rzdz@fluke.UUCP (Rick Chinn) (03/04/85)
If you're favorite amplifier uses KT-88s for output valves (tubes) (like the
McIntosh 75 and 275, or Dyna Mk-III, or Citation II), and you haven't
switched to 6550s yet, then you ought to call your favorite tube monger and
order your last sets of KT-88s before there aren't anymore to be had.
According to a news item in Studio Sound, a British audio magazine, the M.O.
Valve Company recently announced that it was ceasing production of the
KT-88, which it has manufactured for the last 30 or so years.
Now the KT-88 is already hard to get, and this should make them even harder
to get. (not to mention what will happen to the price!)
If your amplifier uses these valves, you can use 6550's instead. There are
some spec differences, and many folks claim to hear the difference. But the
bottom line is that the 6550 will work in the same socket. If you are one of
those folks who can hear the difference, then kindly detail your findings to
the net, but please don't flame at me.
Rick Chinn
John Fluke Mfg. Co MS 232E
PO Box C9090 Everett WA 98206
{ihnp4!uw-beaver, ucbvax!lbl-csam, microsoft, allegra, ssc-vax}!fluke!rzdz
(206) 356-5232
<--------------- menus do not a user friendly program make ------------------>hkr4627@acf4.UUCP (Hedley K. J. Rainnie) (03/06/85)
I have a Citation II. You can get KT88's from C international (I can't find t
the box so the name may be wrong) But yes you are right The MOV division
of GEC has stopped production. I use GE 6550's and I have found that they
pass a cleaner square-wave on a scope than the internationals. I didn't
try with the MOV's though. The 6550 is a good tube but my amp is running
factory bias (~100ma per tube) and thermal dissapation ~50watts a tube.
We will miss MOV but @$80 for matched set vis-a-vis ~$10 for a GE 6550 the
clear winner is the latter. EL34's went to the same fate. sad.
Hedley. (dedicated valve phreak)