for 6ES8, hosted by Frank Philipse's Electron Tube Data sheets.
| Manufacturer | Designation | Datasheet |
|---|---|---|
| Sylvania | 6ES8 | PDF (131 KB) |
| RCA (HB3) | 6ES8 | PDF (75 KB) |
| Mazda-Belvu | ECC189 | PDF (412 KB) |
| La Radiotechnique | ECC189 | PDF (162 KB) |
| Philips | ECC189 | PDF (17 KB) |
Documents held here and used to write this page.
- SYLVANIA TYPES 6ES8 2K3
- DOUBLE TRIODE (filed under ECC189)