Genelex Gold Lion KT-88 reissued tubes

I am currently using both the Tungsol 6550's (in an Audio research Ca50) and the Gold Lion KT88 re-issues (in a Cayin A70t) These tubes are quite different sounding. The Tungsols being smoother with a rich midrange and have been ideal for warming up the (to my ears) thin sound of the ARC products. The Gold lion's have incredible extension on both the top and bottom and have a very clean but not dry midrange. Probably the best way for me to describe it is that the difference in sound between the triode and pentode modes of my Cayin A70t (which with the Cayin supplied KT88's was Dramatic) has been reduced to barely noticeable. This is far and away the best KT88 I have heard. FYI, I also currently own Sovetk KT88's,SED 6550's,Original Svetlana 6550's, GE 6550's and Valve Art KT88's for comparison. Hope this helps.

KT88's in general don't seem to do well in the ARC. I have not tried the Gold Lions but I did try the KT88 Cayin/Shuguangs that came with the Cayin. They were very hard sounding (almost like bad solid state)and they came out immediately.
The Tungsol 6550's were quite good in the Cayin but not quite as detailed in the high end with a softer sound in general and a very lush bass. That said, I could live with that combination but I probably would change the 12ax7's from the the current Mullard re-issues to a crisper sounding tube like a Telefunken (which were too bright when used with the Gold Lions)or RFT. Currently the 12au7's in the Cayin are Telefunkens that I had saved for 20+years!

Frreol,

While I have had better luck than you with the Gold Lion KT88 re-issues I have also had excellent luck with The Tungsol 6550 re-issues. I am currently running them in 3 amps a CA50 ARC, Antique Sound Labs MG SI 15DT(single ended) and a McIntosh MA2275 all (so far) without problem. I too use the GE 6550's as my reference (I am down to my last well used quad) and the Tungsol's are the closest tubes I have heard to the GE6550 sound. I probably have 700>1000 hours on the pair in the ASL amp without problems. The CA50 will be the acid test however as it is brutal on it's tubes. Currently I probably have about 100 hours on that quad. Good luck.

The Gold Lion re issues have a tighter and deeper bass in the A70 than the Tungsol reissues. A leaner but not a thin or cold sound (they are not as lush).