KT66 shootout GEC vs Valve Art
Moderator: VelvetGeorge
- VelvetGeorge
- Site Owner
- Posts: 7233
- Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2003 5:12 pm
- Just the numbers in order: 13492
- Location: The Murder Mitten
- Contact:
KT66 shootout GEC vs Valve Art
Here's a quick video I made shooting out GEC and Valve Art KT66's. Should be pretty self explanatory. Enjoy.
george
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuEOts7PfYA[/youtube]
george
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuEOts7PfYA[/youtube]
- neikeel
- Senior Member
- Posts: 7231
- Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2005 8:31 am
- Location: Suffolk, England
Re: KT66 shootout GEC vs Valve Art
I have not run valvearts but have used Harmas from Watford Valves and Gold Lions of which the Gold Lions were the closest to my GECs.
Oddly slightly mismatched (7-8mA) GECs sound best to me
Neil
- VelvetGeorge
- Site Owner
- Posts: 7233
- Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2003 5:12 pm
- Just the numbers in order: 13492
- Location: The Murder Mitten
- Contact:
Re: KT66 shootout GEC vs Valve Art
Good info, I should test Gold Lions also.
George
George
- Janglin_Jack
- Senior Member
- Posts: 640
- Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2006 11:16 am
Re: KT66 shootout GEC vs Valve Art
I like them both. VA a little smoother with more mids? GEC slightly clearer with more bass/treble? I am listing on terrible headset at work, but that is what I got from the samples. I have the VA in mine and like them a lot. Those GEC sounded great.
George, being in the room with the amp, did you have a clear preference?
Mike
George, being in the room with the amp, did you have a clear preference?
Mike
- VelvetGeorge
- Site Owner
- Posts: 7233
- Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2003 5:12 pm
- Just the numbers in order: 13492
- Location: The Murder Mitten
- Contact:
Re: KT66 shootout GEC vs Valve Art
I do prefer the GEC. The mid range is more vocal and the tone is more 3D by far. like you could reach right into the tone. Obvious extra low end on the GEC. And upper mid push in the VA.
There's an almost intangible affect too, the feel of the GECs is just so right. So much like you stepped into a time machine.
No modern tube is likely to ever reproduce those qualities. But I'll give the VA credit for sounding quite good and not too far off the mark.
george
There's an almost intangible affect too, the feel of the GECs is just so right. So much like you stepped into a time machine.
No modern tube is likely to ever reproduce those qualities. But I'll give the VA credit for sounding quite good and not too far off the mark.
george
- NY Chief
- Wiki Editor
- Posts: 6589
- Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2005 6:02 pm
- Location: SoCal
Re: KT66 shootout GEC vs Valve Art
I'm surprised the Valve Arts hung as well as they did! The GEC just have that extra openess and clarity to me.
Curious as to why each set seems to have one tall tube and one short tube. I'm I missing something?
Curious as to why each set seems to have one tall tube and one short tube. I'm I missing something?
NY Chief 5-0, transplanted in SoCal
"Book 'em, Dan-o!"
"Book 'em, Dan-o!"
- Janglin_Jack
- Senior Member
- Posts: 640
- Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2006 11:16 am
Re: KT66 shootout GEC vs Valve Art
Bias Tool??NY Chief wrote:Curious as to why each set seems to have one tall tube and one short tube. I'm I missing something?
Mike
- bill bokey
- Senior Member
- Posts: 490
- Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2011 2:54 pm
- Just the numbers in order: 13492
- Location: France
- Contact:
Re: KT66 shootout GEC vs Valve Art
Great video, thanks George !
I'd love to hear the Gold Lions too.
I'd love to hear the Gold Lions too.
- Tone Slinger
- Senior Member
- Posts: 6520
- Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2006 10:31 am
Re: KT66 shootout GEC vs Valve Art
Cool vid and enjoyed the playing The GEC were just higher cholesterol...... they had the flava ! The Valve Art sounded very, shall we say 'Vegan' in comparison
Rip Ben Wise (StuntDouble) & Mark Abrahamian (Rockstah)
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 5054
- Joined: Thu Apr 13, 2006 1:36 pm
- Just the numbers in order: 7
- Location: Drontheim. Norwegen
- Contact:
Re: KT66 shootout GEC vs Valve Art
moderate mismatch often sounds best, at least it gives more overtonesneikeel wrote:
I have not run valvearts but have used Harmas from Watford Valves and Gold Lions of which the Gold Lions were the closest to my GECs.
Oddly slightly mismatched (7-8mA) GECs sound best to me
http://www.myspace.com/20bonesband" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.myspace.com/prostitutes" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Super 100 amps: 1202-119 & 1202-84
JTM45 RS OT JTM50 JMP50 1959/2203/34/39
http://www.myspace.com/prostitutes" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Super 100 amps: 1202-119 & 1202-84
JTM45 RS OT JTM50 JMP50 1959/2203/34/39
- Arclight
- Senior Member
- Posts: 157
- Joined: Fri Nov 16, 2007 7:42 pm
- Just the numbers in order: 7
- Location: New Jerseystan
Re: KT66 shootout GEC vs Valve Art
Totally agree. I have 2 pair of GEC's that I was holding on to and running Valve Arts when I decided to put in the NOS. I don't plan on using the VA or Gold Lions anytime soon. For whatever reason there is more of a pronounced difference with my kit, the GEC bottles have far more chime and bloom and a substantially tighter bottom end. No time like the present!
With all NOS in the front end of the amp I really couldn't be happier. I have about a 6ma mismatch which sounds fine. They are however becoming very hard to find.Good job George!!
With all NOS in the front end of the amp I really couldn't be happier. I have about a 6ma mismatch which sounds fine. They are however becoming very hard to find.Good job George!!
Metro JTM 45, Metro 1987, Reeves Custom Lead, Carr Mercury,Carr Hammerhead,Emery Sound Superbaby. Hoarder of NOS tubes!
- demonufo
- Senior Member
- Posts: 3882
- Joined: Thu Dec 13, 2007 8:36 am
- Just the numbers in order: 13492
- Location: Carterton, Oxon, U.K.
- Contact:
Re: KT66 shootout GEC vs Valve Art
What factory were the Harma's, Neil? (Assuming they were recognisable...)neikeel wrote:
I have not run valvearts but have used Harmas from Watford Valves and Gold Lions of which the Gold Lions were the closest to my GECs.
Oddly slightly mismatched (7-8mA) GECs sound best to me
From my experiences with Watford and Harma (EL34's and ECC83's) I'm done with both of them, unless they have particularly good deals. (Unfortunately, Watford are doing very good deals on GT stuff at the mo, and as much as I think Aspen Pittman was a complete tool, the Mullard GT's are pretty good tubes as CP stuff goes)
So I like purple, okay!!!!!!
83.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot!
83.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot!
- bill bokey
- Senior Member
- Posts: 490
- Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2011 2:54 pm
- Just the numbers in order: 13492
- Location: France
- Contact:
Re: KT66 shootout GEC vs Valve Art
Are you talking about the 12ax7 or EL34 ?
https://www.watfordvalves.com/product_d ... sp?id=3501
https://www.watfordvalves.com/product_d ... sp?id=1565
https://www.watfordvalves.com/product_d ... sp?id=3501
https://www.watfordvalves.com/product_d ... sp?id=1565
- demonufo
- Senior Member
- Posts: 3882
- Joined: Thu Dec 13, 2007 8:36 am
- Just the numbers in order: 13492
- Location: Carterton, Oxon, U.K.
- Contact:
Re: KT66 shootout GEC vs Valve Art
Both. And they were just JJ's and not particularly good ones either
Avoid.
Avoid.
So I like purple, okay!!!!!!
83.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot!
83.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot!