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Are there any easily audible differences between these tubes (I'm not a golden ear, yet!!!). My system includes a Jolida 801 and a pair of maggies 12/QR. Your advice is most helpful.
Thanks,Ignace
nt
Just a newbie question: Can different power tubes be mixed in match pairs on the same amp? ie, if a stereo amp has 4 6550's (2 per side), can we use 1 Kt88 and 1 6550 per side in it?Thanks,
Ken.
Have you tried any other combinations in comparison?
Jeff,
This combination is the best I've had so far in terms of value for money. I tested the MG1.6 with the Jolida 801. The sound was very close to the MG12, except in the lower octaves, where the 1.6 delivered an extra amount of bass and depth. However, given the price difference, size and power/current requirements, I chose the MG12. As far as the amp is concerned, I tried several solid state amps and pre-amps (Plinius, Marantz, Classe) but they all sounded bright in my room (tall walls with lots of reflective surfaces / glass). I added the 1 ohm tweeter resistor and that helped a bit. I then tried the JoLida amp for a weekend. I removed the tweeter resistor and changed the tubes to Svetlanas 5660C, Sovtek 6SN7GT and Sovtek 12AX7A. My speakers are several feet (7ft?) away from the back wall and the side walls (3+?), which means they are almost in the middle of my living room. I could not believe the improvement. The music had a dimension I had never heard before in my room. When I close my eyes, I can almost touch the singer (Maria Callas in "Lucia", Nathalie Dessaye in "Lakme", Jacintha in "Here's to Ben", Marie Keyrouz in Byzantine chants), I see the drummers marching (Beethoven's Wellington's victory), I vibrate with Chuck Mangione (Children of Sanchez) and I fly with Miles Davis... Ok, Ok, let's cut it down. I tried a few combinations, and this one allows me to ENJOY the music like never before for such a good price (I got my JoLida almost new for 700 bucks, the maggies for 950). Do I want to spend more money on my system? Maybe in the future... For the time being, I'd rather spend it on more music.Have fun,
Ignace
The KT90 takes about 300 hrs to settle in. They have been superior in every amp except
1. A guy with a Jolida 502A...but he only let them play maybe 8 hrs at most. Every other customer has felt they were a huge upgrade. And we've re-tubed hundreds of amps with them.2. Music Reference RM-9, in which that customer felt it sounded best with EL-34's...and that well may be the case with that amp, so we suggest staying with EL34.
But it should be noted from this e-mail received recently on the Music Reference RM200:
> Kevin: I received the KT-90s yesterday. This tube stash should last
> me quite a while. These really are the best sounding KT-88/6550 style
> tube. They work wonders in my Music Reference RM-200. Compared to the
> Svetlana 6550, the KT-90's bass is tighter and better defined.
> Compared to the JJ/Teslovak KT-88, the KT-90's highs are smoother and
> better integrated with the rest of the frequency spectrum. At first,
> the KT-90s were rather lean and bright; but after breaking them in for
> what seemed like forever (probably 250 to 300 hours of playing time),
> they have filled out considerably with low end weight and body. The
> highs are still extended but much smoother. They sound appreciably
> more powerful than either the 6550 or KT-88, with tremendous "slam" on
> full orchestral or rock music, while retaining the finesse that tubes
> are known for.In the KT88 world...there isn't much. Tesla, Sovtek, and various Chinese.
The KT-90's in my system had about 9 months use on em and they were still dryer, thinner and not as muscial as the 6550's. It was probably a function of my system as well as individual preference. i.e. If you like German Sports Sedans you may not like Italian Sports Sedans etc. This isn't a knock againsst the KT-90's. We should all remember that it is a matter of taste and also, becasue they cost more it doesn't mean that they are better... whatever better means.
I own a Graaf 50/50 which can use either of the three tubes in question. I have only tried the KT-90's and the SV 6550C. I own Spendor 9/1's, A/I Mod 3A, EAD Ultradisc 2000 with HT cables.Though in the minority, I like the 6550's better and I sold the KT-90's. The 90's were a bit dry to my ears and kind of flat. They were extended on top and seemed to have more slam on the bottom. However, at the end of the day they were not as liquid in the midrange and overall the KT-90's aren't as musical as the 6550C which is important to me. I ended up selling the KT-90's and applied the proceeds to upgrade my speaker cable. From XLO to HT.
I'm not familiar with your Jolida but I use a Jadis DA-60 amp which can be used with any of the tubes you mentioned. IMS (driving Maggie 1.6 or ProAc Response 3.8) the KT90's are the clear winners. These were the tubes originally fitted to the amp , the other tubes being left overs from other amps.
michael w
I'm also new to tubes, and am considering purchasing the 801. How do you like it?
I've had the SJ801 for about 1.5 years now and have been very happy with it. I've replaced the SV6550s with Tesla KT88s and have also tried the KT90s. The Chinese 12AX7 and 6SN7s have been replaced with NOS items as well. The amp has been very reliable, responds well to tube rolling (very easy to do with the exposed tubes but you need to have the amp upside down to adjust bias) and has more than enough power to drive a pair of Meadowlark Kestrel Hotrods.Thomas
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