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Anyone have experience with the Tung Sol 7581a vs. EL34, KT66, KT88, 6L6

I broke down and added another power tube (Tung Sol 7581a) to my collection.  That can get expensive as my Primaluna Dialogue HP Premium integrated has 8 power tubes.   

Why has this tube escaped me thus far?  Why is it not more popular?   Many folks don't sell this reissue tube.  

I think this is a great deal.  I was torn between the lush, thick midrange of the EL34 and the more evenly spread out sound of the KT88.  But the KT88, for all its more correct behavior didn't romance me like an EL34.  

The 7581a from Tung Sol can be had cheap and I really like them.  [I'll spare you all the audiophile terms].  They check the boxes that I was looking for. 

Does anyone have experience, information or knowledge about this splendid tube?  

PS  The next experiment is KT150s but I can't see doing it if I'm gonna lose any of that great EL34 midrange. 
128x128jbhiller
noromance's avatar
noromance
9,404 posts
 
@oldhvymec Just checking that you know the thread is about replacing EL34 et al with new Tung Sol 7581A for a big improvement. 
gpdavis1
49 posts
 
Ran GL KT88s in my Cary Rocket 88 but missed the wonderful mid's of  EL34s. Rolled in a set of the Tung-Sol reissue EL34s and the magic is back. However, I purchased as my 'back-up' tube set and they are 'on-the-shelf' as I've rolled in a quad of GL KT77s, which, as stated above, are the creme-de-la-creme of EL34s. They were the 'keepers' in my previous CJ amp and same in the Cary. But, based on the theory (never disproven) that one cannot have too many tubes, I want to try a set of the reissue Tung-Sol 7581As. Failing that, I'll go with their 6L6GC-STR.
wolf_garcia
6,595 posts
 
Don't know how much of tube listening preferences are simply about differences, but being a 7581a fan I was surprised at the "difference" when I swapped in my GL KT77s this weekend...my little amp sort of came to life. Perhaps the 7581s are getting older or something...I'm starting a log regarding tube life to avoid such issues.

jbhiller's avatar
jbhiller OP
1,361 posts
 
@wolf_garcia ,  I'm sure folks could charge me with ignorance or blasphemy here--  I think the 7581as sound better with less than 1000 hours on them.  I think they fade off just a touch in my system after that.  
wolf_garcia
6,595 posts
 
BLASPHEMY! Human perception being the key thing in all things subjective isn't always good news or any news...or accurate news anyway. I have only 2 power tubes in my single ended Had amp so it's almost too easy to look at it and wonder, "what if I put THESE back in?" Immediately I hear differences and are those differences improvements? Sometimes clearly, other times they're simply differences that take a while to get that Oh Yeah feeling...or not.
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