Tubee or not tubee?

[Dr.Ears]

What is your favorite NOS tube?
Mine: Raytheon CK-5694

[mep]

Gold Lion KT-88. Next, Mullard EL-34. The real ones.

[Dr.Ears]

Are your EL-34's metal based?

[MylesBAstor]

Small signal or output tubes? Sadly, I'd like to hear some of the older vintage tubes once had in my equipment now. Like an old GL GEC KT88 tube. The old RCA windmill 5751s.

Interestingly, manufacturers have cut down the number of tubes being used in gear because of availability.

[Beaur]

Mesh plate 50s.

[Alrainbow]

For drivers or low output applications the VT99 by tungsol or rca for the purpose best sound I ever heard.

[Dr.Ears]

I highly recommend the 6J5-GT, 6J5-G, or the British L 63's, each of which equals one half of a 6SN7.
The problem, which I experienced with the VT-99 is the top connector creates an antenna, which picks up signals you do not want to hear. The Raytheon CK-5694 are the best drivers, which I have ever heard, but they are practically extinct.

[mep]

Small signal or output tubes? Sadly, I'd like to hear some of the older vintage tubes once had in my equipment now. Like an old GL GEC KT88 tube. The old RCA windmill 5751s.

Interestingly, manufacturers have cut down the number of tubes being used in gear because of availability.

And that's because there are less tubes available to work with that are in current production. You go with what you have available. In the old days when tubes ruled the world, we had scads of different type tubes. I've said it before, but peruse through an RCA Receiving Tube Manual and marvel at all of the very special tubes that were in production. The old tube engineers could make vacuum tubes do any damn thing they wanted them to.

[MylesBAstor]

I wonder how a modern KT150 would stack up against a NOS GEC KT88?

[Dr.Ears]

I have not heard a new Chinese or Russian made tube, which comes close to NOS tubes.
I have asked many audiophiles, why we can't make new tubes, which sound as good as the NOS tubes?
The best answer, which I received came from a former nuclear physicist, he said, "there were certain trace elements used, which are now either extinct or so rare that they would be too costly to use in audio tubes".
What is your opinion?

[JackD201]

I just blew a Reflektor KT150. I sure hope It's a fluke because I really like how these sound. Hey Myles, KR Audio, who've taken the Lampi/SET guys by storm recently and also supplies Allnic, is now making KT88 tubes. I have a bunch on order for Jim's VAC 450s. Looks like something cool to review with your CJ top dogs. Give Eunice a call, she's local to you at least half the time. She splits her time between NYC and Prague.

[astrotoy]

I just blew a Reflektor KT150. I sure hope It's a fluke because I really like how these sound. Hey Myles, KR Audio, who've taken the Lampi/SET guys by storm recently and also supplies Allnic, is now making KT88 tubes. I have a bunch on order for Jim's VAC 450s. Looks like something cool to review with your CJ top dogs. Give Eunice a call, she's local to you at least half the time. She splits her time between NYC and Prague.

Glad to see that Eunice is in charge. I first met Riccardo and Eunice Kron in Hong Kong by accident about 20 years ago. I was visiting HK and stopped by a local small hi-fi shop to look for records and Riccardo was demonstrating their new amplifier with their KR Western Electric clone 300B tubes. I was the only other person in the shop besides the owner and the Krons. I had never seen tubes so large in my life and never heard such entrancing sound before. The prices for both tubes and amp were quite astronomical, but I was hooked on the SET sound. Finally, about 6 years later I was able to buy a pair of used Cary 2A3 signature amps, which, by chance, used KR tubes. I heard that Riccardo had passed away in 2003 and that KR continued on.

Larry

[JackD201]

Hi Larry

Yes we lost Riccardo some time ago. Fortunately he was able to pass his knowledge on to his protege Marek Gencev who has definitely come into his own as a designer. I remember Cary designed an amp around the KR T1610 tube too. I've seen these only on Cary's and a couple of others aside from KR. With the US Dollar as strong as it is, it seems like a great time to try these European tubes.

Jack

[Alrainbow]

I have a set of western electric old new nos 274B
amd a new pair of same tubes by tak
they are extremely close in sound and staging
a tos up really. Price wise they are the same about 900 each. Do they make solid state replacements like they do for recti ?

[Dr.Ears]

I discovered a very rare RCA CRC 5R4GY with twin D getters, which sounds very close to or better than some of the WE 274B's.
They were only made for a portion of 1944 & 1945. The getters must be at 45 degree angles to each other and they feature a unique reddish brown base. They only go for $200 each NOS. I roll these along with Holland made, metal based GZ-34's and WE 422A depending on the recording and my mood.

[mep]

I wonder how a modern KT150 would stack up against a NOS GEC KT88?

Good question. I am a fan of the KT-150 and would love to hear them in an amp that was expressly designed to take advantage of their true output capabilities. Most everyone is running them at the same plate voltages used for 6550s, KT-88s, and KT-120s. The good news is that the KT-150 is loafing in these circuits and they should last a long time. The real GEC KT-88 tubes were something very special and were also known for a very long life.

[atmasphere]

This might have to do with a certain nervousness that the KT150 might not continue production- not because of any perceived issues right now mind you, just that from a historical perspective, its likely that the KT-88 will outlive the KT-150 as it has with the predecessors to the KT-150. If that day ever comes it would be nice to plug in a set of KT-88s and keep that amp playing.

[JackD201]

I have a set of western electric old new nos 274B
amd a new pair of same tubes by tak
they are extremely close in sound and staging
a tos up really. Price wise they are the same about 900 each. Do they make solid state replacements like they do for recti ?

Not that I know of. I've only ever seen a solid state direct plug in rectifier on the Valvet Universal Power Supply. I was told these only work on specific tube circuits though.

[Bill Hart]

I just blew a Reflektor KT150. I sure hope It's a fluke because I really like how these sound. Hey Myles, KR Audio, who've taken the Lampi/SET guys by storm recently and also supplies Allnic, is now making KT88 tubes. I have a bunch on order for Jim's VAC 450s. Looks like something cool to review with your CJ top dogs. Give Eunice a call, she's local to you at least half the time. She splits her time between NYC and Prague.

Jack- when you say KR has taken the Lamm/SET guys by storm, what are you referring to?
Bill
(a Lamm guy).

[jcmusic]

I love the sound of vintage 45 tubes but, the EML 45 solid plates tubes are something to behold!!! I also love the 6SN7 as a driver tube in a preamp. Small imput tubes the Tele 12AX7 and Amperex JAN Gold Pin 7308!!!