Opinion of Quicksilver KT88 60 watt mono amps

Having owned a pair of the original Quicksilver KT88s along with Cary 805C.s, Jolida Music Envoy amps along with a few others here and there I feel that the KT88s are more than just competent. They have exceptional mid range, very detailed Highs without edge and grain and the bottom end is quite capable especially with the right tubes. I am currently running Sophia Blue Bottle KT88 tubes as the ouput tubes, 12ax7s and 5R4U rectifier tubes. I was stunned at the difference the Sophia tubes made. They were expensive but worth every single penny. I have use them to drive various speakers along with the the Carys. They do have their drawbacks, namely the bass. When you compare it to a solid state amp you will not get the speed and attack that comes with solid state. Instead you will get very competent bass that is tuneful, fairly well controlled and with plenty of slam. I have tried numerous solid state amps and always find my way back to tubes. Bojackyour pricing would be on target for the KT88s with mundane set of tubes. Mine wouldn’t leave my hands for less than $1500 with the Sophia tubes. 

Pryso,
I agree if there's mid-60's circuit you're lucky:)
Quickies and HH Scott are the most advanced tube amps so far.

Tube amplifier circuits have`nt change very much(no need to).Refinement, better power supplies and high quality parts will bring out the very best of these classic circuits. There are many current tube amps with good to excellent bass performance available.Don`t forget transformer quality matters quite a bit.

Robetozian, what currently available tube amps are not based on a '50s circuit design? I thought most advancements have come from better parts availability, not new designs. I'm asking about tube amps in general, not just Quicksilver.

Don't bother. I had a pair back in the early 1990s. If you want 1950s sound, buy them. Poor bass performance. Mid range is nice and highs are a bit rolled off. The stock Chinese KT88 back in the day were junk. I pitched them and replaced them with US made 6550. The GE version was robust, the smaller Sylvania sounded like the original US Tung-Sol, but the Tung-Sol was the best sonically and would last forever in the amps. The amps are not hard on good tubes, and a well made 6550 will work great in them. I had the model that used two 5AR4 on each amp. That is the model you want - if you must get them. While I am not a big fan of the "audio experts" for the "big mags", I will admit that Dick Osler's review in Stereophile (back in the day) was spot-on the mark. Read it before you buy a pair. Just remember this, you are basically buying an amp design from the 1950's. Nothing that special, but they are musical and with good tubes, are very reliable.

I am a SS man but if I were to get a tube amp it would be a Quicksilver based on their long track record and high quality at a reasonable price.

I was asking about the KT88 Monos, which are 60 watt, not the M60 which uses EL34 tubes. The original price on KT88 was about $1895, for the M60 about $1995. I assume they sound different from each other.

I own a pair of Quicksilver monoblocks, and have to say their level of refinement far exceeded my expectations.

Echoing what Marakanetz said, with brands like Quicksilver, why would anyone pay more money for the inferior Chinese imports? You deal with a good company, making good product, providing good service, get to enjoy not only good sound, but have some pride of ownership, and if the time comes to move on, there will be demand from buyers.

From what I see, M60 pricing ranges from $700 - $1200, depending on condition, etc.

It's one of the most reliable and easy to maintain tube amp.
One could be compared to the units that are worth 4...5x the price paid.

There are 2 versions of these amps, the original and the II. The QS website has the manuals for each, and I believe the rectification is the difference. There is also a nice review of the original on the internet, and the consensus was that it is lacking in the nether regions, has a slightly forward midrange, and is balanced in the highs given you don't use EH power tubes (awful to my ears). I lived with the M60s (also 60W) and found that to be dead on accurate. I liked the amps, regardless; however, the guy I bought them from owns and prefers the KT88II due to its tube rectification. I would say $900 would be reasonable for a pair in very excellent shape but no more due to their age.

It depends on the condition of the amps and the condition of the tubes. If the tubes are either old or not matched well a replacement set of tubes will run you about $400. The price range in good condition is $800-$1,000.