Lampizator Valve / Tube Rolling Review Thread

[cpcat]

Apparently no more 242s, neither RK nor KR, are currently being produced and none are available -according to LampiNA via Lampi/Lukasz.

So…as above. . I’ll buy if anyone has them. Need a quad ideally.

 

[plasmod3]

This—and:

For all headed to the Horizon I’d be interested in your 242s

How about a pair of gec nos px25s? I found them to be 242 killers

 

[cpcat]

PM sent.

 

[bonzo75]

PX4 shootout, with Osram Marconi from 30s, 40s, and 50s, and also one compare with Marconi PX25, in a DIY SET amp

 

[plasmod3]

View attachment 92566

PX4 shootout, with Osram Marconi from 30s, 40s, and 50s, and also one compare with Marconi PX25, in a DIY SET amp

Wow so which one won?

 

[bonzo75]

Wow so which one won?

Nah, that will just drive up prices... Let it rest. Lampi guys are fine with the PX25 they have, and if a Marconi comes up, buy and compare.

I am still interested in telefunken 242 vs KR 242

 

[Golum]

View attachment 92566

PX4 shootout, with Osram Marconi from 30s, 40s, and 50s, and also one compare with Marconi PX25, in a DIY SET amp

Bloody treasure…

 

[Zero000]

I am still interested in telefunken 242 vs KR 242

Even though the Tele 242s I had weren't in great condition, from experience I reckon it is safe enough to say they are completely different.

I can't see you preferring the Tele 242s. Even some that test 100%.

By all means try the compare, though.

 

[plasmod3]

Nah, that will just drive up prices... Let it rest. Lampi guys are fine with the PX25 they have, and if a Marconi comes up, buy and compare.

I am still interested in telefunken 242 vs KR 242

Ok from my experience..the Marconi px25 doesn't not beat the gec . Have the osram as well but have not tried it yet. Price wise Marconi px25s are cheaper. The osrams are quite ex so is the gec. The da30 is interesting but have yet to try. Det5 is kinda 95% of a gec

Re px4, that has a lower plate current /gain than the px25s. Cost less . Analogical perhaps this is like a kt66 as compared to a kt88?

Talking about kt88s. I have compared the gold lion kt88- the nos ones against the shuguang kt88 black treasure and wow can barely tell the difference. That shuguang is gold and what I will be using in my pac when it comes. I think it will be phenomenal!

 

[godofwealth]

Finally managed to try out the KR T-100 tubes I got a while back using UX4 socket risers I got from an eBay seller in China. First impressions are that the T-100 is a gentle giant: a bit mellow sounding, very lovely tone, but not a 242 killer in terms of dynamics. I can see it as a perfect antidote for bright moving coil loudspeakers with metallic tweeters. If you have one of those, you should spring for the T-100s. Gain is also much less than the 242s.

 

[cpcat]

Woohoo!,, …..Gee- T100. Would love to try.

Will see if avail.

 

[jbrrp1]

Finally managed to try out the KR T-100 tubes I got a while back using UX4 socket risers I got from an eBay seller in China. First impressions are that the T-100 is a gentle giant: a bit mellow sounding, very lovely tone, but not a 242 killer in terms of dynamics. I can see it as a perfect antidote for bright moving coil loudspeakers with metallic tweeters. If you have one of those, you should spring for the T-100s. Gain is also much less than the 242s.

View attachment 92590

I ran the RK T-100's in my Pacific SE as my preferred tube, until I got a linestage that could handle the output from the 242's. I found the T-100's to be fuller/warmer akin to 300B, but with a little more zip and inner dynamics than the 300B's I had rolled (Kron RK's, Takatsuki's, Psvane's, Shuguang's). They were a great match with my TAD's, which just so happen to have metal drivers, like you mentioned.

 

[godofwealth]

Ah, perfect lead up to my question. Over the past 30 years, I’ve owned a great variety of moving coil speakers (B&W 800Ds, Harbeth Monitor 40s, etc.), and planar loudspeakers (Magneplanar 3.6Rs, Quads of various vintages), but I’ve never owned a horn-based loudspeaker. Now that I’m loving my 300B based SET JJ amplifier so much, I figured I need to try more efficient speakers than the ones I have in house. I would appreciate some input from the folks here who might have a lot more experience than me with horn units. No budget limit, but I’d like to have something that doesn’t look awful in a living room. Some speakers on my current shortlist in no order:

1. Classic Altec units, e.g., Voice of Theater A7, Valencias etc.
2. JBL studio types, e.g., 4367, or more pricey K2 or the Everest 6700.
3. Klipsch Khorn or La Scala.

Of course, there’s a whole slew of lesser known brands as well, or even high,y efficient moving coils, like Zu Audio or Devore Orangutans.

 

[bonzo75]

Ah, perfect lead up to my question. Over the past 30 years, I’ve owned a great variety of moving coil speakers (B&W 800Ds, Harbeth Monitor 40s, etc.), and planar loudspeakers (Magneplanar 3.6Rs, Quads of various vintages), but I’ve never owned a horn-based loudspeaker. Now that I’m loving my 300B based SET JJ amplifier so much, I figured I need to try more efficient speakers than the ones I have in house. I would appreciate some input from the folks here who might have a lot more experience than me with horn units. No budget limit, but I’d like to have something that doesn’t look awful in a living room. Some speakers on my current shortlist in no order:

1. Classic Altec units, e.g., Voice of Theater A7, Valencias etc.
2. JBL studio types, e.g., 4367, or more pricey K2 or the Everest 6700.
3. Klipsch Khorn or La Scala.

Of course, there’s a whole slew of lesser known brands as well, or even high,y efficient moving coils, like Zu Audio or Devore Orangutans.

A7 and A5 could be great but many will be awful. You should get them only if you can visit different owners and find one that you like, and not let the bad ones turn you off from further search. As these are old speakers they usual go through some mods which can often be bad and sometimes great.

Devores being newer speakers tere is consistency. They really need some space from the back wall side wall, but will sound great with a 10 to 12w amp like NAF 2a3 or airtight 300b. Your JJ might be similar. They will look in a living room but you will have to pull them out.

 

[christoph]

Finally managed to try out the KR T-100 tubes I got a while back using UX4 socket risers I got from an eBay seller in China. First impressions are that the T-100 is a gentle giant: a bit mellow sounding, very lovely tone, but not a 242 killer in terms of dynamics. I can see it as a perfect antidote for bright moving coil loudspeakers with metallic tweeters. If you have one of those, you should spring for the T-100s. Gain is also much less than the 242s.

View attachment 92590

Exactly my findings.
The KR T100 belong into amps, not DACs

 

[godofwealth]

Ah, you seem to have a large assortment of horn speakers. I’ve been looking into getting one myself. For the past 30 years, I’ve been mostly listening to planars, with an occasional foray into moving coil speakers. Anything particular I would consider? I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, so geography is a consideration. Found an ebay seller in the LA area who markets reconditioned Altec’s, which is on my list. Of course, I can get newer Klipsches etc.

 

[godofwealth]

Exactly my findings.
The KR T100 belong into amps, not DACs

Hmmm… not sure I’d fully go along with this sentiment. I’m liking the T-100 the more I listen to it. One of my favorite jazz albums is the great Jimmy Rushing (Mr. Five by Five) with the Dave Brubeck quartet. Paul Desmond’s sax floats beautifully on the right channel, while Brubeck’s keyboard and Morello’s drumkit are astonishingly lifelike on the left channel. Rushing’s majestic voice floats high on the center stage. When he sings “River, Turn Away from my Door”, you feel the beautifully rendered blues song. Mesmerizing through the T-100. I think I’ve heard this album hundreds of times, but never as beautifully rendered as through the T-100. Definitely a significant notch above the 300B. I’m now going to score the T-100 as a tie with the 242. The latter has more slam, but tonally sounds a bit crude compared to the creamy tonality of the T-100.

 

[bonzo75]

Ok from my experience..the Marconi px25 doesn't not beat the gec . Have the osram as well but have not tried it yet. Price wise Marconi px25s are cheaper. The osrams are quite ex so is the gec. The da30 is interesting but have yet to try. Det5 is kinda 95% of a gec

Re px4, that has a lower plate current /gain than the px25s. Cost less . Analogical perhaps this is like a kt66 as compared to a kt88?

Talking about kt88s. I have compared the gold lion kt88- the nos ones against the shuguang kt88 black treasure and wow can barely tell the difference. That shuguang is gold and what I will be using in my pac when it comes. I think it will be phenomenal!

Thanks, will be good to listen to the GEC. Do you know which years your osram was from?

 

[bonzo75]

Guys, Allnic has started making the 242. They always used the KR for their top phono, but now have started making their own.

Lampi guys can contact them to try them out

 

[JSA]

Gentlemen,
I know many of you will upgrade to Horizon, so in case anyone of you has a pair of KR242 for sale (not RK just the regular one), please PM me. I do have one pair of KR242 and one pair of KR242RK, but would love to have a spare pair as well. To me KR242 is miles better than RK version.