Hoffman Amplifiers Tube Amplifier Forum
Amp Stuff => Tube Amp Building - Tweaks - Repairs => Topic started by: Ritchie200 on October 03, 2013, 09:45:04 pm
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Gentlemen - you too Tubenit...
Anyone ever try these tubes? The reviews have been good, but all the ones I've seen were from the HiFi crowd. I just wonder how they would hold up under the high voltage applications we use. They are selling a KT120 quad for like $130, special pricing. That's pretty darn good. The GOOD KT88's are going for about $350. The thing that bothers me is that these are Chinese tubes. I still have a bad taste in my mouth from years ago, but if the quality is there I would bite again. With =C= gone, I am out of KT88 options.
Jim
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What happened to the KT120 you bought that were great? Or were they =C=?
Brad :icon_biggrin:
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1/3 price vs "the good ones"?my gut reaction would be to avoid them.
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I just got some from AES, Valve Art (Chinese). Matched well at 569v on the plates. No concerns at all. The tubes sound great. I did get a pair of KT120's that are matched, but I paid $100 for a pair. They sound great and in this amp I could hear a gain in volume and a touch more authority in bottom, but the current draw difference is noticeable and voltage drop makes for rebias. Bias settings for these are not clear. I started with -40 and kept making them hotter. Finally stopped at -54 because I liked the tone. Above there was an increase in floor noise, but I had them much higher and no red plating.
I pulled them and put the Valve Art tubes back in since I am doing some modifications. Probably just run them till they die as they sound great.
As so far as Psvane tubes, I have read about them along with how the chinese are making tubes. I find you really cannot know if it is just the same tube with a different name. Like the tube store selling Northern Electric tubes for high prices which are just remarketed chinese tubes.
The best thing is just get some old NOS GEC, real gold lions. :l2:
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The best thing is just get some old NOS GEC, real gold lions. :l2:
Mind if I tap into your retirement to fund this purchase? Had I known..... I remember buying them for $38 a pop back in the 70's special order from Radio Shack of all places - but that was a lot of gig jack for a quad. I could have funded MY retirement had I bought a few hundred back then and put them on the shelf... :BangHead: Much like all my investment choices.
Willabe, the only KT120's I ever tried was from Groove-ur-wallet Tubes back in the 90's. I didn't like them, nor the Chinese KT88 crap they sent me in exchange. Nor any other transaction I had with them - "It's not our tubes, its your amp." But you advertise specifically that they are for the Major. "Well they are not meant for those plate voltages." But you advertise specifically that they are for the Major. " Well........" You get the picture.
I do know a few guys who have used the newer KT120 in their Majors and they swear by them. It is womping good high voltage tube that can make a lot of power.
The thing that is bothering me with Psvane....are the packaging, gold plated base and pins, and tube coatings just a way to get another $40 more for a crappy tube? I mean look at the marketing shell game Sovtek is doing to grab a few more bucks out of the same tube (old name branding, etc.).
Jim
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I do know a few guys who have used the newer KT120 in their Majors and they swear by them. It is womping good high voltage tube that can make a lot of power.
That must have been what I was thinking of. What brand are they?
"It's not our tubes, its your amp." But you advertise specifically that they are for the Major. "Well they are not meant for those plate voltages." But you advertise specifically that they are for the Major. " Well........" You get the picture.
:evil5: Well you tell them either this; :m13 or this; :violent1: :laugh:
That guy made a LOT of money.
The thing that is bothering me with Psvane....are the packaging, gold plated base and pins, and tube coatings just a way to get another $40 more for a crappy tube? I mean look at the marketing shell game Sovtek is doing to grab a few more bucks out of the same tube (old name branding, etc.).
Yeah but they look soooo good in hi-fi blocks, so they must sound great. :d3:
Psvane....... hum...... not even gonna ask how to pronounce that. :laugh:
Oh and by the way stupid red birds! :BangHead: :cussing: :violent1:
Go Cubs!
Brad :icon_biggrin:
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Cubs? I'm not familiar with them. Are they some minor league team?
Jimbob
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Cubs? I'm not familiar with them. Are they some minor league team?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, haha. :m13
What brand are the KT120's that you've heard guys swear by?????????
Brad :laugh:
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Cubs? I'm not familiar with them. Are they some minor league team?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, haha. :m13
What brand are the KT120's that you've heard guys swear by?????????
Brad :laugh:
I have read tons of reviews on the Tung-sol KT120 being the best. I am not sure of another brand. These are the ones I had to order 3 pairs to get a matched set. Got them finally from Upscale Audio. Great matched pair.
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Sorry Brad,
Thanks Ed, yeah the new ones are the Tung Sols. I think the old ones I didnt like were made at the old EL factory that got bombed out. I may have to give the pissvane's a shot. They would look pretty cool with the gold plate base and the black coating - in a MUCH prettier amp than a silly mono block! :l2:
Jim
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Gentlemen - you too Tubenit...
Anyone ever try these tubes? The reviews have been good, but all the ones I've seen were from the HiFi crowd. I just wonder how they would hold up under the high voltage applications we use. They are selling a KT120 quad for like $130, special pricing. That's pretty darn good. The GOOD KT88's are going for about $350. The thing that bothers me is that these are Chinese tubes. I still have a bad taste in my mouth from years ago, but if the quality is there I would bite again. With =C= gone, I am out of KT88 options.
Jim
I don't buy Chinese tubes or anything else , they make trash and they sound like trash. Just my opinion :laugh: