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Quicksilver MidMono Owners & Past Owners

I've noticed there are quite a few QS MidMono owners, like myself, on Audiogon so I have a simple request.....I'd like to know which output tubes, other than EL34s, you have fallen in love with. When I purchased my amps 5-6 years ago Mike Sanders recommended Tesla NOS EL34s which I think are wonderful.   However, I'd like to roll in some KT88s or 120s just for a change of audio scenery.  Please let me know your thoughts with brand/vintage preferences.  Cheers!

whiteknee
jimmyblues1959
231 posts
 

 I have a twenty year old pair of QS Mini Mite monoblocks with EL34 output tubes that I've owned from new. I think cost wise  that the EL34 is the best sounding tube for this as well as the mid mono amplifier. 

 

oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
4,570 posts
 

Mike also told me he voiced the Mid Mono amps for EL34.   That's what I have in now and will probably keep.  

My amps are the second version with binding posts and the power and output transformers are the same size.  He said do not use KT90.  Apparently not all kt90 are the same and that amp can't handl3 them.  

I liked the EH green label EL34 that I bought the amp used with.   The JJ EL34 have meat on the bones , warmer better bass.  The EH had more mid and upper energy.  

 

 

decooney
2,565 posts
 

My buddy runs the standard new-reissue JJ EL34 set of power tubes with his mid-monos, and it sounds great.  Prior to the Mid Monos he had a very expensive non-US preamp and amplifier with KT88s. It was nice, a little more transparent, yet he likes the Mid Monos with regular JJ EL34s better, and they've been very reliable for him. The former amp/preamp was given to his father to play with. It was an exercise that showed some times "simple is better", and can work really well :) 

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