SED 6550c Vs. KT120 Vs Treasure KT120Z OUTPUT TUBES

Roydrage

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Mar 25, 2014
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At A Crossroads...

Re-Tubing My Amps once again, and I turn to this Forum to get a consensus.... Since It seems to be impossible to find someone that can closely match (30) SVETLANA 6550c Tubes for my Behemoths.

That due I'm sure, because most of the Manufacturers have gone to the new KT120, and KT150 tubes...

The problem is every time I've ever tried KT tubes (88's & 90's) they have sounded Glassy, and Cold in the mids... More Dynamic, better controlled, and deeper bass, Yes. But Cold.
The 6550c Svetlana's have a Lower Mid / Upper Bass Hump that meshes well with my Ribbons that can lack a little body in that Region.

Ken Stevens whom I respect a great deal says that He thought the KT-120's can sound even warmer than the 6550c In Triode which I am running... But with 30 tubes it's a bit of a expenditure, and I
Just wanted to get some more opinions before I make the plunge.

ALSO: From what little I've heard about them the Shugang Treasure KT-120z's with the Black Coating, sound Amazing, and are more Organic and Full Bodied than the Tung Sol's But this only from
isolated posts, and the Stereo Times... Otherwise if they are so good, why aren't more people or any Manufacturers using them?

I anxiously await your thoughts on this matter...

Thank You... Royd
 
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DaveyF

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Jul 31, 2010
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Royd, I guess I'm lucky, I only need four tubes for my ARC amp. I use the 6550c's and am very happy with them. Besides the SQ, what has impressed me..at least so far, is the reliability of this tube ( oh no, I hope I didn't curse myself, lol).
Anyhow, that is something that weighs heavily with me with tubes...having had several in the past go up in smoke ( and once flames!) What amps are you using that require thirty power tubes?? Frankly, that would not be my idea of fun!
 

andromedaaudio

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Cat gear great what amps do you own ?
I own a cat sign jl 2 sign running on tung sol KT 120 , works fine sound good and in 2 years i havent had a tube break .
Havent tried 6550 would love too
 
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Roydrage

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Mar 25, 2014
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Cat gear great what amps do you own ?
I own a cat sign jl 2 sign running on tung sol KT 120 , works fine sound good and in 2 years i havent had a tube break .
Havent tried 6550 would love too

No, no... Don't have CAT amps... Want to keep this discussion strictly about these "Tubes Sound", in comparison to each other...

Thanks!

Royd
 

andromedaaudio

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In my view its hard to seperate the tube sound from an amp design .
KT 120 used in an ARC also sound wonderfull but quit different overall
 

Sablon Audio

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There is a little trick you can try which is quite effective. When using the same tube type (eg say 6550) then you can mix and match different brands to blend their respective sonic flavours. I once had a cj140 and using just a single tungsol 6550 nos black plate on each side with the svet 6550 in the other 3 sockets gave a fair bit of TS flavour (warmth and darkness) whilst maintaining some of the crispness of the svets.
 

Ron Resnick

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. . . The problem is every time I've ever tried KT tubes (88's & 90's) they have sounded Glassy, and Cold in the mids... More Dynamic, better controlled, and deeper bass, Yes. But Cold.
The 6550c Svetlana's have a Lower Mid / Upper Bass Hump that meshes well with my Ribbons that can lack a little body in that Region.

. . .

Uh-oh. I always thought there was a consensus that KT-88s sound warmer than 6550s?
 

Roydrage

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Mar 25, 2014
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If you're talking about the SED Winged C tubes, you obviously haven't used many of the 2011 and 2012 production.

No! I haven't last batch I had purchased 2 sets... They were from 2007!

Tell me about them.... Bad?

Thanks,

Royd
 

Roydrage

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Mar 25, 2014
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Uh-oh. I always thought there was a consensus that KT-88s sound warmer than 6550s?

Ron,

Not in my amps! COLD! They were bigger, more dynamic, But were White... Like staring at a light bulb... Remember these were Svetlana 6550c's I'm talking about with that famous lower mid upper Bass bump.

ALSO: Don't want to get OT, but what the heck, it's my thread... I'm interested in that cartridge you have... Have you had opportunity to compare it with the PC-1 Supreme? A cart that I know.

Thanks,

Royd
 
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Ron Resnick

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My ZYX -- like most of the pieces -- is still "to come."

I have liked the Air Tight PC-1 Supreme and Opus each time I have heard them. I also have liked Koetsu stone body cartridges every time I have heard them.

I preferred the ZYX on the 3012R on Steve's Air Force One over the Anna on the Graham Phantom Elite. That is all I know.

My benchmark is the Benz Micro Ruby 2 which I owned and liked for 16 years.
 

Roydrage

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Mar 25, 2014
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My ZYX -- like most of the pieces -- is still "to come."

I have liked the Air Tight PC-1 Supreme and Opus each time I have heard them. I also have liked Koetsu stone body cartridges every time I have heard them.

I preferred the ZYX on the 3012R on Steve's Air Force One over the Anna on the Graham Phantom Elite. That is all I know.

My benchmark is the Benz Micro Ruby 2 which I owned and liked for 16 years.

Wow! we are BFAM... I've had my BENZ LP for 15 yrs!!! LOL! Just Gutty & Warm. So I think we hear alike...

Curious... Do you think that maybe you liked the ZYX better because the Opus is Low Compliance and not mating well with the Graham Unipivot?

That is my Fear being I have a VPI Classic Direct with 3d 12" Tonearm... I'm afraid even the Supreme won't work in the arm... Can't find anyone to verify for over 2 years!

Thanks,

Royd
 

Ron Resnick

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What is "BFAM"?

I heard the Air Tight Opus on a Black Beauty/Kronos Pro.
 

Roydrage

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Mar 25, 2014
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What is "BFAM"?

I heard the Air Tight Opus on a Black Beauty/Kronos Pro.

Brothers - From - Another - Mother.

LOL!

Got ya' But to be fair... Then you are talking totally different system. Hard to judge like that.
I don't have the energy I used to, but back in the day my friends and I would have cartridge
Shoot outs for 2 ~ 3 days... And would swap out and listen to every of them on the same system.

We would beg, borrow, or just about steal... to gather enough of them to do it.

and BTW... the last time we did that the Ruby Won!

Best,

Royd

NOW Back To Topic! Thanks!
 

Ron Resnick

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. . . But to be fair... Then you are talking totally different system. Hard to judge like that.
. . .

I completely agree, Royd.

Still, hearing cartridges in unfamiliar systems, in auditions in which I did not know what cartridge was being used, has not prevented me from finding a cartridge too bright or too analytical for me (e.g., a brand new (not broken in) Dynavector and Lyras).
 

Barry

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No! I haven't last batch I had purchased 2 sets... They were from 2007! Tell me about them.... Bad? Thanks, Royd
I would try to avoid the latest SED Winged C 6550Cs. 11s and 12s, the last years of production, don't test as strong and I've had a couple gas out without being used. As background, I own 80 SED 6550Cs including a dozen pairs of the newer ones all tested on an Amplitrex AT-1000.

Oh, not sure which tubes you are talking about. There is SED and there is Svetlana. They are different 6550C tubes and two different companies. SED no longer makes the Winged C 6550C tube. ARC now supplies Sovtek 6550WEs. None of these brands sound quite the same.
 
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Roydrage

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Mar 25, 2014
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I would try to avoid the latest SED Winged C 6550Cs. 11s and 12s, the last years of production, don't test as strong and I've had a couple gas out without being used. As background, I own 80 SED 6550Cs including a dozen pairs of the newer ones all tested on an Amplitrex AT-1000.

Oh, not sure which tubes you are talking about. There is SED and there is Svetlana. They are different 6550C tubes and two different companies. SED no longer makes the Winged C 6550C tube. ARC now supplies Sovtek 6550WEs. None of these brands sound quite the same.

No Sorry, I have to correct... Svetlana 6550c is what I'm talking about... I haven't had the "Winged C's" in 15 yrs... I know the New Winged C's are NG.

Thanks for clearing that up!

Royd
 

Mendel

Well-Known Member
Feb 13, 2012
209
149
948
GTA
At A Crossroads...

Re-Tubing My Amps once again, and I turn to this Forum to get a consensus.... Since It seems to be impossible to find someone that can closely match (30) SVETLANA 6550c Tubes for my Behemoths.

That due I'm sure, because most of the Manufacturers have gone to the new KT120, and KT150 tubes...

The problem is every time I've ever tried KT tubes (88's & 90's) they have sounded Glassy, and Cold in the mids... More Dynamic, better controlled, and deeper bass, Yes. But Cold.
The 6550c Svetlana's have a Lower Mid / Upper Bass Hump that meshes well with my Ribbons that can lack a little body in that Region.

Ken Stevens whom I respect a great deal says that He thought the KT-120's can sound even warmer than the 6550c In Triode which I am running... But with 30 tubes it's a bit of a expenditure, and I
Just wanted to get some more opinions before I make the plunge.

ALSO: From what little I've heard about them the Shugang Treasure KT-120z's with the Black Coating, sound Amazing, and are more Organic and Full Bodied than the Tung Sol's But this only from
isolated posts, and the Stereo Times... Otherwise if they are so good, why aren't more people or any Manufacturers using them?

I anxiously await your thoughts on this matter...

Thank You... Royd

I have tried the Treasure KT120 black bottles. I got mine from Racheal at Grant Fidelity. When they are working they sound great but I went through 2 quads and could never get a set that would reliably hold bias for more than a few hours at a time. Eventually I gave up. The odds of you getting 30(!) to work properly long term in your amps is about nil. Unless you enjoy tube problems and down time I would recommend something else.
I think the Tung Sol version of KT120 is reliable and powerful, but not very good sounding at all.
My favorite KT88 is the Chinese made Penta Labs KT88SC. They have a nice warm midrange and have been very reliable in my amp. The Penta Lab run is over but the same tube is now being made for thetubestore.com as the Prefered Series KT88. They even come with a 6 month warranty.
 

Nooshinjohn

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2017
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I use the Tung Sol KT120s in my Carver Statement amps, and find them to be quite musical, powerful and engaging. My amps are nearly 5 years old now and in that time I had to replace one tube out of 12. I will be using them again when I retube the amp next year.
 

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Mendel

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Feb 13, 2012
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I use the Tung Sol KT120s in my Carver Statement amps, and find them to be quite musical, powerful and engaging. My amps are nearly 5 years old now and in that time I had to replace one tube out of 12. I will be using them again when I retube the amp next year.

Have you ever tried any other output tubes in your amp? You might be surprised. Just saying........
 

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