Interesting post there Trelja...My Sovtek "brand" kt88s are produced at the same New Sensor factory as my sets of Tung Sol 6550s and kt120s, and they (the kt88s) sound GREAT...upon close physical inspection using my watery and often reddened eyeballs they do seem to have very similar "innards" to the 6550s, but sound and behave differently nonetheless, as well they should. I find it hard to imagine why a factory would make a poorly regarded tube when it also makes very highly regarded tubes (they're the ONLY ones making the universally accepted kt120s) in the same place. From the Tube Store:
From our KT88 tube type listening tests:
"The Sovtek KT88 tube has smooth, warm and clear with excellent imaging. The bass (except for the very bottom end) is tight and the high end is crystal clear. The separation of parts and balance is better than any of the 6550 tube types."
They left out (assumed typo) what IS "smooth, warm and clear"...the glass? The sales staff? The skin on the factory manager's mistress? Mine don't run with "red plates" or explode...although they do have a beautiful blue glow that appears after a while. Also, I just googled 'em and they seem to be more or less accepted by "geekdom". All this aside, for reasons I find hard to explain I am currently preferring the kt120s...if only because they're larger and seemed to become depressed when I put them in their little boxes to try other stuff. The sets of 6550s and kt88s are in a large box together so they can discuss their early days spent on the Volga. I will not let them near any vodka.
