Mismatched Power Tubes

[davens]

Suppose I have an AB tube amp that takes 4 power tubes. The push and pull can be separately biased, but not for each individual tube. If I have 2 pairs of matched tubes that aren't matched to eachother but the same model and manufacture, is it more ideal to have a matched pair for push and a matched pair for pull or to have the matched pairs both span push and pull?

In my mind, if each end of the AB has matched tubes, the amp will bias easily and tube wear will be even, but maybe the output will be slightly assymetrical?
On the other hand if the matched pairs are spread out it will be harder to bias and half the tubes will run hotter than the other half, but the output might be more symetrical.

Thanks.

 

[BassmanPaul]

With two bias pots and a quad output stage you should use matched pairs. In a sextet. like the SVT, matched triples. Don't get them mixed up

 

[ThisBass]

Matched bias does not mean matched gain characteristic.
But it all depends on how the tubes are matched.
Sometimes the matching is to the bias only, sometimes the matching covers gain characteristic as well.

So it's on your demand of quality what is best for you.

 

[davens]

Thanks, very helpful.