Tone difference between KT88s and KTs and EL34?

[needtopractice]

Can anyone give me an ear as to the two tones that the RMs will get between having just KT88s and having KT88s and EL34s together?
Or maybe KT88s on the outside and E34Ls on the inside...?



A side question being would I get the general feel for KT88s even if they are a cheaper brand as opposed to what I already have in her, which are JJ 6L6s. I'm trying not to drop $150 on KTs if they aren't my thing.
You know I'm afraid I won't get a REAL impression of what the KT88s can do if they are a cheap pair...
thanks!
Jim.

 

[Jaded Faith]

KT88's and EL34L's together are my tubes of choice in both if my RM100's. I have all JJ's in one, the other has JJ EL34L's and EH KT88's. This is a best of both worlds tube pairing. You get the fuller low end from the EL34L's over standard EL34's. You get the roaring chainsaw mids of EL34's. You get the awesome headroom from KT88's and big lows and smooth highs.

Just FYI, I think the EH KT88's are great and worth checking out for around half the price of the JJ's to figure if you dig them.

 

[needtopractice]

KT88's and EL34L's together are my tubes of choice in both if my RM100's. I have all JJ's in one, the other has JJ EL34L's and EH KT88's. This is a best of both worlds tube pairing. You get the fuller low end from the EL34L's over standard EL34's. You get the roaring chainsaw mids of EL34's. You get the awesome headroom from KT88's and big lows and smooth highs.

Just FYI, I think the EH KT88's are great and worth checking out for around half the price of the JJ's to figure if you dig them.

I thought I read that you liked those somewhere before...
Can anyone chime in on only KT88s in the head?

 

[maximus1]

it sounds sweet and if you could afford to do it i'd go for at least once because trying the other tubes will be less expensive so might as well go big first, sounds like el34's on roids - vht amps run these :twisted:

 

[trendkill1168]

KT88's and EL34L's together are my tubes of choice in both if my RM100's. I have all JJ's in one, the other has JJ EL34L's and EH KT88's. This is a best of both worlds tube pairing. You get the fuller low end from the EL34L's over standard EL34's. You get the roaring chainsaw mids of EL34's. You get the awesome headroom from KT88's and big lows and smooth highs.

Just FYI, I think the EH KT88's are great and worth checking out for around half the price of the JJ's to figure if you dig them.

This description is spot on as I used to run 2 KT88's on the outside and 2 E34L's on the inside in the RM100 I used to have. The KT88's just have more of a powerful grunt to them with more headroom if that makes any sense and I've always been a fan of the tones of an RM4 paired up with a VHT power amp w/ 88's. It was my favorite combination of tubes in this amp so far but I have to admit that I want to try a quad of KT88's to see how that sounds. I've been a little short on cash since I got my Lynch Box but this is definately the next thing in order. FWIW the JJ KT88's are very good sounding tubes. I haven't tried the Electro Harmonix brand but I'm sure they are nice as well. I really want to check out the Gold Lions but they are pretty pricey.

 

[tung]

I talked to a girl at the Tubestore and she told me that the Gold Lion KT-88 is their biggest seller for KT88. Anyone checked them out yet?

 

[trendkill1168]

I talked to a girl at the Tubestore and she told me that the Gold Lion KT-88 is their biggest seller for KT88. Anyone checked them out yet?

I just need to bite the bullet and get a quad of em.

 

[TheHunter]

I use KT88s on the outside and 66s on the inside and it sounds so sweet to me. Really Shreds.

 

[fuzzyguitars]

how does it sound different to 6550's

 

[JKD]

I talked to a girl at the Tubestore and she told me that the Gold Lion KT-88 is their biggest seller for KT88. Anyone checked them out yet?

They sound wonderful..

Gold Lion >> Ruby > JJ

..with EH/Sovtek thrown in there somewhere..probably before the JJ...which sounded too tubby and lacking in clarity a little to me.

 

[thesockmonster]

What about JJ KT77's? Has anyone tried those? They're usually my favorites, but I just got a new RM100, and don't want to drop for a mix I wouldn't like.

 

[JKD]

What about JJ KT77's? Has anyone tried those? They're usually my favorites, but I just got a new RM100, and don't want to drop for a mix I wouldn't like.

Very aggressive sounding, some good low end..not as nice as a 6L6 in that dept though (what is, apart from a KT88? ) but with the KT77 you get some mid action going on. I have a pair of KT77 in my RM100LB currently.

 

[tung]

i got the KT77 in my RM50 combo. they're nice in the mids and can get sweet in the lower mids too, but i agree with JKD, lacking depth and character. I'm thinking of doing 6L6 for my combo while keeping my head open for a mix quad.

 

[droptrd]

I havent heard any of the KT's in the RM, but i have ran them in a few Marshalls, a rectifier and a carvin x100b - i have to say, i wasnt impressed. I think if they were the best sounding tube, all the manufacturers would be using them. I will say, the KT88 works great for deep drop tunings and 7 stringers. Big, Round, and Tight

 

[maximus1]

if you have a 5150 you can drop 2 kt -88's in and it will dramatically improve the sound of that amp. no need to bias unless you have the bias mod. just a piece of useless info :wink: but i think most amp makers don't use them cause they are expensive and require a powerful tranny besides most comsumers ears are use to el34 and 6l6

 

[tonymustang302]

This thread is totally fueling my gas for a pair of KT88's.
Whats the price on gold lions?

 

[JKD]

This thread is totally fueling my gas for a pair of KT88's.
Whats the price on gold lions?

Around $100 a pair, $190 a quad.

 

[tonymustang302]

This thread is totally fueling my gas for a pair of KT88's.
Whats the price on gold lions?

Around $100 a pair, $190 a quad.

Then these Steve? http://store.tubedepot.com/gl-kt88.html

 

[JKD]

This thread is totally fueling my gas for a pair of KT88's.
Whats the price on gold lions?

Around $100 a pair, $190 a quad.

Then these Steve? http://store.tubedepot.com/gl-kt88.html

Them's the ones!

 

[droptrd]

you can try Bob @ eurotubes. He does his own testing after the factory tests. Bob is very tube savy and only sells the very best JJ's. I bought a set of JJ KT88's from him for my mesa DR, and they were 10 times better sounding than the set i bought previously from tube depot. And Im not really into the JJ's. If you dig the JJ's, Eurotubes is the only way to go!