I have both, and just got my Penta Labs KT-66 from Dougs Tubes. Playing them in a custom made Deluxe style head, sound much bigger and fatter than the 6L6GC. Like a new amp.
They do sound bigger and thicker than 6L6s, but — this is just my opinion — the top end is kind of "papery" sounding to me, a little brittle and detached from the rest of the frequencies. It's sort of like an afterthought, trying to catch up to the rest of the tone spectrum. This is the way I "hear" it when the tubes are pushed. But for cleans, they are really sweet.
Which Kt66 tubes are you playing? The Penta Labs were supposed to be made on the GT machinery with thicker glass. The KT-66 tone is the ealy Beano JTM-45 tone. Just wondering.
Russian and Chinese — one set was Groove Tubes, the other wasn't — but I can't remember which was which. The Russian set were probably GTs, just not certain. The amp was a Dr. Z Route 66. I tried one in an Emerysound Superbaby, too, same result. Never tried "real" KT66s, though I imagine my experience would have been different.
I read somewhere that the KT-77's were tonally more like EL34's but they fit on a 6L6 "circuit"? I have a friend who has a Splawn Quick rod w/ Mullard EL34's & that thing slays hard. I would love it if I could get my amp to mimic his amp, but I also want to be able to dial in some smoothness. I'm working with a Soldano Decatone... I'm torn between JJ 6L6GC's, KT-66's, KT-77's... & KT-88's if they fit. I'm kind of all over the place. hahaha.
both tube types are great but I love the big, full sound the KT66s give. I have a pair of KT66s in my Soldano HR50+ now and they rock. But the 6l6GCs had a rounder tone that was pleasing too. The Soldano circuits are aggressive by nature so I think a good pair of NOS 6L6s plus a clever arrangement of the preamp tubes should help you round ou the Decatone's sound, if that is what you are after. If you're after sheer aggression and power, then a good set of KT66s (NOS Genalex if money is not a problem) is unbeatable, IMO.
http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?accstube&1239599966&/Genalex-Gold-Lion-KT-66-quad-- Would you recommend the Gold Lion reissues over JJ's?? I'm trying to find a site that sells them & I'm having problems finding a site that sells them. Looks like I'm probably gonna go with KT-66's after all.
OK, so to run 4 preamp tubes tested for microphonics & 1 balanced in the phase inverter would be the wai 2 go, sounds like. I was considering putting high gain tubes in the first 3 slots. I was thinking that they may have more clarity at high gain, but I'm not too sure.
I am running my THD Flexi 50 with reissue Gold Lion KT66's and they sound fat/sweet/detailed, etc....well ballanced IMHO....I got them online from www.thetubestore.com
I'd go with either a Brimar or RFT Ecc83 in V1, then probably a Sovtek LPS in V2 and Tung Sols in the other positions. The NOS Brimar and RFT in V1 tend to round out the Soldano tone in a very nice way, IMO.
It depends on the amp...I use a set of Genelex KT-66's..the reissue Russian ones in a Kelemen Raven cathode biased head, and they're amazing
Yup, I think I'm going to order the Genalex KT66 Reissues tomorrow. I already ordered a bunch of JJ preamp tubes & I have a NOS GE 12AX7 heading my way too.
