Jadis JA80's - KT88's or KT120's?

[Mickey_Sg]

Hi all,
My Jadis JA80's are getting noisy and need retubing, and I'm torn between KT 88's (possibly the Psvane KT88-TII) or KT120's.
I don't want to lose any of of the beguiling musicality that I bought the Jadis's for, but I'd like a quieter, blacker background and tighter bass. Is the KT120 an all-round improvement or will I be risking "throwing the baby out with the bath water"?

Would love to hear your opinions!
Thanks, Mick

 

[Diapason]

My good friend has JA80s and I thought the KT120s were a huge step up.

 

[microstrip]

Quoted from the from the Jadis JA120 datasheet:


Jadis has adopted the KT120 valve, which will increase the power, reliability, the dynamic range and every other parameter of this milestone amplifier.Jadis has recognised that the brand-new KT120 expands on all of the virtues of the much loved KT88/6550 workhorses that have powered so many top-flight amplifiers. With their acceptance by Jadis, the doyen of French high-end amplifier manufacturers, the KT120 has found a home that is the audio equivalent of a well-appointed chateau: stylish, timeless, immune to fashion, elegant, regal.

 

[KeithR]

What speakers do you have? If you don't need the extra power, I'd tube roll KT88s. I like the Valve Art cryo'd chinese tubes sold on ebay by tubeman. Black Treasures very good too, but may be a bit much with Jadis.

 

[analog brother]

kt-88 is a warmer, richer sound.
kt-120 is more dynamic, faster, punchier sound.
try some EAT kt-88, much more expensive than tung-sol kt-120, but probably much better too.

 

[Thieliste]

Hi guys, i'm looking for similar advise for my new Jadis DA88S Mk2.
I'm burning it in with the supplied Psvane KT88s at the moment but i wonder if i should try the Tungsol KT120s later on ?
My speakers are Thiel CS 3.7s which are not an easy load but my DA88S drives them much better than most SS amps i have tried in the past.
KT120s might bring deeper bass but will i lose in musicality ?

 

[Ron Resnick]

Any new opinions on this topic?

 

[Thieliste]

I tried several KT-88 in my DA88S and in the end i much prefer KT-120 at least in my rig.
It is system dependent, if your speaker load is pretty difficult like mine forget about KT-88 otherwise your fine.
I found the perfect balance by puting RCA 12AU7 long black plate as input tube paired with KT-120.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Thank you for this report!

 

[Synaxis]

I tried several KT-88 in my DA88S and in the end i much prefer KT-120 at least in my rig.
It is system dependent, if your speaker load is pretty difficult like mine forget about KT-88 otherwise your fine.
I found the perfect balance by puting RCA 12AU7 long black plate as input tube paired with KT-120.

I notice you have a PP Quad switch. I used to have one. That was an excellent switch! I also see you are an Aqua guy. I have their La Scala and love it.

On a tube note, I've not had good luck in my system with the RCA's. I've tried numerous ones and always found them too bright.

It's great that we all love different tubes!

 

[Stefan]

I compared the Genalex KT88s with the KT20s in a Jadis I35i and found a big difference in the sound. The LK120s sound more linear, more extended and controlled in the bass and more open and airy in the higher resisters. However, the tone, midrange presence and palatability of the KT88s make it my preference. I think of the KT88 as halfway between the typical lush midrange of an EL34 amp but with more control in the bass, and the KT120 takes the sound closer to a good class A SS amp.

Caveat, as always, the speaker is an intermediate variable. I would probably suggest the KT120 if the speaker's bass alignment is set up for an SS amp and needs the control, whereas the KT88 would probably be best suited to a speaker that requires the amp to flesh out the lower resisters with more bloom.

 

[Thieliste]

I notice you have a PP Quad switch. I used to have one. That was an excellent switch! I also see you are an Aqua guy. I have their La Scala and love it.

On a tube note, I've not had good luck in my system with the RCA's. I've tried numerous ones and always found them too bright.

It's great that we all love different tubes!

I’ve tried RCA Clear Top and also find them too bright in my system but it is not the case with RCA Black long plates, the bass is also so much better with black plates.
Might also try an Amperex 7316 at some point.