Dennis Had Inspire Amps

[Comzee]

Probably still a month out from receiving these, but I'm going to be trying out the fallowing with my SO HO fire-bottle.

PSVANE HIFI 5881 (lower power 6l6 I think?)
Shuguang HiFi 6L6WGC (had good luck with new stock tung-sol 6l6, thus trying these out)
PSVANE Treasure Mark II 274B (my favorite rectifiers are 274B, going to try this spendy one out)

[x3workshop]

Originally Posted by FloridaBoy

I'm interested too. I got a nice pair of GE labeled Wesinghouse 6L6's. They sound good but are bettered by new production in my rig.

I really have all the power tubes I need but will get a pair of something different a few times a year simply because I am a tube-0-holic.

Originally Posted by Musica Amantem

Aren't we all?

I don't know what you're talking about.



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[FloridaBoy]

I don't know what you're talking about.

De Nile is not just a river in Egypt.

I'm listening to Sylvania ST 6L6G's with an 80 rectifier an CV-181. Nice, but they are bettered by new production.

I think the next tubes I get will be the RCA black plate 6L6 copy from TAD and the Tung Sol EL34B's.

TAD http://www.tubeampdoctor.com/en/shop..._Selected_2824

They are available cryo'ed on the auction site for less than $60 a pair.

[Musica Amantem]

After my recent experience with the anticipated (it seems I was right in forecasting this outcome several weeks ago) KT-66z and KT-77, nothing else comes even close. After listening for several days to other new output tubes (VA 6550, VA 350B, Svetlana KT-88), I came back to the KT-66z last night, and man, are these something else! I admit the mentioned new tubes have not yet settled and these may improve some, but so did the KT-66z and KT-77 and from the outset they beat anything else. I'll soon try again the KT-77 that I liked so much to confirm the most transparent and magical mid-range in the business.

So, I don't see how any 6L6 will even compete, as the Kinkless Tetrodes have the same good features of the former but with added body of sound, depth, presence (immediacy) and higher dynamics, and in the case of the KT-66z, great bass also. Like I posted earlier, if the KT-77 grows into developing better bass, that one is a killer option.

I believe part of the merit belongs to both the CV-181 from Shu Guang (black glass) and the Psvane CV-181 TII (gray coat) which seem to add synergy to the Kinkless Tetrodes. Thanks, FloridaBoy! The sad part of this is, I don't have any more tube-rolling challenges to meet ... except maybe a good EL-34 which hopefully improves upon the GL KT-77 (fat chance?)

[FloridaBoy]

MA,

Our amps are triode and tubes sound different than the SE version. The KT66z grabbed me immediately. The Mesa 6550 is very 3D and casts a wide soundstage. I can handle experimenting with power tubes at $50-60 a pair.

The black glass CV-181 is the one I use most. Still tempted by the WE version.

[Musica Amantem]

Originally Posted by FloridaBoy

MA,

Our amps are triode and tubes sound different than the SE version. The KT66z grabbed me immediately. The Mesa 6550 is very 3D and casts a wide soundstage. I can handle experimenting with power tubes at $50-60 a pair.

The black glass CV-181 is the one I use most. Still tempted by the WE version.

I still need to try the KT-66z with the black glass CV-181, as I have been using the Psvane CV-181 TII with those. For the KT-77, I used the black glass CV-181, so I still need to invert the CV-181 type on each output tube to see if there are improvements. I forgot to add I'm also looking forward to confirm your take on the Mesa 6550's 3D presentation.

My point is, output tubes featuring 60+ to 80+ mA range maximum plate current in Triode are the most likely candidates in our Triode-strapped amps. In most cases, I've found I prefer the 56 output tube in the preamp because these "open-up" the bolder presentation of Kinkless types, allowing all the nuances to come up and provide that sense of realism. So, using those, there may be higher-current types i.e., 6550 (150 mA) which may surprise me positively. The KT-88 (150 mA) is a nice tube, but it needs to open up more for my taste, so hopefully the Mesa 6550's will do that.

[pstrisik]

Originally Posted by pstrisik

Then running the 6CG7 RCA "clear top" tonight probably won't be wonderful, but we shall see. I tried the 6SN7 prior to the IIPS upgrade.

Initial listening surprised me. Seems more transparent/natural, though I've been led astray by initial impressions before. I guess I try the Sylvania "chrome dome" and RCA 6SN7's with adapter again to double check.

Again, it seems tubes I rejected a year ago seem worth reconsidering after this IIPS mod.

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Still waiting for the GL KT77 reissue to arrive. I also will try some of the other EL34's I collected a while back in the meantime. I have vintage Siemens and a pair of SED =C= that have good rep.

[FloridaBoy]

Originally Posted by pstrisik

Initial listening surprised me. Seems more transparent/natural, though I've been led astray by initial impressions before. I guess I try the Sylvania "chrome dome" and RCA 6SN7's with adapter again to double check.

Again, it seems tubes I rejected a year ago seem worth reconsidering after this IIPS mod.
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Still waiting for the GL KT77 reissue to arrive. I also will try some of the other EL34's I collected a while back in the meantime. I have vintage Siemens and a pair of SED =C= that have good rep.

You can change wire or caps and the same holds true.

[Musica Amantem]

This weekend I'll be listening to the KT-66z with the Shu Guang black glass version CV-181 instead of the Psvane CV-181 T-II gray coat; and invert this with the KT-77. Regardless of the outcome, any Triode-strapped Inspire amp owner would be happy with either output tube /CV-181 combination. They are that good, IME.

[FloridaBoy]

Originally Posted by Musica Amantem

This weekend I'll be listening to the KT-66z with the Shu Guang black glass version CV-181 instead of the Psvane CV-181 T-II gray coat; and invert this with the KT-77. Regardless of the outcome, any Triode-strapped Inspire amp owner would be happy with either output tube /CV-181 combination. They are that good, IME.

Pope 6V6's black CV-181 and an 80 rectifier at the moment. Quite good. I'll try the UK CV-181 with the Pope tubes later. The GE ST 6V6's will get a turn later. I'm not sure I have a favorite tube combination. It's cool that so many can sound so good.