Preamp Deal of the Century

Just received an e-mail from Mick. He says the name of the new KT-88 amp is Malbec. The amps will have a gain control which will help it match to any system and it will have a feedback control to help it match to various speakers. My Berning amp has this also. This is a nice feature as it helps control the woofer for tighter bass.

Well, I have about 60 hours on my Chardonnay now, and a couple nights ago it started sounding SUPER dynamic, real edgegy and hard.
I played with the gain controls for a while but they didn't help.
So I just turn it off and when to bed. I didn't want to start rolling tubes yet, but I suspected microphonics.
I am not sure why it would have just started after 60 hours when they should be getting better, not worse.
Anyway the next night I decided to roll the 6sn7, so I replaced the stock ones with a pair of RCA I had been using in my previous preamp, a AE3 DJH.

Well that did it, they tamed it dowm nicely, no more edgey runaway dynamics. Everything just smooth out and nice.
Now I cann't wait to roll the other tubes. I have some Golden Dragon Kt66 laying around I will try.
I know they may not be worth the effort but what the hell, they cann't be worse. Can they!!

Well, I have about 60 hours on my Chardonnay now, and a couple nights ago it started sounding SUPER dynamic, real edgegy and hard.
I played with the gain controls for a while but they didn't help.
So I just turn it off and when to bed. I didn't want to start rolling tubes yet, but I suspected microphonics.
I am not sure why it would have just started after 60 hours when they should be getting better, not worse.
Anyway the next night I decided to roll the 6sn7, so I replaced the stock ones with a pair of RCA I had been using in my previous preamp, a AE3 DJH.

Well that did it, they tamed it dowm nicely, no more edgey runaway dynamics. Everything just smooth out and nice.
Now I cann't wait to roll the other tubes. I have some Golden Dragon Kt66 laying around I will try.
I know they may not be worth the effort but what the hell, they cann't be worse. Can they!!
Allanblissett (Answers)

Since you are on it, maybe you want to try the Sovtek KT-66 as regulators. I tried the Genalex Gold Lion(thin sound), the regular GEC KT66 dark and clear glass(clear but bass is bloated), the 6F6G Sylvania (great bass, so and so mids), Tungsol 5881 (dark overall, big bass, not great in detail which made horn sound rounded at the ends), RCA 6L6GC (balance overall but everything sounds mellow), but the Sovtek that Mick suggested seems to sound right to me. Although it took about 50 hours for the tube to settle.

One more thing, I used to have a little hiss on both channels with all the other regulators I was using. With the Sovtek, the hiss on both channel are now gone! I do not know why but I have 4 pairs of original Tungsol 5881 that I paid big $$$$$ for and the GEC tubes I bought from Europe which I already sold and all of these plus other regulators for some reason makes hiss but not the Sovtek. Weird, but thats my story in my system only of course.

I have a Chardonnay on order, since 5/3, and am looking forward to it. But I am curious how something can have "runaway dynamics"? Never heard of that. Edgy is one thing, but it is not an increase in dynamics. And 6SN7's definitely can have microphonic issues which I have experienced, but in no way does it make it more dynamic or harsh, just... well, microphonic. How can it become too dynamic?

Thanks for the tip on the Sovteks, I will order a couple to try.