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My Leben 660 amplifier can run with KT66 and 6ca7/EL34 tubes
I do not want to use NOS tubes,and need advice about which type tubes
(KT66 or 6CA7)I should prefer among the stock brands?
There are Chineese KT66 tubes on the amp factory stock,and I wonder if
there are better alternatives.
Lastly I used many amps which were using KT88 tubes,what pros and cones
KT66 or 6ca7 tubes against to Kt88 tubes
I thank in advance
Follow Ups:
I really like the Sovtek KT66, mind you I have only tried 2 brands of KT66. NOS GE made in the USA and the Sovtek KT66. I much perfered the Russian one, I found it to have a better tone and much more musical, also with alot more air.It surprized the hell out of me, when I got the GE KT66 I thought they would blow away the Sovtek. No,No,No.
I should say that this is in my preamp.
Hi b.ben:I noticed that JJ is coming out with a new KT66. You can see this at
http://eurotubes.com/euro-u.htm. I don't think it is in full production yet. You might e mail Eurotubes to ask about these.I second the recomendation of EH 6CA7s.
Hey There,I really like the sound of the EH 6CA7 fat bottles. My personal opinion, they one of the better sounding new production tubes.
(Sure, NOS Mullards EL34's or GEN KT66's, but you can almost buy a new amp for what a quad cost and forget about it if you need 8, like me)
I will say, I had some GEN KT 66's at one time and they are SWEET.
If you had problems with at both ends with the EL34 tube type then more than likely it was the amp(s) that you were using the tubes in that was at fault rather than the EL34's themselves. I've heard EL34's in many amps - including my current Quicksilver monos - and extension at the frequency extremes - especially in the treble region - is not an issue. Now I will admit that the EL34 may not have quite the bass weight of say a KT88, but the bass that is there is in my opinion more tuneful and musical than the KT88. In regard to EL34 brand recommendations, the SED Winged C seems to be real popular here on the site, and if you really want to get by on the cheap, I've been using Shuguang EL34's in my Quicks and I really like them. I also tried some later production Tesla's (not JJ's), but I didn't care for them sound-wise, and one tube also failed on me.Now having said all that about EL34's, I also like the KT88 tube type, and I swap back and forth between 34's and 88's in my amps. The EH KT88 is a very nice sounding tube - good bass with a tipped up at the top end - and right now I'm burning in some Penta KT88-98's, and from top to bottom they've got it all - great treble, great bass, tasty midrange, toneful and tuneful, and a sense of depth that I don't hear with other 88's. Highly recommended.
Thanks for your respond,well before I buy my new amp ,my last tubes were Shuguang KT88/98 and they were quite well indeed, now you can better realize what difference(even if minimal)between EL34 and 88/98 topend extensions there is,vice versa minimal midrange beauty difference .
After burning period completed and some different brand KT66 tests,I think I will be able to
findout where KT 66 tubes stand.
Ben
The el34 has problems at both ends as you say and I find the nos mullards to be mushy all thru the mids..The kt77 JJs are a very good alternative but the tungsol kt66 is also very good..I have a quad of the new ones and they are suprising..My favorite are still the genelex kt66 and the el37 mullard as well as the rca 6l6gc black plates but they are all expensive now..The new TS kt66 tho is rather expensive but they did a nice job on the tube.
Michael,thankyou for your input, my amp is still in burning period, I have tremendous low bass response so far,my Coincident TE speakers love 16 ohm out of this Leben amp and I think I would not need any better bass responce but I may wish more topend extensions
As for the midrange the stock Shuguang KT66s are surprisingly well though amp is only
50 hours in run.
How do you compare TS KT66 to JJ 77 pros and cons?
Ben
Im obviously a fan of the 6L6 family of tubes which includes the kt66 and the el37 and the like.I did notice a lot of 6L6 character in the kt77 and thats probably why I fell in love with the tube.
I like the 6550/kt88 a lot to.The shuguang kt66 is very good sonically but its only rated to 450vdc.If your amp was made for the kt66 I personally wouldnt drift from that tube family..I would try some vintage RCA 6L6gc black plates or some el37s or the genelex kt66 gray bottle because they last forever and you dont have to buy them all at once.
I cant compare the kt77 to the kt66 because they are optimized for two different impeadances.Your amp is built for the kt66 so I would stay with that.
The EL34 has the sweetest midrange of the tubes you mention in fact many call it the queen of the mdrange. If that is your taste/preference use them, I do. Another choice is the KT77 (Only JJ makes one currently) which has more bottom end and dynamics, closer to, but not like a KT88.
Amongst current production EL34s I highly reccomend JJ blue glass EL34Ls. I know there has been debate in this forum about the quality coming from JJ but I have had no problems with them. Nor has anyone else who uses them in our 60-70 member audio group. The group has a number of EL34 users and they all use this tube, except one smart guy who bought 100 Mullard xf1s in 1980. Be sure to get the Blue Glass version. They are supposedly no different than the clear but all of us hear something that gives us the impression that it is more extended and fuller than the standard clear.
Two good sources aside from our sponsors who may not have any are "Quest For Sound" who an Audiogon Dealer, people like Stephen a lot, He screens them for duds and matches the number of tubes you need. The biggest dealer and probably fastest guy is JJ partner/distributor Eurotubes.com but you have to call him. Don't shop on line. Your tubes will be there before you finish the call, it's nuts.
I thank you for your detailed reply,though I had some old experience about EL34 tubes being not extended at both ends, I will try JJs you mention, but still I need some advices on KT 66 brands as they get some raves for their magical midrange too
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