Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: Here's a knuckleball - What about the KT77?

  1. #1
    Forum Member yankeerob's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Amongst the Pennine mills...
    Posts
    1,323

    Here's a knuckleball - What about the KT77?

    I've never seen anybody say a word about the KT77 around here - or anywhere apart from Dave Green when I used to bob into Matamp headquarters whilst he was still there - and his opinion was that it was a great bottle - but no one would wear it... shame is - not many people recognise Dave for his superb engineering - apart from maybe happy Matamp owners, Joel at Electric, my erstwhile bench partner John and myself... but he was right - it's an awesome bottle...

    If you own a HRDv and want a bottle - besides a Sovvie 5581 WXT - that'll take the stupid plate voltages that they produce this is a real solution - you just have to carefullly bend the bottom of the tube cage out a bit to fit 'em in - but they pee on Sovvie 5881WXT's...

    I've stumbled upon these (despite DG telling me about them about a year ago) because I've been peeved that I've had to 'reign in' the B+ on my Dv conversion (which I hasten to add sounded just fine at 450V plates/Sovvie button base 5881WGC's - just couldn't get any more than 35W RMS/4Ω out of it) because generally speaking - most 6L6's can't take the constant pounding of 500V+ plates at flat out volume (if you bias for 70% with a straight HRDv PT/FWBR it winds up around 504V) - about the only tube that'll take it is the aforementioned 5881WXT - I can tell you for nothing that a perfectly matched pair of Winged C's'll last about 3-4 months in that situation and will just drift further and further apart... the KT77 - OTOH - is built to take all that and more, are less expensive than WC's, and I've just biased 'em for 70% of 30W each and it's like they've said 'yeah - so what's yer point...' and sound really huge effortlessly...

    I know we're all tryin' to stay outta tinitis territory - and I really dig my 5E3 clone and it's big brother (thanks again Kap!) but I'm just wonderin' - anybody else ever give 'em a try?
    If I could find a road to get away it wouldn't be too soon....... Shipwreck Moon.......

  2. #2
    Forum Member Kap'n's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Where phony hippies meet
    Posts
    19,769

    Re: Here's a knuckleball - What about the KT77?

    "Real" KT77's are rare as hen's teeth. Don't know if they actually sound good, or it's snake oil. I suspect not many people do. Most really good sounding tubes were made by the millions....because they sounded good.

    Early current manufacture tubes had serious issues. Don't know if they ever fixed them, or whether they actually resemble KT77's.
    Several guitars in different colors
    Things to make them fuzzy
    Things to make them louder
    orange picks

  3. #3
    Forum Member
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Posts
    616

    Re: Here's a knuckleball - What about the KT77?

    I have heard the JJ KT77 in a guys 66 Fender tremlux, and he played a bunch of different styles. To me they sounded like a great cross between a good GE 6l6 and a simans made EL34.

  4. #4
    Forum Member yankeerob's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Amongst the Pennine mills...
    Posts
    1,323

    Re: Here's a knuckleball - What about the KT77?

    Quote Originally Posted by Kap'n View Post
    "Real" KT77's are rare as hen's teeth. Don't know if they actually sound good, or it's snake oil. I suspect not many people do. Most really good sounding tubes were made by the millions....because they sounded good.

    Early current manufacture tubes had serious issues. Don't know if they ever fixed them, or whether they actually resemble KT77's.
    Yer - well - 'real' KT77's were made by Genelex/M-O... about the only KT77's you'll find these days are JJ's and Steve's description is pretty accurate - they do sound like a cross between a 6L6 and EL34 - good lower midrange and that hint of a little more upper mids a la EL34 - well we'll see how they wear but they aren't as rattly as many bigger JJ's seem to be - my only issue with them is the lack of spec data in the way of Zout vs. plate voltage - I've just guessed along the lines of 6L6/EL34's - I personally wouldn't touch their 6L6's as I've had issues with them... thanks for the input!
    If I could find a road to get away it wouldn't be too soon....... Shipwreck Moon.......

  5. #5
    Forum Member yankeerob's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Amongst the Pennine mills...
    Posts
    1,323

    Re: Here's a knuckleball - What about the KT77?

    Double post
    Last edited by yankeerob; 12-17-2008 at 03:10 PM.
    If I could find a road to get away it wouldn't be too soon....... Shipwreck Moon.......

  6. #6
    Forum Member Wilko's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    5,105

    Re: Here's a knuckleball - What about the KT77?

    My Hiwatt Custom 50 came with Gold Lion KT77s and they sound awesome.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •