A1UC Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 yep lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul79 Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 How's the Vega treating you Rod? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A1UC Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 (edited) Its awesome , had to use water in my cereal for the last month but it was worth it . THANKS Edited November 17, 2014 by A1UC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audible Nectar Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 I did a trial of the Russian Gold Lion KT88 in the VRDs and they lasted about 500 hours before going into a sparkshow. Had it happen on two different quads. After that, I stuck with the Penta Labs. I didn't think the GLs were enough of a difference to worry about vs. the Pentas on a sonic basis - in fact I liked the Pentas just a bit more, and I've had very good luck with them operationally. I've got about 8 quads of those in reserve, as well as 5 quads of the old Valve Art KT100 (also known as the KT88T) which are no longer in production, but was another KT88 that was an exceptional effort from Shuguang. Short of vintage Tung-Sol and real English Genelex GL I've tried just about all of the standard KT88s in this amp and the Pentas really are a good match for these. I settled on the circa 1960 version of the Philips/Holland (Amperex) 12AX7 and 12AU7 up front (large O getter versions) - crisp, clean, and sweet sounding. I quit rolling my VRDs a long time ago - I have them right where I want them, with good stock of replacement tubes to listen to them until I'm dead. Craig's preamp is next on the list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A1UC Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 (edited) I was thinking of swapping out the Tungsol KT150's / Mullard CV593 for KT88's / GZ34 just to see if it makes a difference Edited November 17, 2014 by A1UC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justinsweber Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 Really beautiful work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul79 Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 I was thinking of swapping out the Tungsol KT150's / Mullard CV593 for KT88's / GZ34 just to see if it makes a difference Try it and let us know! AN, thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 I heard, but have not seriously auditioned, yet!, Craig’s new VRD amps. (http://www.nosvalves.com/vrd.htm) They are just as good as the Deltas and the powerful Quads I heard at DaddyDee’s Klipsch gathering in Arkansas (now five years ago)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jorjen Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 I was thinking of swapping out the Tungsol KT150's / Mullard CV593 for KT88's / GZ34 just to see if it makes a difference I was disappointed when I pulled my Tungsol KT120's and plugged the GL's back in my VRD's. The Tungsol are staying put! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 I was thinking of swapping out the Tungsol KT150's / Mullard CV593 for KT88's / GZ34 just to see if it makes a differenceI was disappointed when I pulled my Tungsol KT120's and plugged the GL's back in my VRD's. The Tungsol are staying put! Where did you end up biasing the 120's at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jorjen Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 (edited) I was thinking of swapping out the Tungsol KT150's / Mullard CV593 for KT88's / GZ34 just to see if it makes a differenceI was disappointed when I pulled my Tungsol KT120's and plugged the GL's back in my VRD's. The Tungsol are staying put! Where did you end up biasing the 120's at? .80 with the Mullard CV593 rectifiers as per our discussion. Edited November 20, 2014 by jorjen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 I couldn't recall our discussions but that setting makes them sing doesn't it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A1UC Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 Mullard CV593 / KT150 .75 I think is my setting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul79 Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 LOL! Sing? Well, guess I need to get me some of dem dere CV593's..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Paul you can pump the bias up[ to 80mA for a while with GZ34's and the 120's just to see what you think.... But in the long run from a sonic standpoint the Penta style Chinese KT88 is hard to beat! I like the 120's and 150's more from a reliability standpoint then absolute sonic superiority. Although I still can not confirm just how long they will last my gut instant so for tell me many years I haven't had them long enough to be sure. I've never liked any of the Russian made KT88 like the GL or EH ,,, I think they are a bit SS sounding The only Russian KT88 I some what liked was the old Svetlana before the naming mess... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jorjen Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 I couldn't recall our discussions but that setting makes them sing doesn't it! That they do my friend, that they do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audible Nectar Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 I'm curious about a couple of things...... One: What's the object of the bigger Tung-Sols and alternate rectifier rigs - I'm assuming more power? Two: I am interested in detail specific reviews on the Duelund and Jupiter caps. They seem to have changed the world of PIO design. Let's hear it from the cap freaks. Specifically interested in the midrange details and finishing touch on the treble. Sell me, sell me, sell me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul79 Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 (edited) Caps are taste. The best ones give the most transparency, but along with that, more is on display, which can be a great or not so great thing. I think the Jupiter Copper is a very swell cap for any money, and is very balanced. With it, I don't see any reason to spend more, really. Edited November 21, 2014 by paul79 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tk49 Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 I traded the K75 russian caps " the mean green's" out for the Jupiter coppers and found more clarity from top to bottom. Everything has a keener edge, I guess, well defined, might be a better way to put it. I listen to mostly jazz and vocals on vinyl and there was more than just a marginal improvement. I'm with Paul on this one, for the $'s spent it was worth it. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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