GEMtune kt88 amp

chefg1

Super Member
I guess this is right place to give my two cents on this amp . Well after buying all the christmas gifts for everyone . I had a little cash left so i went to the amazon site and bought the gemtune kt88 amp . Because of the reveiws that claim that this amp had a nice bass sound . Well it didnt turn out to sound that way to me too much muddy midrange . I tried an eq. and a tube based cd player and solid state cd player . Still has a muddy midrange with klipsch cornwall speakers . So i am thinking of sending it back beffore the thirty day limit is up .
 
I made a mistake , i didnt mean muddy midrange but it is more of a too bright midrange and huge noise floor . So my question is how could i tone this bright sound down a bit?
 
A single-ended tube amp should have a wonderful midrange, by reputation at least. That yours does not is not auspicious. Adding an EQ to a tube/cornwall setup is a sign of desperation. I wouldn't miss my return date trying to compensate for a poor-sounding new tube amp.
 
Update/ i bought some new tubes from tubedepot two gold lion kt88 tubes and replaced the rectifier tube g.e. and two nos preamp tubes . Doesnt sound like the same amp more detail and 3d type sound . Iguess i rush to judgement on this amp.
 
nice, good you got it sorted out. It seems these cheap(er) tube amps all need a set of good tubes first thing of all......
 
nice, good you got it sorted out. It seems these cheap(er) tube amps all need a set of good tubes first thing of all......
In most cases I agree. Some amps get a bad rap because of poorly made tubes. A headphone amp im using came with tubes so microphonic just breathing on them would set them off. After replacing them with mil spec GE's it sounds very nice.
 
It's a shame many of these amps come standard with subpar tubes since many are promptly replaced and the old tubes end up in a storage bin never to be used.
 
I've owned lots of tube gear from China and they all came with inferior tubes. The small signal tubes are the worst of all.

Chinese companies expect customers to roll them so they purposely don't use better tubes and of course it's another way to keep their costs down.
 
I feel as though i must give an update ,for it is only fair . After finding out there was an issue with my speaker wires . There is nothing wrong with this amp or the gold lion tubes . It seems the meters were responding to the bad speaker wires that i used the ever fraying monster cable. So i must say this amp sounds and performs very well after an hour of warm up and replacement tubes. Now i safely say it is worth the money.
 
Interesting as I have been in the market for an amp and was looking at this one. I shied away because I'd need a preamp which would put me slightly over budget. Good looking amp though.

:thumbsup:
 
Necro...

I rolled a full set of Electro Harmonix KT88, 6SN7, and 5U4GB tubes into my Gemtune GS-02 and the difference was noticeable right away and improved as they broke in.

Going to let these burn in for a while before I try rolling power tubes with some Gold Lions or Mullards.
 
I got a Yaqin MC13S a while back, and the difference from the stock Chinese tubes in the front, (2x12AX7 and 2x12AU7), to Gold Lions was night and day.

I honestly think the Chinese companies shouldn't even include the garbage tubes these amps ship with. It's no indicator whatsoever of the sound they are capable of with decent tubes. But that also means that most people are looking at around at least $100+ to the price to get the amp sounding up to it's potential.
 
The amp does seem to like better tubes. I just rolled a nice 5U4G Winged "C" rectifier in over the EH and saw my soundstage grow air...The Winged "C" tubes are magical. I still need to stick with one iteration for a while as none of my tubes are technically burned in yet.

It's just too much fun collecting tube sets. It's also getting expensive. =) But hey, it's only money.
 
Definitely worth changing tubes on these Chinese amps. Every one I've purchased has improved with better tubes, with a similar improvement again with a recap. Nice little amps for the cost though :)
 
Well, this thread is morphing into a Chinese tube amp Q&A. I was looking at a GEMtune X1 EL34 amp on CL today and was wondering how good the transformers are. I've read the Chinese skimped on transformers which ran tubes hard causing reduced life. If this is true, investing in tubes is a waste of money.
 
Well, this thread is morphing into a Chinese tube amp Q&A. I was looking at a GEMtune X1 EL34 amp on CL today and was wondering how good the transformers are. I've read the Chinese skimped on transformers which ran tubes hard causing reduced life. If this is true, investing in tubes is a waste of money.
It must depend on the amp. There are tons of people who have Chinese tube amps, including myself, but I've only had mine for a few months. I haven't seen a rash of tube life complaints anywhere though. And I can't really see a problem when a person is asking about Chinese tube amps and it turns into a Q&A about Chinese tube amps.
 
Well, this thread is morphing into a Chinese tube amp Q&A. I was looking at a GEMtune X1 EL34 amp on CL today and was wondering how good the transformers are. I've read the Chinese skimped on transformers which ran tubes hard causing reduced life. If this is true, investing in tubes is a waste of money.

I own or have owned 3 tube preamps, 2 tube hybrid amps, 2 tube SET amps and 1 tube cd player all purchased from eBay Chinese vendors and have not found that to be true. Over years of service from this gear I've had zero issues.

Raphaelite Sinovet a Chinese amp company is known world wide for their excellent transformers which they sell individually.
 
It must depend on the amp. There are tons of people who have Chinese tube amps, including myself, but I've only had mine for a few months. I haven't seen a rash of tube life complaints anywhere though. And I can't really see a problem when a person is asking about Chinese tube amps and it turns into a Q&A about Chinese tube amps.

I own or have owned 3 tube preamps, 2 tube hybrid amps, 2 tube SET amps and 1 tube cd player all purchased from eBay Chinese vendors and have not found that to be true. Over years of service from this gear I've had zero issues.

Raphaelite Sinovet a Chinese amp company is known world wide for their excellent transformers which they sell individually.

Thanks for the measured replies. My comment was never meant to troll, in fact I find Chinese tube amps intriguing. I have experience with a TAD-60 which I found to be the equal of McIntosh MC275V. I read many stories of early Chinese tube amps which kept me away. Your comments say the Chinese have come a long way. Experience has served them well.
 
The transformers in my Gemtune are supposed to be Japanese Z11 Annealed Silicon Steel.

Not sure what that means for reliability. Single ended amps are pretty simply devices.
 
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