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RE: Warm/romantic sounding KT 88 similar to SED kt 88

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In Reply to: RE: Warm/romantic sounding KT 88 similar to SED kt 88 posted by TubeAcolyte on March 31, 2014 at 08:51:20

the tung sol is a nice tube and used them for over a year until a friend let me borrow a couple SEDs. Can only characterize the SED as sounding more real to my ears and hence the search for something similar. have used the GL in other amps with good results, but was not crazy about them in the unison- perhaps i had not given them enough time as your description of clinical /mechanical was dead on.

Follow Ups:

RE: Warm/romantic sounding KT 88 similar to SED kt 88 - TubeAcolyte 09:59:21 03/31/14 (0)
Ivan may just have the ticket. Those Shuguang and PSVane tubes are apparently some of the best. Most descriptions kinda match my KT88SC description, but they are a cut above still in sound, construction and style. From what I read, the fancier Chinese stuff is a about a richer, more musical yet still fairly natural presentation. I found the KT88SC had a more open soundstage and more separation versus compression of different elements in the signal. If these $400 a quad tubes are anything like it, they would be amazing in HiFi. Again, I have no experience with the GL-KT88, but perhaps its like smooth, polished, cool marble versus a freshly-baked velvety cake?

That said, the SED KT88 will run you a very pretty penny, and they're not getting cheaper. Maybe it wouldn't be bad to try something in the same range, but that at least is still in production, readily available and more easily warrantied.
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May your tubes be lively and long-lasting. Holy be thy heater.
I'm always a be cautious when someone uses the term 'warm'... - Ivan303 09:28:29 03/31/14 (1)
when talking about tubes and tube amps.

That sometimes means either emphasized mids, or worse, gobs of even harmonic distortion. =:-0

That said, if you are willing to take the risk, the current production PSVANE grey glass KT88's, the ones selling for about $400 a matched quad, are about as fine a sounding KT88/6550 tube as I am yet to hear, at least in one particular home brew PP amp.
- RE: I'm always a be cautious when someone uses the term 'warm'... - SETdude 14:48:46 04/01/14 (0)
  Ivan, how do they compare to other KT88's you have used?
  
  Edits: 04/01/14 04/01/14

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