KT77

[Mattfig]

I'll admit that I've never owned any until today...I have always been an EL34 guy and strayed into 6CA7s and now finally into KT77s...

It is fucking love...Love! Thanks for all the people who have been telling me to try them...

 

[JayDA]

I just got another RM100, and we thinking about what to throw in there for some variety. I already have EL34s and 6L6s with an RM50 sporting KT88s on the way....I think you just answered my question. Which brand Kt77s are you rocking?

 

[Mattfig]

I just got another RM100, and we thinking about what to throw in there for some variety. I already have EL34s and 6L6s with an RM50 sporting KT88s on the way....I think you just answered my question. Which brand Kt77s are you rocking?

In shame I will tell you they are Groove Tubes...I had an amazon gift card...That's all they sell of that variety...They were really expensive for rebranded whatevers (JJs probably) but just sound great...They don't have the low end of the 6CA7 and are still focused like EL34s - just more oomph...Nothing that's too much...They are in my RM100 with some Mullard EL34s and it just sounds great...

Tomorrow I will be trying some Gold Lion KT77s! They were supposed to be here today but didn't arrive...Will report back...

 

[Mike361]

You sure are a busy guy.
Matt, I am supposed to be getting a rm100 in the mail soon. Right now it has el34's which I love, but I will take your advice and be looking for some 77's in the future. That is a big plus for the rm100's. to mix tubes. I would have never thought of kt77's.

 

[Mattfig]

Just had a brief moment to try the Gold Lion KT77s....Gotta say, don't hear much difference between that one and the Groove Tube version...

But they are both great...My next venture (which won't be for awhile now) will be straight JJs though...For anyone out there shopping...

As for the KT77 tone...To my ear it sounds slightly more powerful in the highs and lows than a standard EL34 but has the same midrange...I read people say they sound "scooped" and they don't...Just a more pronounced EL34....Overall I like them a lot...I have a hunch they will record well but today is not that day...

In the end I think that KT77s, 6CA7s and EL34s are all in the same family...The 6CA7s have the largest departure in tone with pronounced highs and lows...The 77s a little less pronounced but still a boost over EL34s...But EL34s are where it's at for me anyway...I like dancing around with similar gals but at the end of the day I come home to EL34s...

 

[eyeball987]

I have been running the 34 / 6CA7 combo for a while now. Sounds like I should line up some 77's to keep around also.

 

[Rising Farce]

Just wondering: How loud do you guys have to run your amps in order to discern the subtleties between various power-tube types? I will admit to having a less-than-Eric-Johnson-quality ear, but I usually have a hard time telling much of a difference unless the power section is really cooking.

 

[Mattfig]

I cook them. Not crazy but enough that the joint rumbles...I have a lot of sound iso and more coming and use precaution but don't generally don't like quiet amps...A **** amp can only fool you when it's quiet....My theory is that you have to crank an amp to capture its character...

There is a large tonal difference in power tubes to me and I don't have a super ear...Just really picky tastes and a willingness to experiment...

 

[JayDA]

I agree .....you've to crank the **** out them to hear it, especially an RM100.

 

[rblyn]

I can feel and hear the difference at medium volume with different tubes...cranked REALLY gives you the difference. EL34's sound good even at low volume on the RM100...Gotta crank the KT88's up to appreciate what they can do...Now I gotta try KT77's! Thanks Figster! hehehe

 

[eyeball987]

Just wondering: How loud do you guys have to run your amps in order to discern the subtleties between various power-tube types? I will admit to having a less-than-Eric-Johnson-quality ear, but I usually have a hard time telling much of a difference unless the power section is really cooking.

I can hear the difference between power tubes starting at very low volumes. Sure, it is more pronounced when you push the master but the sonic differences can be heard right away.

 

[Rising Farce]

Just wondering: How loud do you guys have to run your amps in order to discern the subtleties between various power-tube types? I will admit to having a less-than-Eric-Johnson-quality ear, but I usually have a hard time telling much of a difference unless the power section is really cooking.

I can hear the difference between power tubes starting at very low volumes. Sure, it is more pronounced when you push the master but the sonic differences can be heard right away.

Interesting. Sounds like I need to do some more experimentation.

 

[eyeball987]

Just wondering: How loud do you guys have to run your amps in order to discern the subtleties between various power-tube types? I will admit to having a less-than-Eric-Johnson-quality ear, but I usually have a hard time telling much of a difference unless the power section is really cooking.

I can hear the difference between power tubes starting at very low volumes. Sure, it is more pronounced when you push the master but the sonic differences can be heard right away.

Interesting. Sounds like I need to do some more experimentation.

Experimenting is easy enough to do! I have used EL34's, 5881's, 6L6's, 6550's, and just about any combination of those mixed. Each tube had it's own thing going on that was easy to hear on my end. I wouldn't say that my ear is all that great either.

 

[Mattfig]

Just wondering: How loud do you guys have to run your amps in order to discern the subtleties between various power-tube types? I will admit to having a less-than-Eric-Johnson-quality ear, but I usually have a hard time telling much of a difference unless the power section is really cooking.

I can hear the difference between power tubes starting at very low volumes. Sure, it is more pronounced when you push the master but the sonic differences can be heard right away.

Interesting. Sounds like I need to do some more experimentation.

Experimenting is easy enough to do! I have used EL34's, 5881's, 6L6's, 6550's, and just about any combination of those mixed. Each tube had it's own thing going on that was easy to hear on my end. I wouldn't say that my ear is all that great either.

I agree...As you experiment you may find two things:

1. All power tubes sound basically the same. Stop there. Not a factor for you.
2. You may start to notice differences between types at various volumes...At low volume, I find 6550s and 6L6s are missing something and you gotta keep raising the volume...An EL34 will sound good pretty quiet...The bigger the glass, the more volume it needs to show off its tonal qualities...

When it came to playing with EL34 varieties the differences were noticeable pretty quickly and didn't need a ton of volume...But in the end, you will hear them shine when you blast it...

 

[Oregon]

It's pretty noticeable at all volume levels to me ... Whenever someone says they can't tell a difference I wonder if I'm hearing conceptually rather than physically, but then I go back to trusting my ears.

Using an RT2/50 with a stereo cab is a great way to see which power style tubes sound a certain way too. I've put EL34's in one half or 6L6's and 6550's in the other then toggling one on and the other off let's me keep the same speaker in the same cab for comparison.

This is a cool aspect of mts for me - combining modules with different power tubes. And while I know "on paper" what to expect, it's a fun surprise to get to actually play and swap tubes.

 

[JD]

I'm in the group that can't tell a difference. I wish I could but I can't. I've played around with preamp tubes too and can't tell a difference with those either.

 

[Mattfig]

I'm in the group that can't tell a difference. I wish I could but I can't. I've played around with preamp tubes too and can't tell a difference whose either.

That's good...No need to look for issues with tone if you are happy...That is the greatest downfall to my playing happiness at times...

It stops becoming "wow, that riff was cool" and becomes "wow that riff would be great through the 'right' mod and tube scheme."

 

[JD]

That reminds me of my sister...She has absolutely perfect pitch and if she is listening to anything that is even the slightest bit out or if a guitar isn't perfectly intonated, she says it almost gives her a headache the way it rings in her head. I wish I had that freakiness in my tone deaf head. lol

 

[Mattfig]

That reminds me of my sister...She has absolutely perfect pitch and if she is listening to anything that is even the slightest bit out or if a guitar isn't perfectly intonated, she says it almost gives her a headache the way it rings in her head. I wish I had that freakiness in my tone deaf head. lol

The major difference being that your sister's situation comes from a God-given gift and mine comes from an obsessive personality... :lol:

 

[joey_truelove]

May I ask how hot you biased the KT77s? I hear they sound their best biased at their max, at around 32W a piece, and I'm curious whether to go with these for my rhythm sound, but as yet have not pulled the trigger on them. Love their KT66s though, biased at around their max (30W each).