Anybody know about KT77's and Mesa Rectifers???

[Moshaholic]

I have read alot of conflicting information here and there on the web and on forums etc. about these tubes being too powerful for Mesa rectifers and possibly hurting the transformers?

I want to try a set in my 2 channel triple rectifier, but I heard that you need to get a certian value or somthing...?

I read some guy on a forum called Mesa and asked about this and they told him to never use KT77's in thier amps?

Does anybody here that is a "true techie type person" know the deal on this???

Thnaks!

 

[snakeman1986]

I'm interested in this as well. I heard u could use 77s but not 88s...which I have been doin anyway for a long time with no issues at all. I took my series one single Rec to a tech a few years back and he said I could use 88s in there so I did. Came to find out a long time later that u absolutely should NEVER run 88s in there. I've been doing it now for a few years. Not smart I know but I did it anyway.

 

[JTyson]

I ran SED EL34's in mine and it was fantastic

 

[glassjaw7]

I safely ran 77s in my dual for several years. They have to be a certain "grade" and the amp has to be run in EL34 bias mode. I know a lot of people don't like JJs/Eurotubes but they are very knowledgable when it comes to tube swaps in Boogies. I went with 77s from them and my amp ran like a top and the tonal differences were exactly what I was looking for! I also went with JJ pres (NOT the high gain pres)and GZ34 rectifier tubes.

What all this did was make the recto clean and clear, with a slight mid shift. It reallymade a difference in clearing up the fizz. The top end still had a nice "sizzle" but it was much clearer. Bottom got a bit tighter too.

All the recto demos I put up on YouTube are with 77s. Check em out under the name cordanscedo.

Here's one of the last ones I did on my iPhone:

 

[Mailman1971]

Wouldnt it be safe to run the KT-77's on the EL-34 switch side?
I thought they were just a variation of the EL-34?

 

[snakeman1986]

Wouldnt it be safe to run the KT-77's on the EL-34 switch side?
I thought they were just a variation of the EL-34?

This was my understanding as well.

 

[Mailman1971]

Wouldnt it be safe to run the KT-77's on the EL-34 switch side?
I thought they were just a variation of the EL-34?

This was my understanding as well.

When I had my Randall RM100 in the manual it said to Bias the El34 or the KT-77 at the same settings.
I liked the growl of the KT-77's a little better then the "Glassy" tone of the EL-34's.

 

[crwnedblasphemy]

I read on eurotubes you can....I was actually thinking about trying the new 6550's from JJ in my recto. I don't care for EL34's in it. Kills the clean channel.

 

[lolzgreg]

Please, don't. 6L6s/5881s are where it's at for the Rectos.

 

[Moshaholic]

I safely ran 77s in my dual for several years. They have to be a certain "grade" and the amp has to be run in EL34 bias mode. I know a lot of people don't like JJs/Eurotubes but they are very knowledgable when it comes to tube swaps in Boogies. I went with 77s from them and my amp ran like a top and the tonal differences were exactly what I was looking for! I also went with JJ pres (NOT the high gain pres)and GZ34 rectifier tubes.

What all this did was make the recto clean and clear, with a slight mid shift. It reallymade a difference in clearing up the fizz. The top end still had a nice "sizzle" but it was much clearer. Bottom got a bit tighter too.

All the recto demos I put up on YouTube are with 77s. Check em out under the name cordanscedo.

Here's one of the last ones I did on my iPhone:

Sounds amazing!

 

[Moshaholic]

I read on eurotubes you can....I was actually thinking about trying the new 6550's from JJ in my recto. I don't care for EL34's in it. Kills the clean channel.

I have aloways hated EL34's in a recto... never seemed to work for me... but the KT77's sound stupid good imo... just don't want to hurt the amp.

Also the GZ30 rectifiers I heard have more power too and that this could be a bad thing...?

 

[cdm]

I used to have kt66 and kt88 in my dual rec for two years on the highest tube-eating setting. sounded aggressive and tight, don't know if I harmed the amp's internals actually.

 

[crwnedblasphemy]

I safely ran 77s in my dual for several years. They have to be a certain "grade" and the amp has to be run in EL34 bias mode. I know a lot of people don't like JJs/Eurotubes but they are very knowledgable when it comes to tube swaps in Boogies. I went with 77s from them and my amp ran like a top and the tonal differences were exactly what I was looking for! I also went with JJ pres (NOT the high gain pres)and GZ34 rectifier tubes.

What all this did was make the recto clean and clear, with a slight mid shift. It reallymade a difference in clearing up the fizz. The top end still had a nice "sizzle" but it was much clearer. Bottom got a bit tighter too.

All the recto demos I put up on YouTube are with 77s. Check em out under the name cordanscedo.

Here's one of the last ones I did on my iPhone:

Was this stock? Or Friedman modded?

 

[Moshaholic]

I safely ran 77s in my dual for several years. They have to be a certain "grade" and the amp has to be run in EL34 bias mode. I know a lot of people don't like JJs/Eurotubes but they are very knowledgable when it comes to tube swaps in Boogies. I went with 77s from them and my amp ran like a top and the tonal differences were exactly what I was looking for! I also went with JJ pres (NOT the high gain pres)and GZ34 rectifier tubes.

What all this did was make the recto clean and clear, with a slight mid shift. It reallymade a difference in clearing up the fizz. The top end still had a nice "sizzle" but it was much clearer. Bottom got a bit tighter too.

All the recto demos I put up on YouTube are with 77s. Check em out under the name cordanscedo.

Here's one of the last ones I did on my iPhone:

Was this stock? Or Friedman modded?

WeLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!! ?????????????

 

[Mailman1971]

Pretty sure that was after he got it back from Friedman....
Correct me if I am wrong Glassjaw.
Love me some Mesa tone.
My Dual Wreck is at FJA right now getting modded out.

 

[stephen sawall]

If the KT77 are the proper grade they are fine. I have a quad of JJ KT77 from the first run they made that I put in my Tremoverb sometimes. By far my favorite power-tube in a DR is vintage 6CA7. I have never tried or checked out any of the newer 6CA7's.

EL34/KT77/6CA7 are all part of the same family.

Here is the deal with Mesa .... The amps have a set bias. They tend to make this bias cold. The main reason why is it means less tube problems and the tubes last longer. One of the side effects is harsh highend. The Mesa tubes are rated in the middle range of the Groove Tube scale (4,5 and 6). If you want to off set the cold bias using a grade of around (8) will do it for most peoples taste.... (remember all of this is about taste.)
Many of the tube sellers are aware of this .... it is pretty common knowledge.

If you really crank your amp and have the power section running hot. Master run in the 1 o'clock ~3 o'clock range with the effectsloop not on the colder bias is often better for a lot of peoples ears.

So cranking the amp or getting the right grade tubes can do a lot to kill the "bees".

 

[crwnedblasphemy]

If the KT77 are the proper grade they are fine. I have a quad of JJ KT77 from the first run they made that I put in my Tremoverb sometimes. By far my favorite power-tube in a DR is vintage 6CA7. I have never tried or checked out any of the newer 6CA7's.

EL34/KT77/6CA7 are all part of the same family.

Here is the deal with Mesa .... The amps have a set bias. They tend to make this bias cold. The main reason why is it means less tube problems and the tubes last longer. One of the side effects is harsh highend. The Mesa tubes are rated in the middle range of the Groove Tube scale (4,5 and 6). If you want to off set the cold bias using a grade of around (8) will do it for most peoples taste.... (remember all of this is about taste.)
Many of the tube sellers are aware of this .... it is pretty common knowledge.

If you really crank your amp and have the power section running hot. Master run in the 1 o'clock ~3 o'clock range with the effectsloop not on the colder bias is often better for a lot of peoples ears.

So cranking the amp or getting the right grade tubes can do a lot to kill the "bees".

This explains a lot. I was thinking this too. Tomorrow I am gonna bring down my Bias rite and see what mine fires up at for different sets of tubes. I will let everyone know what the fixed bias runs on my 3 sets...I have GT 6L6's, Tesla E34L's, and I am gonna borrow a set of my buddy's KT77's.

 

[alxdgr8]

Pretty sure my other guitarist has 4 KT88's and 2 6l6's in his triple and it works fine and sounds great.

 

[snakeman1986]

I'm interested in this as well. I heard u could use 77s but not 88s...which I have been doin anyway for a long time with no issues at all. I took my series one single Rec to a tech a few years back and he said I could use 88s in there so I did. Came to find out a long time later that u absolutely should NEVER run 88s in there. I've been doing it now for a few years. Not smart I know but I did it anyway.

After I posted this I sent an email to eurotubes.com and got this in response:

"Yes, KT88's can be run in the older series I Single Recs. The amp does not seem to mind the added load and KT88's really sound great in them.

If you order from us online just make sure to mention that you have series I in the comments section. Then we can set you up with the proper grade for the KT88's.

Thanks,
Eddie"

So apparently 88s are ok too...everyone has always said no.

 

[magh8]

From what I understand running kt88s in a recto is pointless.in order to run them they run way cold and it defeats the purpose.kt 77s on the other hand are actually a good fit for the recto.I find that they tend to make an amp have a very stiff feel and seeing as rectos are loose it works out well....