That's interesting Sherod, thanks. Do you have a VAC pre-amp also. The only reservation I have about the Auricles is that they are extremly insensitive at 1.5V and need lots of gain. I suspect they are made for pre-amps with gain of 20dB or more. Even with my ARC LS26 I don't feel I've got that much headroom. However I don't need high volumes so it's not really an issue.
So, I bought some KT120. It's almost like I've got a completely different amp to when I was using the Svetlana KT88s (although admittedly they were not a matched quad, one of them had blown, and I'd replaced it with an aged Genelex).
The KT120 have a much warmer sound. So much so that I've switched back from Mullard to Philips driver tubes. Previously I thought these amps might be too lean and clinical for me, but now it's almost gone the other way. Very good, but I still wonder if there might be an option somewhere in the middle.
I do have an option on some discounted Shuguangs, which are apparently selected examples that a dealer has had since the 90s. Tempting to compare them, but I've just spent money on the KT120s, so I'll see if the sound opens up any more first.
So, I bought some KT120. It's almost like I've got a completely different amp to when I was using the Svetlana KT88s (although admittedly they were not a matched quad, one of them had blown, and I'd replaced it with an aged Genelex).
The KT120 have a much warmer sound. So much so that I've switched back from Mullard to Philips driver tubes. Previously I thought these amps might be too lean and clinical for me, but now it's almost gone the other way. Very good, but I still wonder if there might be an option somewhere in the middle.
I do have an option on some discounted Shuguangs, which are apparently selected examples that a dealer has had since the 90s. Tempting to compare them, but I've just spent money on the KT120s, so I'll see if the sound opens up any more first.