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So Quicksilver recently went to the TS KT-150 that replaces the JJ KT-88 on V4 models, they also recommend, when retubing is needed, to go to the kt150 as the replacement. The tubes are almost double in price, so I'd like to get some perspectives on this recommendation before going to a more expensive power tube, especially when one needs 8 of them!
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Mike knows his product better than anyone else on this forum. If you like the sound as is, I am sure the KT150's will sound better.
Mike is extremely conservative, BTW so a recommendation like this does not come quickly, nor easily
Stu
Yeah, I whole heartily agree when it comes to Mike Sanders. Which ever set of replacement power tubes I buy will come from Mike in any event. I just wanted someone to chime in that already has made the jump. Who knows, maybe I'll just have to be the first test case, and report back. :)
IIRC, the iron in the V-4 is derived from the M-135: 6 output tubes of your choice. The Power transformer in the M-135 had separate secondaries for nearly everything: cathode current, B+, Screen grid,Bias, B+ for input tubes, etc. The V-4 simplifies some of the secondaries feeds. Mike probably kept the same current ratings though.
You'll want those to make use of KT 150'sHave fun
Edits: 03/17/14
No, but he's still recommending the kt150s for the previous OT as well.I was told it won't make the same amount of power as if equipped with the new OTs(170 vs 120 watts) but it will sound better and last longer than the JJ kt88s. He once told me his failure rate on the JJs was very high, and that he would throw out many during his screening and burn in process.
I have no reason to doubt Mike S on this recommendation, and do believe he's making these changes for the better. What I am curious about is without the newer OTs, is the extra cost justifiable? It probably is if Mike says so...I was hoping someone else has taken the plunge with the older OTs and would chime in but it's probably just to early on this to get any good home owner experience.
Edits: 03/17/14 03/17/14
I wouldn't doubt anything Mike Sanders says either, I thought the transformers were a must with those tubes, thanks for the correction.
I have to wonder why he uses the problematic JJ tubes and not GL reissues, but I'm sure there's a good reason.
I once ran Ei KT-90s and they sounded great but the faint buzz from the amps with KT-88s became an annoying buzz heard while seated during quite passages.
That would be my main concern, but as you say Mike recommends the KT-150 and I'll try them next time I buy tubes.
Thanks for your thoughtful reply.
I often wondered the same, why not GL KT88s over JJs when they became available? Clearly the marketplace favored the GL reissues.I do speculate...Maybe he had good numbers or JJs in stock, tested and screened, so with time & capital tied up he wanted to wait for a depletion of his tube shelf before ordering replacements. My guess is manufactures order in large quantities, so he needed to burn some off, no pun intended. LOL. Of course I'm only speculating here.
You are most welcome. I will let you know(see you also have V4s) if I go down the TS KT150 road, probably will, and definatley from Mike S when I do. I'm on year 3 with the JJs and they hold bias perfectly but I believe it's only a matter of time, and I don't want to be caught without any replacements. For sure they have degraded, I do run them daily and for long periods, so they surely are not as clean sounding as they were new. That or my audio nervosa will creep in and the TSs will be the only way to calm the beast. ;)
Edits: 03/18/14
Mike has great testing. Perhaps his numbers are smaller so he is able to do that, but whatever the reason I do know that Mike has two Textronics curve tracers and has built a custom jig to burn in his tubes (I have a vague memory from visiting his factory in Reno of a jug with something like 48 tubes burning in at a time).
Mike explained to me that after decades of checking and matching tubes, he can pretty much weed out tubes which will have premature failure. If the base line tubes are inexpensive enough, he will buy large lots and simply weed them out.
That would explain why his Chinese and JJ tubes actually give very little problems.
yMMV of course
KT100, 120 , 150 .... what does come next? KT200?N.
The times, they are changing...
Edits: 03/22/14
They do pull a little more heater current, which if your power transformer is a bit warm anyway will not help. They will not increase the maximum power out; the only way for an AB amp to increase the "Class B" power is to increase the B+ voltage, which you can't do. You might get a bit more Class A operating area if you crank up the idle bias, but again it will draw against your power transformer; you might get a couple of extra watts before the onset of Class B.
Could be that they just like the look and sound of the tubes, nothing wrong with that. You are under no obligation to play along.
Thank you. That is more or less what Mike told me when I called to ask about an unrelated issue today. I brought up the new tube thing and he said pretty much as you stated.
Edits: 03/17/14
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