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GEC KT88 single-getter vs. triple-getter tubes

I recently received a Unison Research Sinfonia integrated amplifier and tried various tubes with it. As output tubes, I tried three-getter GEC KT-88 tubes which are great but I felt that they are overblown and rather fat sounding and lack air and HF extension. The stock tubes (Sovtek KT-88 marked "Unison Research") and somewhat lighter and brighter in a good sense and I thought I would keep them as output tubes, until I inserted the earlier vintage single-getter Genalex KT-88 tubes, which have more high frequency extension and transparency and don't have such excessive "bloom" I was suffering from. Has anyone had similar experience with these two varieties of GEC tubes? I will also appreciate any tips about a reliable source of NOS/NIB GEC/Genalex KT-88 tubes.
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Showing 1 response by benie

benie
147 posts
 
Well this is the first time I saw someone saying something bad about the New Golden Loin KT88.
Pretty much any review anywhere online gives very very positive results. You will find reviews saying they are as good as the real NOS KT88 and some say even better.
All I know is I bought a Quad of them off Jim MacShane on Audio Asylum and these New Golden Loin KT88 are in a leaque of their own. No other New production tube can hold a candle to them. I replaced my Shuguang made KT-88 with the New Golden Loin KT88, the Shuguang KT-88 were good indeed, but isn't in the same leaque as the New Golden Loin KT88.

Prehaps with the other poster his diver + gain stage tubes were not a good match for the New Golden Loin KT88.
Synergy with the other tubes does have alot to do with it, along with the circut. Some amps will show more diffences than others when it come to tube rolling and this is where alot of fun can be had in fine tuneing.
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