New KT150 tubes?

Thanks Johnny R ... finally a straight no BS answer.

Johnny, one other question. The GS-150 and Ref 150 spec identically on the ARC site. Everything .... distortion, power supply, bandwidth, whatever. So what changed??

Also, will ARC sell KT-150 tubes for regular stock Ref amps and at what price?

Johnny ... you are the best.

Note to self: Start selling larger tube cages and top covers to ARC amp owners with KT150s...maybe a lid bulge?

@Bifwynne, what little I have managed to extract thus far,

Rewound Output Transformers ?!?!? Although I cannot see ARC not utilising the extant Cores and bobbins as sported on the Ref150.

A reworked, and 'perhaps' influential , shortened circuit topology, with a handfull of resistors and the odd capacitor enabling optimisation of the KT150.

And , errr, yes, KT150's.

For my part I am somewhat disappointed that the facility of the 16 Ohm tap has been omitted, however were this to enable the utilization of an improved winding spec then C'est la Vie.

Jasper.

Jasper .... I am perplexed by the hype surrounding the GS-150. On paper, the GS-150 specs identically to the Ref 150, except for the KT-150s and possibly a different output tranny.

I am sufficiently familiar with ARC's product line to have the status to ask ... what changed? Maybe better passives??? .... maybe the output trannies sound better??? I would like to understand why and how the GS-150 is better and different than the Ref 150, other than its new "package" and use of KT-150 tubes.

BIF

P.S. I am getting an uncomfortable feeling that ARC's old guard is being replaced by marketing/business geeks. An old saw from business school is that if you can't improve the product, ... change the package. I am concerned that that is what the GS-150 may be ... a Ref 150 in a new package.

I look forward to being proved wrong because I am an ARC fan.

Call me a rebel CJ told me flat out NO, but I just replaced the kt120's in my CJ premiere 12's with kt150's,60 hours in no issues ,been monitoring the transformers to see if they get hot ,no issues.the sonic difference is astounding in my system.I have had these amps for18 years,and have run 3 brands of 6550's 3 brands of kt88's,for almost 3 years kt120's.I switched to kt120's beccause of better bass and better dynamics,but I always felt they brought a little touch of electronic edge,I didn't know if that was coming from somewhere else in the chain.Back to the 150's,the sound is so dramatically better,I will never go back unless my amps blow up or I do.Dynamics like nothing I have ever heard,no grain or edge,best bass ,best and deepest soundstage ever and most musical