a bit of advice is sought.

[rivendell]

Currently running an Icon Stereo 25 with Golden Lion KT88's and Golden lion EEC83/81 valves.

Q. Can anyone suggest alternative valves to replace the EEC82/81 which are better than the Golden Lions (which i think a very impressive)

Is it worth looking at NOS if so which ones? suggestions as to where to source these would also be useful, as ive read a few horror stories about people buying, well a pig in a poke.

Any info would be greatly appreciate.

Has any one done any comparison of a 6550 valve against a KT88

Thanks in anticipation

[Ali Tait]

Lots of small valves on ebay but a lot of dodgy stuff too as you say. I'd look for cheap used ones and try a variety to see what you like and what works well with the amp.

[bikerhifinut]

Have a look in the thread on the WD88 amp.
I've just tried a quad of NOS GEC USA manufacture 6550A and they're ok. But they do have quite a different presentation.
The only KT88 I have heard are the Svetlana ones that came with the WD amp. Very nice but horribly expensive now.

[Richard]

Yes I've a set of GE 6550A bought for Kit88 and they are very lively and a little gritty imho. They're well liked by guitar amp folk I gather and fetch good money but I can't bring myself to part with them yet. Must have a rake through though, bet they've been in the draw 12 years.

Svet 6550C are lovely midrange and smooth treble, good bass, very much like their KT88s. JJ's are very clean and hifi sounding.

Best I've heard are the new Genelex KT88s very sweet with a high end sparkle. If you like them you might be disappointed with anything else.

On the small valves try New Old Stock by all means but only buy from a tested and boxed supplier. I made the mistake a long time ago of marveling at the different sounds available from secondhand valves til I bought a valve tester and found many of the lovely old mellow valves were simply worn out!

They last for years, 20 or 30 or more and fade away to a flat colourless sound long before they stop working. Put in a NOS short plate Mullard or Mazda/Thorn and they are very good hifi valves indeed - at a price.

[rivendell]

Richard now there's a funny thing because the KT 88 Golden Lions which i am using on the Icon Stereo 25 are Genelex (sorry i should have mentioned that one) I picked them up in January as a 50th Birthday present from my wife.

Ali Tait was kind enough to rebias the amp for me as i hadn't done this before, but when he showed me what was involved i was slightly embarrassed how straight forward it was. Hey ho you live and learn.

The thing is i am starting to get the feeling that although I am talking to lots of people who know there valve amps, i will have to put my hand up right now and admit that i wont be going near a soldering iron, accident prone is not the word.

I am the one who doesn't duck when the plank of wood is swinging round!. Think Laurel and Hardy, piano, staircase, paint tin, big puddle, do you get where im going with this.

Anyway opinion of others is always a good thing so here goes!

The reason i asked about the 6550's is A, the mp can take them and B, the reviews i read said they were good with rock and elelctronic music ( i use these terms very lossley), hence my interest.

For the record the Genelex valves are stunning and its genelex on the front end of the amp as well. Now you would ask yourself, what's driving this, well i will tell you, i have upgrade fever, ive just replaced my Musical Fidelity M1A Dac with the Audiolab M Dac which is burning in a we speak, and just recently purchased a pair of martin logan aerius speakers and im thinking possibly more power (think the Icon is putting out about 40wpc ish) using the KT88's.

I have also been looking at Jolida and Yaqin amps, but am a bit nervous (the Jolida is from the main UK dealer and the Yaqin is on ebay in the UK). Does anyone have any experience off or has heard either of these amps.

Or should i do as im told by the boss, and sit back and relax. or to coin a well used phrase in our house "Your changing what" AGAIN.

Your input as always is appreciated


Current System
Icon Stereo 25MK 1 ( Genelex Golden Lion KT88'S EEC81's and 83)
Nordost Interconnects
Audiolab MDAC, Nordost USB Cable
JRiver Media Center running FLAC files via windows 7 on a Dell PC
La Cie External Hard Drives
Martin Logan Aerius Loudspeakers, Nordost Speaker Cable
Isotek Main conditioner
All plugs using AMR Gold Fuses (couldn't believe the difference they have made, and if you'd told me before hand i would never have believed you either.)

[Richard]

Hi, yes,

I'd let the dust settle on your recent changes first

6550 come in different flavours as do KT88 and EL34. Svet 6550C are big smooth open in the mid with softish bass and treble. GE 6550A are more aggressive, firmer bass, harder mids and searing treble (relatively speaking).

Genelex (new) KT88 and JJ KT88 are "hifi" clean and sparkling and very well balanced.

JJ EL34 are creamy err, just creamy all the way through, whereas Svet EL34 are much clearer and perhaps the best for hifi etec etc

What I would say is see how your amp likes EL34 or KT88 first as the ones I've tried don't really suit both and are optimal with one or tother. Yes you can rebias and yes it will run but the TX load etc will suit one better than the other unless they are both compromised.

Power-wise there will be little between any of them, around 30W, but it will clip fairly softly and seem very loud.

Tune the flavour to suit by trying various makes of first and second valves which are just plug in changes and easy to compare.

Valve amp wise more power than that is very expensive, push-pull with feedback will also be giving you the best chance of driving various speaker loads. Any change from here should take into account amp and speakers as a combination as it can be surprising how much difference the load has on an amp.