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A few basic tube questions

For starting info i just purchased a pair of Quicksilver mid mono amps . These are my first tube amps i have owned .

Questions are : I plan on buying several sets of tubes for these amps by different manufacturers. When i have found the ones that i feel i like the best how do i sell the others that will have had an hours worth of use ?

Second question is in regards to the varients my amp can use . They are el34 , kt88,kt90 , and maybe a few more .Will all manufacturers of an el34 sound similar . Or might one el34 sound like someone elses kt 90 .

Third question is in regards to my new dodd preamp . That uses one tube of the 6 volt ilk . There are one of those as well in the quicksilver amps . Is it a good idea to use the same in the pre and amp ?

Lastly if anyone is interested in giving a quick (general description) on the differences of the el34 ,kt88 ,kt90 tubes .
128x128maplegrovemusic
maplegrovemusic's avatar
maplegrovemusic OP
1,113 posts
 
I am planning on using either Tubemonger or The tubestore . Or any of the top hits from a google search . Do i need to be leary of not getting what i am paying for or as these websites describe the tubes ? New condition is what i was planning . Is it wise to buy the small tubes that last alot longer used ?
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islandmandan
1,260 posts
 
In my experience, I find a broader choice of high quality NOS (new old stock) from the likes of Vintage Tube Services, Brent Jesse, Upscale, etc.

I've found NOS tubes gerally sound better, and should last longer, but they are more expensive. Try a few, and see.

Best regards,
Dan
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,249 posts
 
You're making it way too complicated and doing it too much too quickly. The responses to your question are good, but they are encouraging your over complication. You are new to tubes and you've just secured two new tubed components. Spend the next 4 to 6 months enjoying what you have and acclimating yourself to their sound. It's a cliche, but rediscover your music collection. Once you get over the newness of the sound you'll be in better position to judge what you want to change, if anything.

BTW, what loudspeaker are you using with the Quicksilvers?
maplegrovemusic's avatar
maplegrovemusic OP
1,113 posts
 
I am running a pair of King Sound King electrostats. I was told by Gary Dodd whose preamp i bought that he just throws in a cheap russian tube because he expects owners will choose their own tube . I do not want to listen to that tube for very long.
newbee
4,768 posts
 
If you want to be successful and minimize your costs in finding the best tubes for your amp and pre-amp ity is recommended that you do nothing until you can answer the question "What sonically do you want to change about your system with your tube change'.

When you can answer that question you have a good chance of success. If you can't then your just going to be wasting a lot of time and effort. Remember, even the best and smartest tube vendor cannot tell you what tubes to use in your system without this information. But they will and do. And if you know what you want to change you will find there are a lot of tube folks on forums what have a broad knowledge of the generic sound of different tube types and brands and how to best use them.

FWIW.
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