Tube Amp question:TUBE replacements: explain MATCHED?


I don’t get the mystery behind it all.  I have a Cary CAD- 808…( I’m buying early before I need to replace)… so far, I have bought SOVTEK, in the EL 84, ( new)… I have bought 12AX7WC SOVTEK TESTED STRONG MATCHED PAIR (difference = 0%) TUBES=ECC83, and now I’m looking at (4) Lightly Used SOVTEK KT88’s… I…but I’d rather buy NEW KT88’s… does MATCHED mean I cannot buy another brand/make of a KT88? I believe this would fulfill needs to properly replace what I’m running now…I bought the amp with tubes installed… I am a novice… amp sounds great… however I need the plug-in to check the Bias, and I guess a meter? 

Does matched mean I have to stay with the same brand? I need (4) more KT88 tubes. Do they need to be (4) matched tubes?

SOVTEK only?

Thanks 

Dave
 

128x128moose89

@immatthewj -

     I've looked for/at the smallest ammeters and (thus far): haven't found anything I could mount anywhere on my SLMs' chassis, for the convenience of not reaching for my Fluke.

     Hanging a couple on the amp stands and hard-wiring to the Bias jacks, would be a possibility, but: I'm SO lazy.

     Besides, it seems: with a good quad of output tubes in each monoblock, their relative biases seldom change.     Only: slight bias variations, consistent/the same in both, according to what's coming from the wall.

     The SLMs were my step, following the Rocket 88, which didn't have the juice to satisfy my SPL Jones (inefficient speakers, at the time).     No need to look further, as the SLMs' excellent transformers and circuit design made adequate power and the realism/presentation I sought, an easy reach, with judiciously chosen parts.   

     They were treated early on, to better RCAs, 5-ways and IXYS HEXFREDs.   Since: every cap has been upgraded (ie: Duelund cast-PIOs for coupling, ClarityCap ESAs in the B+, etc ).

     Of course: the optimum, NOS 6SN7 search was another enjoyable, illuminating and fun-filled journey.

                        Yeah: I'm FULLY invested in the SLMs, with NO regrets!

                                                     Happy listening!