23/3/2019 The Valve Wizard

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Menu The Effect of the Screen Grid

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Above left: The EF86 characteristics at a fixed

screen voltage of 100V. Note that the knee is well
defined, and the input sensitiviy is lowest: If centre
biased it would take roughly a 4Vp-p input signal to
cause clipping.
Above right: Using the same screen voltage but
inserting a 100k screen-stopper. The screen
current causes a drop across the resistor during
signal conditions, dynamically reducing the screen
voltage in antiphase with the input signal. The knee
is now softer, and the transconductance is now
quite constant, indicating a great reduction in non-
linearity thanks to this screen current feedback. The
input sensitivity is reduced, however, and the
possible output signal swing may also be reduced
when using an unbypassed screen resistor,
depending on the load being used. Also note the
small 'kinks' in the curves around Va = 20V, these
are probably due to brief 'spurts' of secondary
emission causing the average screen current to
increase momentarily. The same 'kinks' can be
seen in the published characteristics of many
power pentodes. Note: These are dynamic
characteristics; they only apply during signal
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conditions. For chosing quiescent conditions /

bias points we must still use the
characteristics above left. Why? Because
there can't be any screen compression effects
unless there is a signal to compress!

Below: These oscillograms show the effect of

altering the screen voltage on a pentode. As it is
progressively reduced, the gm (and therefore the
voltage gain) progressively falls, while the input
sensitivity increases. The basic 'shape' of the
curves remains broadly the same, but the grid
curves get 'squashed down'. Recognising and
understanding this effect is fundamental to
understanding pentodes / tetrodes, and
immediately makes you about twice as
knowledgeable as most guitar 'amp techs'!

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