old verses new

[Garyk]

I have a kt5881 and it is the best power amp I have heard by far.
I have wasted good money on more exotic power amps, (graaf 50 50) and borrowed some even more exotic amps (icon audio stereo 60) and came back to my Kt5881.
I am happy .......no ...I love my setup but have the twitch again.
Has anybody here had a Kt5881 up against say the new KT88 power amp .
I'm currently using an icon audio la4 pre amp with my kt5881 into neat momentum's 87.5db .....which my 20w wad should struggle with, but it takes it all in its stride.

[Richard]

Hi Gary,
I've owned a WD88 for a while and heard the K5881pp at home.
K5881pp is a sweet sounding and relaxed amp relative to WD88 which is more powerful sounding, punchier bass, crisper treble.
They are both great amps in their own right but noticably different when compared directly against each other.
You may be getting the benefit of a particularly good match of the K5881 with your speakers, source, and room at the moment, so the best bet would be to try and borrow a WD88 to try in your actual system

[Phil Y]

If you like the amp that much what about upgrading it?

What do you have in it passive component wise?
You could fit some very fancy parts for a fraction of the cost of a new amp and still retain the basic character you like so much.

Phil.

[Garyk]

Making some interconnects is the limit of soldering ability.
I dont understand electronics so changing components is not for me, although upgrade is a logical step.

Unfortunatly none of my friends have a WD88 so I may need to keep an eye out for one on here, and I always have the option to move it along if it does not suit me.

Cheers

[bikerhifinut]

Theres a KT88 XL on eBay right now.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/World-Des...876d%7Ciid%3A1

As to "Upgrades" beware of a "Scattergun" approach, I have had a couple of second hand bits of valve kit pass through my hands and I have ferquently had to get to grips with "upgrades" that were either badly done, or in one case stressing the amp.
Often they are hiding issues that needed sorting out before chucking fancy capacitors and resistors at the circuit.
The best "uopgrade" is to ensure the amp is working exactly as it was designed. WD amps, certainly the recent stuff from when Peter C took over and now in Matthews safe hands, are pretty darn good in standard form and for me the improvements in replacing certain parts are not really so obvious.
I may have cloth ears of course.
A.