has anyone here used the KT150 in an M125 or even ST120, (< which might be total overkill), and if yes, what are your thoughts?
+3
peterh
skriefal
Bob Latino
7 posters
thoughts on the KT150
Bob Latino- Admin
- Posts : 3277
Join date : 2008-11-26
Location : Massachusetts
MontanaWay wrote:has anyone here used the KT150 in an M125 or even ST120, (< which might be total overkill), and if yes, what are your thoughts?
I have had a few customers use the Tung-Sol KT150 in the VTA ST-120 and the VTA M-125 amps. They should be biased AS A KT88 in these amps. The problem with them is that they are expensive @ about $100 a tube or $400 per quad. They don't really offer anything in the way of better sound or "more power" being biased as a KT88. The Tung-Sol KT120's are almost half the price at maybe $55 per tube and work really well in the ST-120 and M-125. In both of these amps, the KT120 offers about an 8% increase in power due to the larger plates (than a KT88) and their ability to transfer more electrons per second than a KT88. I am sure that the KT150's would be about the same and "possibly" add a little more power when used in KT88 based amps like the ST-120 and M-125's. To take real advantage of the KT120 and KT150 output tubes, you would probably have to get the plate voltages above 600 volts and run the bias at 100+ milliamps per tube. Some say that a PAIR of KT150's can produce 200+ watts but I have my doubts .. The only commercial amp that I know of that uses KT150's is the Ayon Sprit 3 from Austria. Yes - They show the amp with KT150's plugged in but they also state that the amp produces just 2 X 80 watts in the pentode mode - SO - they are using this tube "as a KT88" ... See link below ...
Ayon Spirit 3 review
NOTE > (12/16/17) I have had other customers now tell me that the KT150 output tubes will not bias properly in either the VTA M-125's or the VTA ST-120. It is my recommendation that you not use the KT150 output tubes in either amp.
Bob
Last edited by Bob Latino on Sat Dec 16, 2017 6:31 pm; edited 1 time in total
Guest- Guest
holy smokes!!...the prices on these Ayon's....I could utter a lot of expletives......but I shall refrain!
One would at the VERY least expect that they would use the full potential of the KT150's...especially at those astronomical prices!
I have yet to find a circuit for an amp 'dedicated' to the KT150's quoted abilities, I shall keep searching.
One would at the VERY least expect that they would use the full potential of the KT150's...especially at those astronomical prices!
I have yet to find a circuit for an amp 'dedicated' to the KT150's quoted abilities, I shall keep searching.
skriefal- Posts : 135
Join date : 2011-09-20
Location : Utah, USA
Here's another that also appears to be optimized for the KT-150. Or so it seems, based on the claimed output of 150 watts from a pair of KT-150s:
Meixing Ming-Da MC368-B150
http://www.china-hifi-audio.com/en/meixing-mingda-amplifier-c-17/mingda-mc368-b150-tung-sol-kt150-4-tube-integrated-power-amp-p-1253
I'm happy with my M-125s, so I'll pass!
Meixing Ming-Da MC368-B150
http://www.china-hifi-audio.com/en/meixing-mingda-amplifier-c-17/mingda-mc368-b150-tung-sol-kt150-4-tube-integrated-power-amp-p-1253
I'm happy with my M-125s, so I'll pass!
peterh- Posts : 1869
Join date : 2012-12-25
Location : gothenburg, sweden
Why fumbling with tiny propetary tubes when 304tl is available and much prettier :skriefal wrote:Here's another that also appears to be optimized for the KT-150. Or so it seems, based on the claimed output of 150 watts from a pair of KT-150s:
Meixing Ming-Da MC368-B150
http://www.china-hifi-audio.com/en/meixing-mingda-amplifier-c-17/mingda-mc368-b150-tung-sol-kt150-4-tube-integrated-power-amp-p-1253
I'm happy with my M-125s, so I'll pass!
http://www.radiomuseum.org/tubes/tube_304tl.html
A single-ended amp with 30w / channel : http://www.alumrocktech.com/amplifier.shtml
304tl aka vt129 is in current production , in addition they glow nice !
corndog71- Posts : 840
Join date : 2013-03-19
Location : It can get windy here
I saw several amps at Axpona last year that were running with KT150's. Can't remember the brands.
deepee99- Posts : 2244
Join date : 2012-05-23
Location : Wallace, Idaho
MontanaWay wrote:holy smokes!!...the prices on these Ayon's....I could utter a lot of expletives......but I shall refrain!
One would at the VERY least expect that they would use the full potential of the KT150's...especially at those astronomical prices!
I have yet to find a circuit for an amp 'dedicated' to the KT150's quoted abilities, I shall keep searching.
I wouldn't want an amp 'dedicated' to a proprietary tube made by a single manufacturer. What if that single tube-maker went gunny-bag?
corndog71- Posts : 840
Join date : 2013-03-19
Location : It can get windy here
If I knew how to wind my own transformers I would make a KT150 amp.
sKiZo- Posts : 1530
Join date : 2013-04-01
Location : Michigan USA
This is cute ...
World's First KT150 Integrated Ultralinear/Triode Hi-Fi Tube Amp
Funny looking KT150's ... also rated at 80wpc, which doesn't even touch the potential ... looks like some beefy iron, but hard to tell with a potted xformer.
And for only $5K!
World's First KT150 Integrated Ultralinear/Triode Hi-Fi Tube Amp
Funny looking KT150's ... also rated at 80wpc, which doesn't even touch the potential ... looks like some beefy iron, but hard to tell with a potted xformer.
And for only $5K!
Guest- Guest
sKiZo wrote:This is cute ...
World's First KT150 Integrated Ultralinear/Triode Hi-Fi Tube Amp
Funny looking KT150's ... also rated at 80wpc, which doesn't even touch the potential ... looks like some beefy iron, but hard to tell with a potted xformer.
And for only $5K!
thats what I don't get...see plenty of amps using the KT150, but most are under 100W.....can get away with the KT120 and even KT88 in a lot of cases...I guess they use the KT150 so that they can add $3K to the price!!!!!!
rich121- Posts : 2
Join date : 2016-05-25
Location : Washington State
I know this is an older thread, but just to update, as I would purchase the M125 if offered with an updated transformer/cap that would give the benefits of KT150 tube use.
I have read a lot about the KT150 and the most talked about improvement is not the power increase, but the sonic improvements... most agree that the KT150 takes the best of the EL34/6550/KT88/KT120 tubes and packages it into the KT150.
There is also the benefit of fewer tubes in the chain to get more power, resulting in less noise/better sound.
Another benefit, as seen in the amps below, is flexibility of using MANY different tubes.
The Quicksilver 120 mono's are using just 2 output tubes getting 120 watts output:
http://www.quicksilveraudio.com/products/Mono%20120.html
And the V4 uses 4 output tubes to get 170 watts output:
http://www.quicksilveraudio.com/products/v4.html
The KT150 just may be the tube of the future.
I have read a lot about the KT150 and the most talked about improvement is not the power increase, but the sonic improvements... most agree that the KT150 takes the best of the EL34/6550/KT88/KT120 tubes and packages it into the KT150.
There is also the benefit of fewer tubes in the chain to get more power, resulting in less noise/better sound.
Another benefit, as seen in the amps below, is flexibility of using MANY different tubes.
The Quicksilver 120 mono's are using just 2 output tubes getting 120 watts output:
http://www.quicksilveraudio.com/products/Mono%20120.html
And the V4 uses 4 output tubes to get 170 watts output:
http://www.quicksilveraudio.com/products/v4.html
The KT150 just may be the tube of the future.
Bob Latino- Admin
- Posts : 3277
Join date : 2008-11-26
Location : Massachusetts
rich121 wrote:
The Quicksilver 120 mono's are using just 2 output tubes getting 120 watts:
http://www.quicksilveraudio.com/products/Mono%20120.html
What they don't tell you is that to get 120 watts out of TWO KT88's or KT150 output tubes you have to run those output tubes really hard. The Quicksilver 120 mono's are probably running a B+ of maybe 630 VDC to get those power levels out of just TWO output tubes. KT150's will take the 600+ B+ but a modern KT88 will probably have a short life in that amp. The M-125's run the output tubes at a more comfortable 500 VDC and the output tubes will last longer. Consider also that each KT150 output tube costs $100 and that a KT88 costs $50 - so using two KT88's @ 500 VDC B+ gives the same power and also costs about the same.
Also consider that a pair of wired and tested Quicksilver 120 mono's with two KT150 output tubes costs $4395 and a pair of wired and tested M-125's with all tubes and about the same power costs $2795 - a savings of $1600. You can save even more if you build the M-125's from kits ...
Bob