Dennis Had Inspire Amps

[FloridaBoy]

Originally Posted by BearCityUSA

Have any of you tested your GL KT77 reissues for grid leakage. I had my tester out and thought I would run the quad I have through the paces. Emission was strong but grid leakage was questionable for all four of a quad. I ran some JJ KT77s through and they did not act the same. These GLs are not that old (new in September and not always in the amp) so I was wondering if maybe this was inherent to the GL make. Any input would be welcome.

BC, this is form Upscale Audio:

Gold Lion KT77 - A modern re-creation of the legendary Genalex KT77. Produced in Russia by New Sensor. Reports in the field say this is one of the most durable EL34 types currently available, and so far our tests agree with that. Far more reliable than the JJ KT77, and even more beautiful sonically. Great mids, smooth, airy highs, incredible bass, wonderful 3D presence, and that natural glory you'd expect in an EL34. We've been playing these in everything from the PrimaLuna amps to the Manley Snappers, and they sound great.

A quick note on this tube: These tubes seem to take a bit longer to break in than some other power tubes, so if they sound a little lightweight in the bass, you have to give them time. Some guys are reporting at least 100 hours before the fully come into their own.

Pricing above is for a single tube. Includes matching in any quantity you need at no extra charge.

All power tubes are Platinum Screened & Tested to the highest standards, including a 72-hour burn in process, and testing at real-world voltages.

Every power tube is different. This applies especially to power tubes like EL34, 6550, KT88’s, etc. Two tubes can be brand new in the original box, with one testing at [as an example] 6500 micromhos, the next one at 8600 micromhos. Both tubes would be considered "new" by the factory, and not defective. While the weaker tube isn’t "defective," it will certainly have a shorter life. So if you pay 10% less, you might get a tube with a significantly shorter life. The big lie from manufacturers of tube equipment and tube dealers themselves is that they “reject” these tubes. It’s not true. You can imagine the nightmare that would create for the tube factory if people are sending back 50% - 80% of the tubes that get shipped, coming back in all kinds of condition.

As the owner of Upscale Audio, a company that has supplied tubes into over 50,000 components, and someone obsessed with treating your amp like it’s my amp, I can tell you in no uncertain terms the factory doesn’t take them back. The only tubes they will take back are tubes that have shorts, gas, or measure BELOW the minimum number they assign for that tube type (it varies from type to type, so don’t bother trying to figure that out).

I’ve overcome that issue for you. I can say with calm assurance that we pay the factories more for our tubes than any other tube seller, and we ensure that we receive the absolute cream of the crop. This flies against the logic of how to run a business: The way you make money is to pay less for the goods you sell! That’s what most ANY business owner will tell you. We also don’t sell certain brands of tubes because while they might be cheap and sometimes good, they can be more trouble than they're worth. We pass on a lot of money as a result.

Upscale Audio is the only dealer that does what we do on a grand scale, and have a deep understanding of high end tube electronics. We’re the only dealer that manufacturers give a thumbs-up to, and recommend to their customers. And I promise you only the best.

- Kevin Deal

You need to be sure your tube seller does in depth testing. Not all do. Jim McShane and Cryoset are also good tube sellers.

BTW, are you certain that your tester is working properly?