Re: Very OT: Hey Peter, need some KT-88s?

Peter H. Wendt schrieb:

They claim to be better than the rest. Audiophooles claim that they would sound better. Hmmmp. You may believe it or not - but it does not explain such a *huge* overpricing. I think most of it is marketing, propaganda and the rest is esoterics.

No. Different brands gives a slighly different sound in guitar amps.
Although a set of brand new tubes also sounds different than after a few month of heavy useage.
Most of the EL34, 6L6, 6V6 or KT88 are used in musicians equipment.
You'll need matched pairs or quads.

I don't know, I never really could grasp the concept that one tube is so much better than manipulating the flow of electrons in a vacuum than another.

Maybe it's the magic server pixie dust.

With tubes there are surely "side effects" that have an influence on the overall sound, like microphony or hum and noise level. Tubes *are* mechanically complex items, where the manufacturer has a lot points to louse it up - like the chinese do pretty regularly. The mounting quality and that of the base material is another aspect that affects sound quality.

KT88 were quite often used as Power amp tubes in high end guitar or bass amps. There the sound quality is defined often beyond hi-fi as the more harmonic distortion is what the musicians are looking for.
This wanted harmonic distortion happens when the tubes are pushed far beyond specified limits.

But: given a certain standard bottomline of tube quality the differences between different brands shouldn't be *that* big anymore. And that's where the so-called premium brand makers try to make their wins with claiming that theirs were better than the rest and the customer had to pay for it. I can't see it to be honest. Surely good workmanship and good choice of parts and warranties have a price. But not that price.

Until the late 70's high quality valves were produced in quantities. Today there is not much stock of 40year old brand new gear left.
What is produced today is produced in very low quantities.
Today valves are only used in high end gear, there is no more market for low qualitiy which was more than good enough for a kitchen radio.

In today's digital music production the differences can be heard more clearly than with 30+ years old recording gear.

--
Uli
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