Gold Lion KT77's in a VH4

[steve_k]

Nice post Steve, thanks man!! What did you end up biasing your quad at?? What kind of mA per tube (or pair)??

I'm installing the GLKT77's in the 20thA XTC this weekend to see what all this talk is about. I'm still a hooooge fan of the 6550's in my VH4S, so doubt those are going anywhere - guess that means I dig priests dicks, ahem. HOWEVER, the 6550's are a different breed, but seeing as I have a set, I may just pop 'em in and test drive 'em in the V for shitz'n'giggles...

Peace,
Mo

Biased the 77's at 34-35mA per tube.

Careful with the 6550's in your 34 amp. The Diezel's bias circuit can handle it. In other amps though, the bias circuit is going to be short on resistance and the tube setup is 10V more negative. You will be bumping against the screen voltage limit and shit may start going pop. This is where the KT77 is the best compromise, as it is a drop in replacement.

Steve

 

[steve_k]

sure as hell can't argue with Chinese preamp tubes though!

Got that straight!! In the right amps - ALMOST all high gainers - HG Chinese/Shuguangs are simply the bees knees. Huge gain, great overtones, responsive, cheap, consistent, and reliable. Win win, even Charlie Sheen would approve.

Mo

I bought 4 sleeves of Penta branded 12AX7 Chinese 9th tubes and a sleeve of TAD Chinese Highgrades and a sleeve of TAD 12AX7WA Selected. In addition to a few Sovtek LPS for V1 of amps that need a little taming, all of my amps will have a combination of these 2 or 3 tubes in them. Tired of fucking with everything else and I have determined that these are the best for me.

Steve

 

[Ventura]

sure as hell can't argue with Chinese preamp tubes though!

Got that straight!! In the right amps - ALMOST all high gainers - HG Chinese/Shuguangs are simply the bees knees. Huge gain, great overtones, responsive, cheap, consistent, and reliable. Win win, even Charlie Sheen would approve.

Mo

I bought 4 sleeves of Penta branded 12AX7 Chinese 9th tubes and a sleeve of TAD Chinese Highgrades and a sleeve of TAD 12AX7WA Selected. In addition to a few Sovtek LPS for V1 of amps that need a little taming, all of my amps will have a combination of these 2 or 3 tubes in them. Tired of fucking with everything else and I have determined that these are the best for me.

Steve

My magic pre's have been Chinese (Shuguang) B's or C's, TAD7025S & 12AX7 Selects, Tung Sols, and the Preferred Series 7025 from thetubestore,com (the latter of these having some ultra sweet grind to them). I'll be trying these new GL's in the Mak4 tomorrow, they're too spendy for an entire fleet in every amp, but if they're anything as their reviews indicate, prime positions will be just fine.

V.

 

[FourT6and2]

Fat girl scout.

Anyway, I am right there with you Steve. I feel like a Gold Lion KT77 poster boy. They work great in so many amps.

I tried them in my Herbert and was not as impressed as I was with other amps. The SED still reigns supreme in that amp IMO. YMMV.

Would love to hear them in a VH4. Let us know what you think.

Everyone that I have personally convinced to try the GL77 has told me that it was there first or second favorite power tube......so proof is in the pudding.

I just lost a GL77 in one of my amps... FUCK!!!!! I hate using other tubes, so I had to revert to another shit ass brand. I can't get another quad fast enough. Too bad I'm broke. Not the GL's fault it failed, they were old and probably were in around 5 amps.

Yeah, I can see where they may not be the tube for a Herbie or very high gainers with lots of shared EQ. I think (here I go thinking again), that the GL77 will work wonders in an amp that needs power tube saturation to drive gain levels and some spare head room for amps with higher plate voltages. The VH4 has to have the headroom or it will saturate on you, which is why a lot of folks like the 6550. It is a little too stiff for me and the GL77 is an intermediate tube between a good 34 and 6550's. The 6550 will pull about 10V difference in the bias circuit over a 34. The 77 is about half that.

Its 5:30 in the morning and I am going to step out to the cave and swap these tubes over. If they are a go in the VH4, I am definitely springing for another quad.

Steve

So you think the GL KT77s would be a good fit in a 50 watt Einstein? The Einstein is voiced a little looser than the other Diezels. A little less clinical. I have SED EL34s in there now. Looking to try 'em out. But damn... $100 for a pair!

 

[Ventura]

Fat girl scout.

Anyway, I am right there with you Steve. I feel like a Gold Lion KT77 poster boy. They work great in so many amps.

I tried them in my Herbert and was not as impressed as I was with other amps. The SED still reigns supreme in that amp IMO. YMMV.

Would love to hear them in a VH4. Let us know what you think.

Everyone that I have personally convinced to try the GL77 has told me that it was there first or second favorite power tube......so proof is in the pudding.

I just lost a GL77 in one of my amps... FUCK!!!!! I hate using other tubes, so I had to revert to another shit ass brand. I can't get another quad fast enough. Too bad I'm broke. Not the GL's fault it failed, they were old and probably were in around 5 amps.

Yeah, I can see where they may not be the tube for a Herbie or very high gainers with lots of shared EQ. I think (here I go thinking again), that the GL77 will work wonders in an amp that needs power tube saturation to drive gain levels and some spare head room for amps with higher plate voltages. The VH4 has to have the headroom or it will saturate on you, which is why a lot of folks like the 6550. It is a little too stiff for me and the GL77 is an intermediate tube between a good 34 and 6550's. The 6550 will pull about 10V difference in the bias circuit over a 34. The 77 is about half that.

Its 5:30 in the morning and I am going to step out to the cave and swap these tubes over. If they are a go in the VH4, I am definitely springing for another quad.

Steve

So you think the GL KT77s would be a good fit in a 50 watt Einstein? The Einstein is voiced a little looser than the other Diezels. A little less clinical. I have SED EL34s in there now. Looking to try 'em out. But damn... $100 for a pair!

Id' say go for it - worst case scenario is you pull 'em and re-sell them at cost with shipping included - they'll get sold in 5min.

Mo

 

[steve_k]

Doing some more listening, the 77's are very similar to Winged C 34's. With the SED factory shutting down soon, the GL77 may be your go to tube as a replacement. I do find the GL77 to be quite different from the JJ model though. The JJ's follow the traditional JJ character, being a big dark, saggy and loose. Sometimes an amp needs this to respond. Diezels generally don't, so I would opt to the GL.

 

[FourT6and2]

Ordered a set from Laura.

Where'd you hear that the SED factory is shutting down?

I know there is a rumor floating around that was started by one of the tube venders. But that's been happening for years in order to drive prices up. Non of the official distributors seem to know about the shutdown, if it's real. They all say business as usual at the SED plant. The only one claiming a shutdown is the vender who now says all SED tubes should be thought of as NOS and is pushing for a price increase... Seems fishy to me.

 

[Ventura]

Ordered a set from Laura.

Where'd you hear that the SED factory is shutting down?

I know there is a rumor floating around that was started by one of the tube venders. But that's been happening for years in order to drive prices up. Non of the official distributors seem to know about the shutdown, if it's real. They all say business as usual at the SED plant. The only one claiming a shutdown is the vender who now says all SED tubes should be thought of as NOS and is pushing for a price increase... Seems fishy to me.

Word's been out for a while, hence the prices of the SED Winged varietals skyrocketing in the past. Some tube dealers are even stating this on their website - apologies for the pricing but due to the [now] limited stock available, prices have been bumped up blah blah blah...

That said, the 77s that are offered by Gold Lion/Genalex are serious tubes - "harmonically complex" is the phrase that comes to mind.

 

[FourT6and2]

Ordered a set from Laura.

Where'd you hear that the SED factory is shutting down?

I know there is a rumor floating around that was started by one of the tube venders. But that's been happening for years in order to drive prices up. Non of the official distributors seem to know about the shutdown, if it's real. They all say business as usual at the SED plant. The only one claiming a shutdown is the vender who now says all SED tubes should be thought of as NOS and is pushing for a price increase... Seems fishy to me.

Word's been out for a while, hence the prices of the SED Winged varietals skyrocketing in the past. Some tube dealers are even stating this on their website - apologies for the pricing but due to the [now] limited stock available, prices have been bumped up blah blah blah...

That said, the 77s that are offered by Gold Lion/Genalex are serious tubes - "harmonically complex" is the phrase that comes to mind.

Yep... check this out on SED's official site: http://www.sedtubes.com/

Production of SED glass tubes ceased in 2012 and there is currently no intention to recommence production. The remaining supplies of tubes is limited and are treated as NOS stock and priced accordingly.

Any change from this situation will be announced as soon as practicable..

 

[Laura]

Ordered a set from Laura.

Where'd you hear that the SED factory is shutting down?

I know there is a rumor floating around that was started by one of the tube venders. But that's been happening for years in order to drive prices up. Non of the official distributors seem to know about the shutdown, if it's real. They all say business as usual at the SED plant. The only one claiming a shutdown is the vender who now says all SED tubes should be thought of as NOS and is pushing for a price increase... Seems fishy to me.

Word's been out for a while, hence the prices of the SED Winged varietals skyrocketing in the past. Some tube dealers are even stating this on their website - apologies for the pricing but due to the [now] limited stock available, prices have been bumped up blah blah blah...

That said, the 77s that are offered by Gold Lion/Genalex are serious tubes - "harmonically complex" is the phrase that comes to mind.

Yep... check this out on SED's official site: http://www.sedtubes.com/

Production of SED glass tubes ceased in 2012 and there is currently no intention to recommence production. The remaining supplies of tubes is limited and are treated as NOS stock and priced accordingly.

Any change from this situation will be announced as soon as practicable..

Oddly enough, I still can't get my distributor to verify that they are SED is done for good. However prices jumped again and availability is low.

 

[pstar]

Right from the horses mouth

 

[FourT6and2]

Ordered a set from Laura.

Where'd you hear that the SED factory is shutting down?

I know there is a rumor floating around that was started by one of the tube venders. But that's been happening for years in order to drive prices up. Non of the official distributors seem to know about the shutdown, if it's real. They all say business as usual at the SED plant. The only one claiming a shutdown is the vender who now says all SED tubes should be thought of as NOS and is pushing for a price increase... Seems fishy to me.

Word's been out for a while, hence the prices of the SED Winged varietals skyrocketing in the past. Some tube dealers are even stating this on their website - apologies for the pricing but due to the [now] limited stock available, prices have been bumped up blah blah blah...

That said, the 77s that are offered by Gold Lion/Genalex are serious tubes - "harmonically complex" is the phrase that comes to mind.

Yep... check this out on SED's official site: http://www.sedtubes.com/

Production of SED glass tubes ceased in 2012 and there is currently no intention to recommence production. The remaining supplies of tubes is limited and are treated as NOS stock and priced accordingly.

Any change from this situation will be announced as soon as practicable..

Oddly enough, I still can't get my distributor to verify that they are SED is done for good. However prices jumped again and availability is low.

I've heard the same. That many distributers don't really know either way if production has stopped or not. Some say it's only KT88s that have stopped. Weird. In any event, I ordered some Gold Lions from you on your site last night.

 

[Ventura]

Some say it's only KT88s that have stopped. Weird.

If that's the case can someone PUH-LEEEEZ get the 6550s back to their pricing from about a year or two ago

 

[pstar]

in high gain mode: gl-77, smooth tone across the entire spectrum and tighter on the bottom, el34 more sizzle/fizz and warm tone..
gl-b759 pre's smooth full body, no piercing high end. depends in context, in band mix the spiked highs are welcomed.

 

[FourT6and2]

Yep, threw the GL KT77s in a little while ago. Sounds good! Definitely less compression/sizzle than the =C= EL34s. I like that. And clearer top-end, tighter low-end, same mid-range growl. So looks like I found a new fav! Biased to 68ma for the pair.

 

[ElMuchoDingo]

steve,

Have you tried them in your d'moll?

 

[VoodooChild24]

Anybody has a clip of the VH4 with GL77's?