I know I know probably asked 1000 times Dmoll Power tubes

[magh8]

Had anyone tried running KT88’S in their Dmoll and how does it differ from KT77’s?
I love KT77’s in any amp that can run el34 but this KT88 thing has me curious...

 

[Ventura]

Likely too hot and big a bottle. EL34 / KT77 etc.

I've got a D-Moll, I have to say, I do like it with the KT77s. I have used 6550s in some of my Diezels, I'd be up for trying my D-Moll out with some 6550s, but it just sounds damn good with KT77s as is.

 

[magh8]

Likely too hot and big a bottle. EL34 / KT77 etc.

I've got a D-Moll, I have to say, I do like it with the KT77s. I have used 6550s in some of my Diezels, I'd be up for trying my D-Moll out with some 6550s, but it just sounds damn good with KT77s as is.

A agree just been really curious. I’m going to be doing a retube soon and will probably just stick with kt 77’s... now the question is JJ or gold lions

 

[Ventura]

Likely too hot and big a bottle. EL34 / KT77 etc.

I've got a D-Moll, I have to say, I do like it with the KT77s. I have used 6550s in some of my Diezels, I'd be up for trying my D-Moll out with some 6550s, but it just sounds damn good with KT77s as is.

A agree just been really curious. I’m going to be doing a retube soon and will probably just stick with kt 77’s... now the question is JJ or gold lions

There was a JJ/GoldLion shootout recently posted - unsure if it was under this subforum or the main RT thread. JJ had some advantages - go figure!! And I've been a diehard GoldLion fanboi since they'd come out. But something's definitely shifted in the JJ camp, they're putting out some really fine bottles at not so "boutique" pricing. Check the shootout - it was pretty cool to listen to. Neither one was better than the other - which unto itself is kinda surprising - and both had "artifacts" that separated them from one another that were either liked more or liked less. Honestly I was surprised.

I'm happy with the KT77s in my D-Moll for now. They'll be in there till they bite the bullet. I've run some different preamp tubes in the amp to switch things up a touch, but powertubes?? Man, used to be GOLD LION KT77!!!!! Now?? Not so sure. JJ E34L has more bass, EHX has some great tubes (yes, they're rebranded, but they're great), Preferred Series (from thetubestore.com) are gaining massive kudos. So - hard to say.

Sorry for the ramble. Check out the vid (just found it

viewtopic.php?t=203517&p=2267354

 

[belensky]

well, I'm wondering how long JJ will survive, so far I haven't seen myself any JJ tube that didn't Suck. Preamp tubes are bad sounding, dark and flat, Power tubes are keep dying very quickly.

have anybody checked bias on JJ after mouth or two of usage?

Friend of mine has JCM800 of old RFT EL34 for 15 years without any problem. 15 years Carl, I wish I could find 6 matched for reasonable money, but happy with Genalex KT77. way better than JJ

 

[joafink2]

well, I'm wondering how long JJ will survive, so far I haven't seen myself any JJ tube that didn't Suck. Preamp tubes are bad sounding, dark and flat, Power tubes are keep dying very quickly.

have anybody checked bias on JJ after mouth or two of usage?

Friend of mine has JCM800 of old RFT EL34 for 15 years without any problem. 15 years Carl, I wish I could find 6 matched for reasonable money, but happy with Genalex KT77. way better than JJ

I bought a quad of JJ KT77 for my Diezel Einstein and after about a month one of them had failed. Got another matched quad promptly shipped to me from the vender free of charge. Biased them up and have been using the same set for about 9 months now. Checked the bias the other day and it's still spot on where I set it at 70mA. I don't know how long they'll last, but I've been happy with them overall.

 

[Ventura]

Hey, there's no denying the Genalex are of higher quality - and that likely means consistency and longevity. But "for the price" I am surprised with the JJs, and have seen a number of higher-end/boutique amps come with JJ powertubes as stock. Again, the tubes don't always match the quality of the amp per se, but the manufacturer has to find tubes that are consistent, reliable, fairly inexpensive, and available in order to ship (EDIT: I originally wrote "shit" here, that just wasn't right ) their amps with these tubes and NOT pass the additional cost of expensive glass onto the end-consumer.

A N Y W A Y - for the coin, JJ powertubes (RECENTLY) have surprised me. As for their preamp bottles?? Just, no. Flat, dull...not my cup-of-tea.

To each their own. I may go with some robust EL34s in the D-Moll to widen its midrange and bass. Or not. Right now I'm still pushing the shit out of it with the stock JJ powertubes and a combination of Svetlana, GL-ECC83, and EiYugo preamps.

 

[belensky]

well, I'm wondering how long JJ will survive, so far I haven't seen myself any JJ tube that didn't Suck. Preamp tubes are bad sounding, dark and flat, Power tubes are keep dying very quickly.

have anybody checked bias on JJ after mouth or two of usage?

Friend of mine has JCM800 of old RFT EL34 for 15 years without any problem. 15 years Carl, I wish I could find 6 matched for reasonable money, but happy with Genalex KT77. way better than JJ

I bought a quad of JJ KT77 for my Diezel Einstein and after about a month one of them had failed. Got another matched quad promptly shipped to me from the vender free of charge. Biased them up and have been using the same set for about 9 months now. Checked the bias the other day and it's still spot on where I set it at 70mA. I don't know how long they'll last, but I've been happy with them overall.

which vendor that was?

 

[belensky]

and have seen a number of higher-end/boutique amps come with JJ powertubes as stock.

Yeah recently got Bogner Ecstasy Anniversary and was a bit disappointed that they use a lot of JJ, tubes, I mean for that expensive amp I would expect something better.

 

[Ventura]

and have seen a number of higher-end/boutique amps come with JJ powertubes as stock.

Yeah recently got Bogner Ecstasy Anniversary and was a bit disappointed that they use a lot of JJ, tubes, I mean for that expensive amp I would expect something better.

Well, ask Reinhold, or Peter D., or Friedman, or whomever - they're NOT in control of manufacturing the powertubes. And since, honestly, the sky's the limit as to what price & quality the powertubes "could" be given any end-consumers choice(s), it's just not in the manufacturers' best interest (nor the end consumers') to tack on that extra cost to an already expensive piece of kit.

Stock tubes need to have the following characteristics:
- allow the amp to operate within "excellent expected" range
- are relatively inexpensive, therefore not "adding" more of a cost to the buyer
- are relatively accessible globally in order for end-consumders to replace as needed
- are robust, consistent (batch-to-batch), and reliable
- operate within the paramters of the cicuitry given

That's it that's all.

 

[joafink2]

well, I'm wondering how long JJ will survive, so far I haven't seen myself any JJ tube that didn't Suck. Preamp tubes are bad sounding, dark and flat, Power tubes are keep dying very quickly.

have anybody checked bias on JJ after mouth or two of usage?

Friend of mine has JCM800 of old RFT EL34 for 15 years without any problem. 15 years Carl, I wish I could find 6 matched for reasonable money, but happy with Genalex KT77. way better than JJ

I bought a quad of JJ KT77 for my Diezel Einstein and after about a month one of them had failed. Got another matched quad promptly shipped to me from the vender free of charge. Biased them up and have been using the same set for about 9 months now. Checked the bias the other day and it's still spot on where I set it at 70mA. I don't know how long they'll last, but I've been happy with them overall.

which vendor that was?

Tube Depot

 

[Ventura]

For N. America, www.thetubestore.com is IMHO the best choice to go with for 80% of your tube needs; they've got a great staff, and are reasonable and fair when it comes to premature tube fails, etc. Jon has been my go-to guy now for, what, 12+ years?? More?? I don't know... But I've never been let down - and man they deliver FAST!!