What’s the tightest amp with the biggest low end you’ve played. ?

[RedB4Black]

Matt!!! Happy New Year brother. Nice to see you still hanging here. I saw your arsenal on the amp pic thread. Holy fk you win! Haha. How’s that Granophyre? I tried the Neural plug-in and it was ok.

I'm still here. Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. lol

The Granophyre is a pretty cool amp, it's in the same ball park as my Fryettes in that it is pretty tight and clearer, dryish gain. It does have a slight bit of compression to it that the Wizards and the Fryettes don't have, give's it a nice bounce when picking.

Saw your pics of the Splawns. I miss having one of those around.

 

[Steinmetzify]

It’s 4 KT88s. I think the Herbert is right around the same 64-65 pound range as well.

My Herb is around that, it’s a fuckin back breaker lifting it with one hand.

 

[braintheory]

You should reach out to the original builder; as the Naylor's today are built by a different owner. They are true to the original design though, but I'd double check to make sure. I forget the name but the original designer is making amps under a different name? Bletchely amps maybe?

Yep Bletchley Amps. Some guys on thegearpage said they didn’t like the Bletchley’s as much as the Naylor’s. The guy who designed both is Danny Russell it says

 

[RedB4Black]

Interesting. Lucky for me I hate all KT-tubes with a passion. Too bass heavy and bland.

I'm running 6550s in my KT150 MTL. Like them a little better in that amp

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

I'm running 6550s in my KT150 MTL. Like them a little better in that amp

Agreed. I use 6550s often over KT88s. Much preferred. I have something being built with them now.

 

[braintheory]

Interesting. Lucky for me I hate all KT-tubes with a passion. Too bass heavy and bland.

Me too, I’ve yet to like anything with KT88’s, 77’s or 66’s that I’ve tried, but still very curious anyway to hear an amp with KT90’s, 120’s or 150’s

I haven’t yet liked any 6550’s much either, but have heard some can be good

 

[RedB4Black]

I have something being built with them now.

Do tell!

 

[Exo-metal]

I would hesitate buying any amp that wants KT88s, by far my favorite tube but sourcing killer KT88s aren't a reality these days. Get ready to use 6550s since that's the next in line.

 

[braintheory]

I would hesitate buying any amp that wants KT88s, by far my favorite tube but sourcing killer KT88s aren't a reality these days. Get ready to use 6550s since that's the next in line.

Would you choose prime KT88’s over GE 6550’s? Or what about over higher powered KT’s like 120’s or 150’s? Have you tried KT90’s? Tubes are still an area I don’t know as much about yet

 

[Exo-metal]

Let me back up when I say they're my favorite. EL34s are truly my favorite but after that slaved into the 2150 that uses KT88s is where that color and unshakable headroom sound like a wall of brutality is unmatched. You want a tight low end, nothing can give you that like an amp the is loaded and built around a beam-power tetrode. Finding them matched and built like the originals is not possible in this green new world of solar shit. Writing this depresses me as I just imagine using them in my simulclass C+/++ Coliseum.

 

[braintheory]

Let me back up when I say they're my favorite. EL34s are truly my favorite but after that slaved into the 2150 that uses KT88s is where that color and unshakable headroom sound like a wall of brutality is unmatched. You want a tight low end, nothing can give you that like an amp the is loaded and built around a beam-power tetrode. Finding them matched and built like the originals is not possible in this green new world of solar shit. Writing this depresses me as I just imagine using them in my simulclass C+/++ Coliseum.

EL34’s seem to be my favorites too, but I admit the KT88’s and 6550’s seem to sound beefier and more robust, but not as much character. I’m curious about the really powerful ones like KT120 and KT150. If the Wizard KT200 has KT120’s then it could be pretty monstrous potentially

 

[Exo-metal]

True, although my experience is that the KT88s have a excellent tone and character when given the proper voltage and current, majority of amps made don't do that and when used they are biased cold. They have a distinct bell-like sound to my ear with exceptional overall range.

 

[braintheory]

True, although my experience is that the KT88s have a excellent tone when given the proper voltage and current. They have a distinct bell-like sound to my ear with exceptional overall range.

Interesting, I can see that. I’ve been meaning to have my tech bias my Blueface for that, but am curious if it can possibly go a step further with the 120’s or 150’s to really make it sound as huge as possible

 

[Speeddemon]

EL34’s seem to be my favorites too, but I admit the KT88’s and 6550’s seem to sound beefier and more robust, but not as much character.

That is my experience as well. I sold my Sig:X because of that... there's this inherent stiffness and dryness to the tone with KT88's. Sure, it also has to do with VHT/Fryette's design, but I heard a specific quality that I never encountered with EL34's, 6L6's or 6550's.
With KT77's also less so, and I've been running those for years now in my Invader.

 

[Racerxrated]

With most amps KT88s for me have 'hollow' mids, maybe since I'm used to EL34 Marshalls. But, owning some VHT amps changed my mind on that. Those are biased right where they should be, 50+ ma and sound nice. Same with popping 6550s in there, or KT 90s (even better IMO). When you play a Marshall with 6550s (like my 83 2203) they can sound cold or sterile and I think that's because they are biased like an EL34, since the transformers aren't designed for 6550s you have to bias them like a 34 and they end up cold. The exception are when a Marshall has GE 6550s which to me are very 3D-like, similar to what Sylvania 6L6s do for Mesa Marks. But if you try and bias the 6550s/KT88s where they should be in a Marshall (50+ma) you end up stressing the transformers. Ideally, if you love Marshalls and KT tubes you could buy some custom transformers designed for KT tube draw and then you'd be all good to bias them where they should be.

 

[Exo-metal]

I'm calling Mike Monday Racer....the outcome could be like landing on the moon for the first time in a spaceship that sounds like a C+/++ simulclass Coliseum that is fueled by nothing this world has ever heard, mixed with a pair of STR416?

 

[braintheory]

I'm calling Mike Monday Racer....the outcome could be like landing on the moon for the first time in a spaceship that sounds like no other C+/++ simulclass Coliseum that is fueled by nothing this world has ever heard, mixed with a pair of STR416?

I wonder if he did the same with KT120 or 150 if that could then be like landing on Mars or Jupiter lol

 

[Exo-metal]

Interstellar time travel

 

[Mailman1971]

For me I would say the Rivera KR7
Mick Thompson model. Was just HUGE. tight as hell! Just kinda dry sounding. I liked the Mesa better.

 

[DISTORT6]

That is my experience as well. I sold my Sig:X because of that... there's this inherent stiffness and dryness to the tone with KT88's. Sure, it also has to do with VHT/Fryette's design, but I heard a specific quality that I never encountered with EL34's, 6L6's or 6550's.
With KT77's also less so, and I've been running those for years now in my Invader.

Those are the same reasons I’ll never sell my Sig:X!
Funny how that works.