KT88 tubes for Monos


Hi,
I have a set of Ayon Audio mono's that use KT88 tubes.  Over time I've purchased their importers version of the KT88's that are 200 bucks a pop.  Can I use a different tube?  I think I'm paying premium cash for the Ayon name on the tube.

Thanks.
jbbikerider
The Chinese Treasure’s are clearly a step above the very good Gold Lions. I have replace all my fine NOS KT88’s, 6SN7’s, and EL84’s with Treasures and found enhancement with all my gear, decidedly so. I am having no longevity issues personally. I forget the price difference between the GL’s and Treasures, but if the coin of the realm is a limitation, the GL’s are fantastic and durable.
If it takes KT150s get the Tungsols from Upscale. I have used KT88, KT120, KT77, 6550, and EL34s in my PL Dialogue Premium and the 150s are great. Balanced and the midrange is sweet, no zingy top end and no bloated bass. 

Never trust musicians who know about tubes…trust me…I've been a pro musician for around 5 decades and I'm utterly untrustworthy, a fact you can trust. Also, why doesn't a musician amp company (like Mesa) make a KT150 based bass amp? WHY NOT? What the hell is WRONG with those guys? (rhetorical question…I like Mesa)
Wolf, I'll bet Ry Cooder knows all about tubes! As for the KT150, high-powered amps are completely out-of-fashion with the best guitar players. Low-powered combo amps using EL34's or 6150's is all that anyone plays. To get the tube saturation and over-drive guitarists want, a KT150 amp would be way too loud. Now, a bass amp might be a good use for the 150, 'cause bass players want clean high power.
Here's too much information: bdp24…You’re correct sir, exactly why I said "make a KT150 based BASS amp?" After around 5 decades of pro guitar playing, I currently mostly use a rare Reverend Goblin 5/15 watt 6V6 push pull all tube combo amp with a Jensen Neo 10 (actually 2 of those Jensens as I also have a single 10 extension cab that makes the Reverend even better sounding), and a Burriss Royal Bluesman tube rectified 18 watt class A single ended EL84 head with a Mesa 12 cab. Mesa currently makes great tube bass amps, and I was around for their early 80s beautiful 400 watt bass amp (a GREAT amp) but, again, no 150s yet. WHY WHY? My bass amps are a 150 watt little Eden Nemesis 12 thing that sounds amazingly good, and a retro Ampeg class D PF series 15" rig that’s sort of adorable (amp flips over into the speaker box like the old ones…cool). I’m doing a gig with Jim Campilongo soon and he’s made the classic Fender Princeton Reverb his thing…12 watts maybe? Small guitar amps rule man…oh yeah…uh huh...