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General Initial Impressions--Genalex Gold Lion KT88 Reissue

I've been on a tear of tube rolling with no end other than to try things out and see how I like them.  

I am trying out the Genalex Gold Lion KT88 reissues--8 of them--in a Primaluna Dialogue Premium HP integrated.  I mated them with 4 Cifte 12AU7s and 2 Baldwin (likely early 60s) 12AU7s.  

I made the mistake of not changing my selector switch from EL34 to KT88 during the first 20 hours of listening to the Gold Lion KT88s.  Regardless, I thought they sounded pretty great out of the box with the EL34 setting.  

It's still early in the process so I'm not 100% certain of everything. My initial impression is that these offer the sweetness of EL34 midrange while extending most of the sound spectrum.  There's a good bit of air on the top and mid to upper level detail is superb.  Compared to the EL34 reissues, I think the bass is a touch softer yet more defined--yet this is early and I need to compare with recordings that are tattooed on my aural memory before making final conclusions. 

Overall, I'd say this reissue is a damn fine tube.  I'm not finding any noticeable shortcomings or faults.  Everything is musical and enjoyable.  Smooth is the order of the day with this tube, yet it's not sleepy or droopy. It's a nice mix, in my mind's eye, of vintage and modern.  I really like them.  

I bought a matched octet from Upscale, but I didn't have these cryoed like most others I've bought. 

I'm super curious to hear about other users' experiences. 
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tmcclintock
35 posts
 
I replaced 4 KT120s in my amp with Gold Lion KT88s and like them much better.  No downside - only up.
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glennewdick
1,690 posts
 
I'm also a fan of the Gold Lions (300b variant) i've tried them head to head with the Shuguang WE-300b and find them like you said more detailed top to bottom with great instrument separation, the Shuguang's have a little more base warmth and lower mid warmth but are not near as detailed or do not throw as big a sound stage as the gold lions. for the money i'd take the gold lions.
jbrrp1
423 posts
 
I really like the new GL KT-88's in my VAC Phi 200.  I bit more warmth in the midrange, great bass authority, and a smooth extension on the top end versus the Shuguang that VAC ships the amp with.  It was the right touch for my system's voicing, with no downside trade-offs.
wolf_garcia
6,708 posts
 
My trusty Jolida 502p "with factory upgrades" has been running various tubage for years with interesting results…initially sounded fine with the stock 6550s (Tung Sol) but no no no…ya gotta roll! Sovtek KT88s…also sounded fine, similar to the 6550s, then KT120s lasted nearly 3 years and sounded great until they started to understandably lose their mojo, KT150s sounded fine for several months but I think my amp was straining to make ’em work (oh well…disturbing amp noise indicating the amp was saying, "get these things off me"), then Gold Lion KT88s were dropped in around a year or something ago and yeah…they sound pretty much exactly right. I also like Gold Lion 12AX7s in the front, and Mullard 6201s as they explode when turned on (as do I).
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samzx12
1,220 posts
 

Can you please tell me what were your initial impressions of the GL KT88 and what didn't you like about the stock EL PL EL34?  I have tried quite a number of power tubes in my PL Dialogue Premium and I do have to say while they are all different they don't have the cohesiveness or soundstage the stock tubes possess. OR I just haven't found the right combo with the other tubes.  I will say this, like jond said above, the KT77 is a very nice tube. My issue is finding the correct 12AU7's.  I do have the Cifte's in the front slots and do like them but the stock PL 12AU7 do have some upper mid glare that I don't care for with some recordings.

Right now I am using KT150's with the Cifte's in the front 2 slots and trying some new issue Tung Sol 12AU7 in the rear 4 slots. In some ways I do like this combo but maybe I need to give the TS some more time to break in. They aren't bad at all and seem to have smoothed out the sound somewhat but I am missing some inner detail and lushness. Before switching to the TS I was using the stock PL 12AU7's in the rear 4 slots and the soundstage was too middle row and distant. I needed a tube to bring the vocals forward and the TS 12AU7 has done this. I have heard the GL KT88 might be too forward or cool sounding in the mids compared to the EL34 but you seem to think different?

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