What is the ECL82 vacuum tube?

The ECL82 is a pentode vacuum tube designed for power applications.

What is a ECL82 substitute or equivalent?

Direct equivalents to the ECL82 include 6BM8. 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.

Is the ECL82 still in production?

Production status varies by year and manufacturer. The current Amperatubes catalog classifies the ECL82 as Common 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 ECL82 sound like?

Sonic character depends 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.

ECL82 Pentode Vacuum Tube

Also known as 6BM8

Triode + PentodeHeater 6.3 V · 0.78 A9-pin Noval2 sectionsPhilips 1955

Triode · Plate dissipation: 1W
Triode · Amplification factor: 70
Pentode · Plate dissipation: 7W
Pentode · Max screen voltage: 300V

ECL82

Characteristics

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

HeaterIndirectly heated

Specifications of ECL82 — Heater
Heater voltageVh	6.3 V
Heater currentIh	0.78 A

Mechanical

Specifications of ECL82 — Mechanical
Base	9-pin Noval
Rarity	Common
Pinout

TriodeTriode

Limiting valuesDatasheet maximum ratings — not to be exceeded

Specifications of ECL82-T — Triode — Limiting values
Plate voltageVa max	300 V
Screen voltageVg2 max	300 V
Plate dissipationPa max	1 W
Cathode currentIk max	50 mA
Grid resistorRg1 max	1 MΩ
Peak plate voltageVao	550 V

Small signalDatasheet parameters at the reference operating point — not limits

Specifications of ECL82-T — Triode — Small signal
Transconductance	2.5 mA/V
Plate resistance	27 kΩ
Amplification factor	70

Capacitances

Specifications of ECL82-T — Triode — Capacitances
Grid–cathode	2.7 pF
Grid–plate	4.3 pF
Plate–cathode	4.3 pF

Charactereditorial reading, not a measurement

Specifications of ECL82-T — Triode — Character
Gain	70%
Power	3%
Drive	73%
Linearity	65%

PentodePentode

Limiting valuesDatasheet maximum ratings — not to be exceeded

Specifications of ECL82-P — Pentode — Limiting values
Plate voltageVa max	300 V
Screen voltageVg2 max	300 V
Plate dissipationPa max	7 W
Screen dissipationPg2 max	1.8 W
Cathode currentIk max	50 mA
Grid resistorRg1 max	1 MΩ
Peak plate voltageVao	550 V

Small signalDatasheet parameters at the reference operating point — not limits

Specifications of ECL82-P — Pentode — Small signal
Transconductance	7.5 mA/V
Plate resistance	16 kΩ
Amplification factor	10

Capacitances

Specifications of ECL82-P — Pentode — Capacitances
Input	9.3 pF
Grid–plate	0.3 pF
Output	8 pF

Charactereditorial reading, not a measurement

Specifications of ECL82-P — Pentode — Character
Gain	10%
Power	18%
Drive	84%
Linearity	95%

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

Typical operation

Canonical operating pointModel

B+: 250 V
Load: 54 kΩ
Va: 150 V
Ia: 1.49 mA
Vg: -1.5 V
Pd: 0.22 W
Gain: 33 dB

At Q: Norman Koren
μ: 70.8
gm: 2.09 mA/V
rp: 33.9 kΩ

Design a stage →

Using this tube

Applications

Phase splitter

Philips EL3549 recorderTelefunken Opus Hi-Fi

Replace or compare

Sources

By Jean-Michel Falligan DevergneReviewed May 29, 2026Source : Philips ECL82/6BM8 datasheet (drtube)

Manufacturer datasheets

Triode

6 manufacturer datasheets cross-checked for ECL82 — Triode6 verified

Triode-connectedPhilipsDecember 1969 / January 1969 (sheets 1969.12 & 1969.01 ; FP page 1999.08.15)

Va: 100 V
Vg1: 0 V
Ia: 3.5 mA
gm: 2.2 mA/V
µ: 16
Ra: 16 Ω

Pentode

6 manufacturer datasheets cross-checked for ECL82 — Pentode6 verified

ECL82 DatasheetLocal mirror · PDF

SPICE models

Revision and verification status

Source: Philips ECL82/6BM8 datasheet (drtube)
Reviewed: 2026-05-29
Status: DataModelCalc
Model: SPICE model

Context

The ECL82-T is a indirectly-heated triode from Philips, introduced around 1955. It provides a gain factor (μ) of 70 with 27.0kΩ plate resistance. Commonly used in preamp applications. Triode section. The ECL82-P is a indirectly-heated pentode from Philips, introduced around 1955. It provides a gain factor (μ) of 10 with 16.0kΩ plate resistance. Commonly used in power applications. Power pentode section.

History

Introduced: 1955
Manufacturer: Philips
Era: Golden Age

METRIX TESTER

Characteristics

HeaterIndirectly heated

Mechanical

TriodeTriode

Limiting valuesDatasheet maximum ratings — not to be exceeded

Small signalDatasheet parameters at the reference operating point — not limits

Capacitances

Charactereditorial reading, not a measurement?

PentodePentode

Limiting valuesDatasheet maximum ratings — not to be exceeded

Small signalDatasheet parameters at the reference operating point — not limits

Capacitances

Charactereditorial reading, not a measurement?

Typical operation

Using this tube

Applications

Replace or compare

Versus 12SJ7

Similar tubes

Sources

Manufacturer datasheets

SPICE models

Context

History

Test this tube on a Metrix

Charactereditorial reading, not a measurement

Charactereditorial reading, not a measurement