Looking for advise regarding Rogue M180’s

@buellrider97 message received, I replied with a separate message as Agon has the Cc policy I wont use nor care to for security reasons.  

Anyhow, reading the thread, IF you did decide to send the Rouge in, and you mentioned your others system with Zu's. Not sure if you plan to use those speakers or not.  

If yes, if you can, I'd stick with the Rogue recommendations to send, test, and dial in those amps with KT77s, [I'm a KT120 tube user btw], but like KT77s for this.  

If I could reconfigure my larger QS Mono 120s, dialed down plate voltage, and bias more, i'd likely be running KT77s instead as I'm like EL34s with a jolt, like KT77s.

If you do send/sent them in - they can bias the input, outputs, and check for noise across the board.  Getting the noise way down is key over which vintage tubes to use any more. Properly set up, tested, you could do fine with new/re-issue tubes imo. This granted you don't need extra power, no need for KT120s, go KT77s,  

To @buellrider97 I just read the specs of the 4312A, https://jblpro.com/en-US/site_elements/4312a-information

Apologize, I missed which speaker you would use above with the Rogue amp, and assumed you were using the efficient ZUs, and flew right by the 4312A part, doh!   

While I like the KT77s for lower power amp usage and the idea of efficient speakers used with them, and reading your comment about "shake the house and annoy the neighbors" to "relieve the youth phase", LOL, I'd probably flip-flop on my comments above and agree to have Rouge set and check with Tung Sol KT120s then. My own KT120s can sound smooth playing with bias a little and using the right interconnects with sources and such, fwiw.  

@buellrider97 ...I was considering Quicksilver before I went low power and Mike Sanders stated they need 100 wpc with tubes. At the time the KT monos were 50-60 watts ? He strongly recommended the 100 watt monos...

There are several different versions of Quicksilver tube amplifiers referred to as "Monos", older models with speaker screw strips, and tube regulation, later binding posts added for speakers, and tube regulation pulled out. Those were about 60-80w max then. Later the next size transformer versions came out about 10 years ago, with newer and different switches [on front] started, in the 450v plate voltage range. You have to look at the transformers, power caps, power switch to ID them. 

Then came the largest transformers units, largest power caps in the 100w range. Then the most powerful "Monos" with higher plate voltage [650v] specifically designed for KT150 power tubes [this is what I have, no longer made]. I run either KT120s or K150s in mine but cannot run KT88s or smaller opt tubes, will burn them up faster with that higher plate voltage, on the edge for KT88s, and no EL34s or KT77s.  The larger Mono 120s I have is only designed with extra voltage fire to run the larger opt tubes in their best operating window. More power, grunt, drive. My local dealer keeps one pair - uses them to run his largest electrostatic speakers and they do a nice job of it. These will become collectible amps imo, cannot get them new production any more - if that's what you need. Mike told me once they were expensive to make in this dedicated version. My version of the upgraded Mono 120s with KT120s or KT150s would power your JBLs, I’m running larger multi-driver woofer 4ohm speakers now.The Mono 120s barely get warm, nice. 

From there, before the pandemic start, Mike backed off on the specific big-gun Mono 120s or aka "KT150 monos" like I have, and he [consolidated 3-4 amps] went back to the side-chassis plug ins layout with the ability to run the smaller output tubes too, with lower plate voltage, the newer "KT Monos" you see today.

Thought I’d share this since people just see the new amps on his site, others are archived now. Then new series is what I call the new consolidated design KT Monos. Those do not have the largest dual transformers btw, and its a more universal amp for those who like the lower power output tubes. Nice if you like KT77s, KT88s and you can still run the larger KT120s, KT150s yet lower plate voltage. I found you need the higher plate voltage and bias to run KT150s well.  

@buellrider97 Hi Mike, you might ask if they ran them in for 2-3 days already before shipping out as some do. You might let them play for at least the first week [or two or three] before changing any tubes, let the caps [if new] settle in, and keep checking for noise and get a solid baseline.   Take notes if you can on sound of low, mid, high frequency and what you hear for your own refer-back reference later on.  

I'm a dork and pretty conservative about this first phase, maybe even letting the amps play 2-3 weeks as-is before messing with anything at all.  Check bias now and every few days if you can as tubes and bits inside settle in.  This way you'll know they are still solid and still dead quiet as you stated.  I think of it letting everything to simply stabilize to a baseline with added confidence about the "upgrade" itself.  

Then, maybe a few weeks down the road, when you start changing any tubes, or start hearing any new noises, you can isolate it a bit easier if by chance a new tube with problems/noise  gets introduced. If so, swap the original tubes back in to confirm.  Why do i suggest this - here is why.  

I recall a few times for different amp owners where "recently upgraded" amps and preamps were shipped  right back to the factory for them to test and find out the recently changed-in tubes were the culprit, not the upgrade itself. If it were me, I'd just let 'em play 3 weeks on/off. See how it goes for ya.  At that point, you'll know what's going on, and how solid the upgrade is.  And then can introduce changes, and will easily notice problems  if any changes, tubes, bias, causes new issues.

This approach can also give you an etched-in-the-brain baseline about how it sounds after the upgrade, and then how it sounds again once you change in the new tubes you want to try.  People have different approaches, this is mine fwiw. 

I've got vintage and NOS tubes from all of these same people sitting in boxes my cabinets.  Priors from AZ, some of Brent's very best curve-tracer triode matched triodes too. Each has its own character, and depends on the rest of the system.  

While they sit in boxes hoarded away, JJs stored too, I'm still running later version PSVANES the past year solid with zero issues.  A tad softer and fuller sound if you like that.  

@buellrider97 I say let all those stock large and small tubes burn in so you get the caps, diodes, resistors all burned in [first] on cheap tubes you'll pull and replace anyhow in a few weeks.