I have used several KT88's over the years. It seems as if every time, I go back to the EH or the Svetlana Winged C's as my defaults. The GLKT88's, though highly praised, and a costlier alternative to the EH's, seem middle of the road in my system, that is, they do not add or subtract from the musical experience and seem bland at times. Because the GL's don't do much but balance the frequency and musical spectrum so to speak, I feel that my system lacks some get up and go. With the EH or Winged C's, they each bring back the get up and go and make you want to listen more. I am not saying the GL's are bad tubes, because, many people like them, and in my Octave MRE 130 mono tube amp, they do bass well and they seem to do the midrange real well, but the highs fizzle, whereas, the EH's and Winged C's add more midrange and extended highs. It is a pronounced difference.
I am testing an octet of JJKT88's and they seem a little dry right now, but with very wide separation. I need to give them a few more hours to burn in. I was skeptical of the JJ's as the build quality seems a few notches below par of the EH, Winged C's, and GL's. The price is below market for other KT88's, and I wanted to experiment. I am also testing the Tung Sol KT120's, but that is for another story.
Has anyone tried the Sovtek KT88's?
In the end, I believe the EH's are one fine tube that equally benefit many tube amp owners in the same way as the GL's do for others. The sound is perceived differently on different equipment.
I guess I could say now, that having been there and done that, I prefer the EHs and Winged Cs over many other tubes I have tried so far. The story is still unfolding in regards to the JJs, but if history repeats itself, I might be going back to the EHs as my default, again.
Ciao,
Audioquest4life
