What is the PCL82 vacuum tube?

The PCL82 is a pentode vacuum tube designed for power applications.

What is a PCL82 substitute or equivalent?

Direct equivalents to the PCL82 include 16A8. 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 PCL82 still in production?

Production status varies by year and manufacturer. The current Amperatubes catalog classifies the PCL82 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 PCL82 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.

PCL82 Pentode Vacuum Tube

Also known as 16A8

Triode + PentodeHeater 16 V · 0.3 A9-pin Noval2 sectionsPhilips·Mullard 1955

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

PCL82

Characteristics

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

HeaterIndirectly heated

Specifications of PCL82 — Heater
Heater voltageVh	16 V
Heater currentIh	0.3 A

Mechanical

Specifications of PCL82 — Mechanical
Base	9-pin Noval
Rarity	Common
Pinout

TriodeTriode

Limiting valuesDatasheet maximum ratings — not to be exceeded

Specifications of PCL82-T — Triode — Limiting values
Plate voltageVa max	250 V
Screen voltageVg2 max	250 V
Plate dissipationPa max	1 W
Cathode currentIk max	15 mA
Grid resistorRg1 max	1 MΩ
Peak plate voltageVao	550 V
Heater–cathode voltageVhk max	200 V

Small signalDatasheet parameters at the reference operating point — not limits

Specifications of PCL82-T — Triode — Small signal
Transconductance	2.2 mA/V
Plate resistance	32 kΩ
Amplification factor	70

Capacitances

Specifications of PCL82-T — Triode — Capacitances
Grid–cathode	2.7 pF
Grid–plate	4.4 pF
Plate–cathode	4.3 pF

Charactereditorial reading, not a measurement

Specifications of PCL82-T — Triode — Character
Gain	70%
Power	3%
Drive	68%
Linearity	65%

PentodePentode

Limiting valuesDatasheet maximum ratings — not to be exceeded

Specifications of PCL82-P — Pentode — Limiting values
Plate voltageVa max	250 V
Screen voltageVg2 max	300 V
Plate dissipationPa max	7 W
Cathode currentIk max	50 mA
Grid resistorRg1 max	1 MΩ
Peak plate voltageVao	550 V
Heater–cathode voltageVhk max	200 V

Small signalDatasheet parameters at the reference operating point — not limits

Specifications of PCL82-P — Pentode — Small signal
Transconductance	7.5 mA/V
Plate resistance	16 kΩ
Amplification factor	10

Capacitances

Specifications of PCL82-P — Pentode — Capacitances
Input	9.3 pF
Grid–plate	0.3 pF
Output	8 pF

Charactereditorial reading, not a measurement

Specifications of PCL82-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

Using this tube

Interactive loadline calculator not available for this tube yet — it needs calibrated Koren or Ayumi parameters.

Applications

Phase splitter

Generic pentode power stage

Replace or compare

Sources

By Jean-Michel Falligan DevergneReviewed May 29, 2026Source : audit-eu_b (CLEAN — matches canonical datasheet)

Manufacturer datasheets

Triode

5 manufacturer datasheets cross-checked for PCL82 — Triode5 verified

Pentode

5 manufacturer datasheets cross-checked for PCL82 — Pentode5 verified

Triode-connectedPhilipsJanuary 1970; FP page 1999.08.02

Va: 100 V
Vg1: 0 V
Ia: 3.5 mA
gm: 2.2 mA/V
µ: 9.5

PCL82 DatasheetLocal mirror · PDF

SPICE models

Revision and verification status

Source: audit-eu_b (CLEAN — matches canonical datasheet)
Reviewed: 2026-05-29
Status: DataModelCalc
Model: under review

Context

The PCL82-T is a indirectly-heated triode from Philips·Mullard, introduced around 1955. It provides a gain factor (μ) of 70 with 32.0kΩ plate resistance. Commonly used in preamp applications. Triode section. The PCL82-P is a indirectly-heated pentode from Philips·Mullard, introduced around 1955. It provides a gain factor (μ) of 10 with 16.0kΩ plate resistance. Commonly used in power applications. Pentode section. Series heater TV tube.

History

Introduced: 1955
Manufacturer: Philips·Mullard
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?

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