WTD: new issue reliable new KT88

[Mr.Ian]

looking for a matched (preferably) quad of reliable new issue, low cost, KT88; New or very very low hours, from some one who offers a reasonable 30/90 warranty. Private or Commercial - any suggestions offers.

[da2222]

Probably best looking in trade classifieds!
hours, from some one who offers a reasonable 30/90 warranty. - any suggestions offers.

[Wakefield Turntables]

I have 4 tad tubes low hours that I tube rolled and didn't like in my amp yours £40 delivered of you want them send me a PM if your interested

[Mr.Ian]

Probably best looking in trade classifieds!

missed that sorry I was thinking 30-90 days

[Mr.Ian]

any specialist suppliers about ? - like Rod Burman and Jim Fish (RIP) of old ?

[brainz2000]

Watford valves - Electro Harmonix a quad for about £100 ...




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[Audio Al]

I was advised by John Wood to use , Genalex Gold Lion KT88 in my JW amp , been fine for over a year now
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https://www.watfordvalves.com/product_detail.asp?id=1920

[Mr.Ian]

Hmmm , posted a reply from my phone but it doesnt seem to have made it on here. JW always recomends GEC to me, says they last for ever, but too expensive and risky for me, the amps came with Sovteks which lasted about 3 years, the next pair of Sovteks about 2 years. I cant find Sovteks now, I thought about EH as I saw a good report on them a few years back but as most people recommend GL .

are the tubes that much different? both russian

4 x EH KT88 = £144
4 x GL KT88 = £194.40
tested, matched and warrantied from Watford Valves

[vegman1973]

I use Gold Lion Kt88’s also in my JWood amp which sound great [emoji106]


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[Mr.Ian]

Decisions decisions.... I was leaning towards electro harmonix , hmmm

[mac72]

EH are really good tubes , I've used few much more expensive alternatives and went back to EH in the end , yes there are better tubes but the difference is not worth extra £ unless you go for NOS Gold Lion , KT88-Z by Shuguang are very close but have reliability issues , Psvane is another one which comes to mind.

[Si74]

EH are really good tubes , I've used few much more expensive alternatives and went back to EH in the end , yes there are better tubes but the difference is not worth extra £ unless you go for NOS Gold Lion , KT88-Z by Shuguang are very close but have reliability issues , Psvane is another one which comes to mind.

Agree with Mac, loved JJ's but when they go, they go alarmingly, Sovteks were outstanding and if not discontinued would have been repeated as necessary. More than happy with the EH's. Gold Lions way too much money and my only experience with the original real ones was a very expensive mistake!

[Old boy]

Gold Lions way too much money and my only experience with the original real ones was a very expensive mistake!
How so ? Nothing bettered GEC’s in my Mac 275’s

[Si74]

Swapped a NOS Quad of 'lightly' used GECs for a very expensive amp stand with someone I trusted. Won't mention who sold him them but although they sounded brilliant, a loan of a valve tester showed them to be anything bar NOS, lost an arm and a leg selling the pair that tested reasonable and binning the other two. Also had a quad of EAT'S, ridiculously overpriced, unreliable and sounded crap.
Really wish I had stocked up on the Sovtek KT 88s as they were really nice sounding, reliable valves, bettering my current EH's,o.i.m.o. of course and cheap as chips in the scheme of things.

[Mr.Ian]

Swapped a NOS Quad of 'lightly' used GECs for a very expensive amp stand with someone I trusted. Won't mention who sold him them but although they sounded brilliant, a loan of a valve tester showed them to be anything bar NOS, lost an arm and a leg selling the pair that tested reasonable and binning the other two.

another similar story with GEC here (https://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?58151-FS-5x-GEC-KT88-valves-vintage-test-as-NOS!&p=972702#post972702)


Unless anyone come back and says no dont do it I am going for EH from Watford Valves tomorrow. Monday

[User211]

Swapped a NOS Quad of 'lightly' used GECs for a very expensive amp stand with someone I trusted. Won't mention who sold him them but although they sounded brilliant, a loan of a valve tester showed them to be anything bar NOS, lost an arm and a leg selling the pair that tested reasonable and binning the other two. Also had a quad of EAT'S, ridiculously overpriced, unreliable and sounded crap.
Really wish I had stocked up on the Sovtek KT 88s as they were really nice sounding, reliable valves, bettering my current EH's,o.i.m.o. of course and cheap as chips in the scheme of things.Sovtek KT88s aren't great sonically I found. Average at the very best.

The EAT was a Tesla Vrsovice valve. Sonically it was rated by many as the best sounding KT88 ever made. I agree. It was dreadfully unreliable in amps that pushed them hard though. I had that trouble. The EAT incarnation obviously still has the same filament going pop issue.

Funny how opinions vary.

The Sovtek will take punishment and survive and be reliable.

A good set of GECs should be very good indeed. I say that based on experience of other valves and rectifiers they have made.

My amp at the time was an Air Tight ATM-2.

Don't take the above as an insult. It is just what I found years ago now.

[Blackdog]

I won't touch the reissue Gold Lion. While a nice sounding tube, there are reliability issues, and when they go, they really go. I've had dozens of amps in for repair that were damaged by this tube.
You could try the Mullard reissue. If cost and reliability are important go with the EH KT90.