KT-88 in Conrad Johnson Premier 11a

Thanks everyone! I read some discussion saying KT88 needs to be biased differently on some amps as it works best in a slightly different current flow.

Anyway I am really tempted to try KT88... Artmaltman, which brands of KT88 did you try on your 11a and how would you compare them?

I wish I can try GEC if I had the money. =p I am choosing from Svetlana, Electro-Harmonic, or SED. I found on some tubes store websites that SED is re-branded Svetlana... but SED costs more. Anyone knows the story behind this?

Thanks!
Andy

Hi, Hklai:

Svetlana was a venerable tube manufacturer with a plant in St. Petersburg, Russia. Several years ago, a company in the USA named Sovtek purchased sole rights to the brand name
"Svetlana," as well as other famous brand names, such as Tung-Sol and Mullard. So now Sovtek makes and markets tubes labeled Svetlana which are considered my some to be inferior. Meanwhile, the original (real) Svetlana makes tubes labeled SED-C with a winged 'C' logo, and some older production SED-C tubes carry the name Svetlana on the boxes. Sovtek markets some tubes that are said to be musical, including the Electro-Harmonix KT-88. Go to the above link to see a photo of a real Svetlana SED-C KT-88.
Best wishes,
Jay

Correction: New Sensor markets Sovtek, Electro Harmonix, Tung-Sol, Mullard etc. Apologies for the error...

Thanks Jburidan. Yes I used the older Svetlana KT-88, which would now be SED brand. The KT-90's were EI from Yugoslavia. I bought these all from Kevin Deal of Upscale Audio, if I recall correctly.
Art

Thanks Jay and Art!!

I'm really curious to know how the NOS Genalex KT88 sounds... and wonder if they can really live up to their price.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5766639003&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

Art, did you happen to try Electro-Harmonix as well? I wonder how it compares to the SED... I will pick either one of them...

Thanks,
Andy