Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best Selling in Vintage Tubes & Tube Sockets
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Save on Vintage Tubes & Tube Sockets
I am lucky to have amp that is very forgiving and allows me to explore a variety of Tube Types. The only tube that I must use is an EF86 Preamp. The chassis is stamped EF86, ECC83, and EL34, although the builder has told me that I can swap out the inverters (2 - ECC83s) and the drivers (4 - EL84s). I should note here that the amp is a derivative of the famous Knight KB85, with circuit modifications invented by Mullard. Anyway, siffice itvsay that it will run an EL34 with the same spirit the it will drive a KT88. In this case, I had been running EH EL34s.. and Russian 6N/S3Cs. Both are very nice tubes with excellent range... but when Genalex Gold Lion KT77s arrived and I put them in... once I finally put some music on, the soundstage grew exponentially. My test recordings were Chic Corea Akoustic Band, Digital Master; Norah Jones, Come Away With Me; The Dave Brubeck Quartet, jazz impressions of japan. I chose these three because the recordings are high quality and do not require any bass boost, trebel adjustment, etc. I can run them with all tone controls defeated, which is my Gold Standard. What did the Genalex bring to the table? The tonal quality is, to my ear... equal with any tube I have used. Drums pop. Keyboards dance and the sustain is real when apllied by the keyboardist. But the single hardest thing to duplicate is soundstage, and here, the Genalex excels! On track one of Akoustic Band, Bessie's Blues, Chic Korea and Drummer Dave Weckl play extraordinary solos that serve as counterpoints, and set the stage forvthe rest of the slbum. The Genalex Gold Lion KT77s, really bring out the placement of the drums vs the keyboards, and even the tom toms, in relation to each other and the bass drum. John Pattitucci's acoustic bass solo is front and center during this wonderful song that is among the best jazz instrumentals I have heard. Dave Brubeck needs no introduction and his Jazz Impressions series are among the great jazz classics. Playing the CD version back to back.with the LP, I did notice that the LP offered slightly more clarity... especially in the bass. But regardless, the Genalex tubes handles the biggest bass passages, along with the softest piano, withbequal aplomb. Another thing I noticed was that drum tuning had nore clarity with the Genalex. Because I purchased these tubes with 200 hours already on them, I was not able to observe the burn in period. However the end result is a beautiful, sonic experience. On Toki's Theme, the third track on Jazz impressions, the woodwind - an Alto Sax played by Paul Desmond takes on an almost Clarinet like quality... something which was more clear to me using the Genalex KT77s. Overall, the tubes provide a clean, crisp presentation. Musical instruments are clear and the harmonics associated with them are evident. Vocals are realistic... and most important, they sound "real". I feel b as if I am in the recording studio.. not half a century and a thousand miles away. I plan to continue using the Genalex and want to try replacing my vintage RCA ECC83s with Gold Lions as well.Read full review
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Very good
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Great sounding tubes... One of the best alternatives for el34
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Verry bad
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