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Gold Lion KT88 No Cryo Reviews

4.9 Rating 157 Reviews
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909.931.9686

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joel.m@upscaleaudio.com

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2058 Wright Avenue,
2058 Wright Avenue
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91750

Craig 'CK' Konjoyan
Unverified Reviewer
If you are presently using any 6550 in your HiFi amp, try the Gold Lion KT88 re-issue. Very impressive.
Helpful Report
Posted 11 years ago
Arthur Cianelli
Unverified Reviewer
Great bass, vocals are dead on and detail is not sacrificed to achive the best of all three factors. The signals entering the preamp stage might start with the preamp tubes but they sure do end with the power tubes. I'm not sure why and if it has anything to do with cleaner power but the infamous purple glow normally seen with power tubes is no longer present, at least not with Gold Lion KT88's that I received. I'm wondering if it has anything to do with the triple getters cleaning up the stray gasses / electrons ever present within the tube? If so, it sure is demonstrated in the listening of the music.
Helpful Report
Posted 11 years ago
Scott Springer
Unverified Reviewer
Ok Uncle Kevin here's what think of the Gold lion KT88's. I'm using them in a Cary SLI-80 with a small 5.5" two way speakers and Kimbe Kable KCAG silver interconnects. This is my second set of the Cryogenically treated gold loin KT88's. Tubes I've tried are EH El34's, Svetlana SED "Winged C" EL34 EH KT88's and your favorite the Svetlana SED "Winged C" 6550C. The Winged C 6550 are a close 2nd place but the Gold loin KT88's is a clear winning in resolution not brightness or resolution/detail. To me there is a big difference between brightness and resolution. They also have a little more bass that help out my small speakers. The Winged C 6550 my work if your speakers/system is on the bright side. To me the Gold Loins are the best all round KT88 I've trid. A word about the cryogenically treatment the tubes don't seem to have a break-in period like non-treated ones. They just sound good right from the start and don't change any at all to me. PS. I've playing and rolling tubes for sum 25 years now not my frist day.
Helpful Report
Posted 11 years ago
I've got these in my Quicksilver V-4's, and am amazed at how stable theses tubes are. The bias just stays where you put it, no drifting. These are my first set of KT88's, and to my ears they sound like splitting the difference between the sweetness of EL34's & the power of KT90's. Not a bad spot to be in.
Helpful Report
Posted 12 years ago
I had been using Penta KT88SC's in my PL 5 which were a very nice upgrade from the stock tubes. One went bad so I put in the Gold Lion KT88 re-issues. Wow...more bass, dimension, sound stage across the board. I've not tried any NOS power tubes (are there any) so this may be the best tube for the PL 5! It's like I have a new system and I can't stop listening. My system: Pro Logue 3 Pre with Mazda chrome 12 ax7s and Radiotechnique 12au7s, Pro Logue 5 with Gold Lion KT88's, Mullard 12au7s, Tungsol 12ax7 re-issue's, Njoeb Tjoeb cdp with upsampler board and Ediswan 6922's. Quad ESL 63's rebuilt to new standards. Except for the Quads, you could call this an Uncle Kev special.
Helpful Report
Posted 13 years ago