Setting tube bias


I have a TAD 60 tube amplifier and I alternately run EL-34 (both regular bias and single ended class A bias) and KT88 tubes. I tried to switch out the EL-34 to the KT 88 and I can't set the bias adjustment low enough to keep them from going very high very quickly. No matter how many turns I go to the left, the bias keeps going up. This has never happened before and I'm not sure what is going on.

I went back to the EL-34 tubes and had no problem setting the bias. This is just happening with the KT-88 tubes. They are the same tubes I've run before so it isn't a new tubes issue.

Any help would be great. Thanks.
gmsasso

Showing 3 responses by atmasphere

I would get the KT-88s tested. If they are OK, its possible that the bias supply in the amplifier is having problems.
I agree with Gmsasso- it *is* strange for all 4 tubes to be too 'hot' all at the same time. Really seems to point to the amp not having enough bias voltage in its bias supply.
Hifihvn, just for the record, yes, if a tube had a short then it could mess with the other tubes, depending on the circuit of the amp. Not in this case though- something is wrong with the amp.