while waiting on a preamp for my DEFY 7/6550's

can anyone put me in touch with a dealer for the high quality czech KT90 tubes? Gabriel wants an 'arm and a leg" price.

Sorry Bartokfan, but Ei made the only KT-90 worth troubling with and as you well know they are no longer running. The Jim McShane modded, vintage HK Citation amp owners snarfed up the rest (check with Jim McShane Google him). The current KT-90 is supposedly really poor. My very strong suggestion is to have it checked for Mods. Many Jadis have been modded into sonic torture machines, unless you bought it new and that is well....that. Otherwise have it rewired for EL-34s and live happily ever after. I have heard the difference the after is glorious.

Interesting. No wonder I do not see any EI KT90's for sale. The Ei KT90's in the JOR do well with orch and any other music for that matter. I'm still hoping Pierre has some laying around. I see the EL34's tube is shaped like the KT90 and as you suggest this may be my best option, my only option. I hope the local tech guy here in BR can bias it to the EL34's. I'd hate to ship the 135 lb amp. The 6550's made the JOR sound like "most other" tube amps. A sound I could not live with. I doubt if any bias would make substansive improvement. I hate anything "warm and fluffy" in a tube amp.

Yes I see Svetlana EL34's new. This is the tube I will order.

If you hate 6550's compared to KT90's you're really going to hate EL34's. Compared to 6550's they are a warmer, 'mid-range magic' tube. Sounds nothing like the KT90 or 6550. Beleive it or not the 6550 (SED's anyway) is much closer to the KT90 and any of the other popular power tubes. Better do your homework before you jump off that bridge.