Common types: The 6U5-6E5 tube is very common since it was frequently used as a signal strength indicator in 1940s and 1950s consumer radios, it uses an antique 6 pin tube base. Adapters are available for plugging the more modern 1629 type octal tubes into 6U5-6E5 sockets.
Both the EM83 and 6AL7 tubes are dual-bar displays that would be well suited for use as a stereo volume meter. The EM87-6HU6 is a fairly common single channel tube in a miniature 9 pin base, it was originally used as a tuning indicator in radios and as a record level meter in tape recorders. The EM80-6BR5 is in a miniature 9 pin base and it has an unusual fan-shaped display. Russian EM80 tubes from the 1980s are currently available on eBay for reasonable prices.
Some rare types of eye tubes include the miniature 6355, 6977-DM160 and R2164 tubes and special 6U5-6E5 tubes with a red lamp crystal over the center filament.
Many of the photos and schematics shown here were pulled from eBay ads and radiomuseum.org articles, the rest of them are originals.
| Type | Operating | Package | Circuit | Pinout |
| 6U5-6E5 |
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| 6AL7 |
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| 6AF6 |
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| EM34 |
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| EM71 |
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| EM80-6BR5 |
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| EM84-6FG6 |
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| EM87-6HU6 |
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| DM70/DM71 |
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| DM160 |
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| EAM86 |
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| General Electric | RCA | Philco | Sylvania | Zalytron | Zenith | EZ-6E5D | Internal Structure |
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2E5 top circle, 6 pin, ST bulb 6AB5/6N5 top circle, 6 pin 6AD6 top split circle, octal 6AF6 top split circle, short octal 6AL7 top double rectangle, octal 6U5/6E5 top circle, 6 pin, ST bulb or cylinder DM70 side exclamation point, wire pins DM160 side rectangle, wire pins EAM86/6GX8 side split bar and on/off, 9 pin EFM11 top circle, octal EM35 top circle, octal EM71 top fan, locktal EM72 top fan, locktal EM80/6BR5/6E1P side fan, 9 pin EM83 side double bar, 9 pin EM84/6FG6/6E3P side split bar, 9 pin EM87/6HU6 side split bar, 9 pin EM840 side split bar, 9 pin ME41 top circle, octal UM84 side split bar, 9 pin, 12V JAN-CRC-1629/VT-138 top circle octal C/EM2 top circle, octal |
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