What is the 6H30 vacuum tube?

The 6H30 (6H30Pi) is a triode vacuum tube designed for line stage applications. Ultra-low distortion. BAT favorite..

What is a 6H30 substitute or equivalent?

Direct equivalents to the 6H30 include 6N30P-DR. These share the same pinout and operating envelope, so they can usually be swapped without circuit changes — though batch-to-batch variations between manufacturers (NOS vs current production) may shift the sonic character noticeably.

What are the key specifications of the 6H30?

Amplification factor μ ≈ 15.5, transconductance gm ≈ 16.5 mA/V, plate resistance rp ≈ 940 Ω, max plate voltage 250 V, max plate dissipation 4 W, heater 6.3 V / 0.825 A.

Is the 6H30 still in production?

Production status varies by year and manufacturer. The current Amperatubes catalog classifies the 6H30 as Moderate availability. NOS (new-old-stock) examples from RCA, Mullard, Tung-Sol, GE, Sylvania and Telefunken trade among collectors; modern production where it exists comes mostly from JJ Electronic, Electro-Harmonix, Tung-Sol (New Sensor), Genalex, and a handful of small-batch makers.

What does the 6H30 sound like?

Ultra-low distortion. BAT favorite.. Sonic character also depends heavily on the circuit operating point, the surrounding tubes in the stage, and the output transformer when present — use the interactive loadline calculator on this page to explore the trade-offs.

6H30 Pi Triode Vacuum Tube

Also known as 6N30P-DR

Medium-gain triode for driver and line stage applications

Dual triodeHeater 6.3 V · 0.825 A9-pin Noval2 sectionsReflektor 1975

Plate dissipation: 4W
Max plate voltage: 250V
Amplification factor: 15.5
Transconductance: 16.5mA/V
Plate resistance: 940Ω

6H30

Characteristics

Datasheet values, once each. Every value cites its sheet.

HeaterIndirectly heated

Specifications of 6H30 — Heater
Heater voltageVh	6.3 V
Heater currentIh	0.825 A

Limiting valuesDatasheet maximum ratings — not to be exceeded

Specifications of 6H30 — Limiting values
Plate voltageVa max	250 V
Plate dissipationPa max	4 W

Mechanical

Specifications of 6H30 — Mechanical
Base	9-pin Noval
Rarity	Moderate
Pinout

Small signalDatasheet parameters at the reference operating point — not limits

Specifications of 6H30 — Small signal
Transconductance	16.5 mA/V
Plate resistance	940 Ω
Amplification factor	15.5

Capacitances

Specifications of 6H30 — Capacitances
Grid–cathode	4.8 pF
Grid–plate	1.1 pF
Plate–cathode	1.6 pF

Charactereditorial reading, not a measurement

Specifications of 6H30 — Character
Gain	16%
Power	10%
Drive	99%
Linearity	92%

datasheet cited · model or editorial reading · catalogue value, no citation attached yet · nothing invented

Typical operation

Canonical operating pointModel

B+: 200 V
Load: 4 kΩ
Va: 120 V
Ia: 26.73 mA
Vg: -6.1 V
Pd: 3.21 W
Gain: 22.4 dB

At Q: Norman Koren
μ: 16.3
gm: 14.2 mA/V
rp: 1.1 kΩ

Design a stage →

Using this tube

Applications

Headphone output
Line stage
Phase splitter

Generic triode line stage stage

Headphone amp

Replace or compare

Sources

By Jean-Michel Falligan DevergneReviewed May 29, 2026Source : TubeAmpDoctor 6N30P-DR datasheetActive model : Norman Koren

Manufacturer datasheets

6H30 DatasheetLocal mirror · PDF

SPICE models

Revision and verification status

Source: TubeAmpDoctor 6N30P-DR datasheet
Reviewed: 2026-05-29
Status: DataModelCalc
Model: Norman Koren

Context

The 6H30 (6N30P) is a Russian dual triode developed for military radar and missile guidance systems, characterized by very low plate resistance (~800 ohms per section) and high transconductance. Its ability to deliver substantial current into low-impedance loads makes it behave almost like a solid-state buffer with tube character, excelling in line stages and output buffers. The tube was popularized in Western hi-fi by Balanced Audio Technology (BAT), whose preamps and amplifiers are designed around it. Available primarily as NOS Soviet military stock or current Electro-Harmonix production, the 6H30 occupies a unique niche as a current-delivery powerhouse among small-signal tubes.

History

Introduced: 1975
Manufacturer: Reflektor
Era: Late Production

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