KT88s...the final chapter


Ok, Ive posted before, ive read the prior threads, ive read the David99 vs Marchman debacle, I done my homework on NOS, Valve Art, Svetlanas, out there. Id love to use Gold Lions and other NOS out there, but most are sold on ebay 1 pair or quad at a time for around $100 a piece. I need 16 tubes. Svetlanas run about $40 a piece. Sovteks are about $24 each. My question, are the Sovteks such a step down in quality to my stcok Svetlana 6550's? I am talking about the price to value ratio here. If my amps used a quad or even an octet, id have no problem with forking out the $$ for Gold Lions. Has anyone given the Sovtek kt88s a shot and if so, were they put back in the box bad? Anyone have suggestions on a lo cost source for kt88 types?

thanks
128x128justlisten

Showing 2 responses by zt000

I prefer Sovtek KT-88 over Svet 6550C and Svet KT-88 over Sovtek KT-88. However, I prefer Penta KT-88 over Svet KT-88 and their price is somewhere between Sovtek and Svet. Since you are using 6550C, the Sovtek KT-88 would most likely give you satisfactory results. However, if I were You, I'd pay little more to get Penta. However, if your amp were voiced exclusively with 6550C, all bets are off.
Try http://www.thetubestore.com/kt8890100types.html for objective evaluations.