July 12, 2012

• New Sensor Tung-Sol KT120

  The review set was purchased from Upscale Audio which lists the price as $44.95 apiece.  These tubes were cryogenically treated which costs an additional $8 per tube.  The tubes have a manufacture date of September, 2010.  The set has many hours of use and did not change in tone as the review progressed.

  The KT120 is a newly developed tube by New Sensor with a plate dissipation of 60 watts per tube.  In comparison, a 6550 is rated at 35 watts and a KT88 at 42 watts.    When used in an amplifier not specifically designed for the KT120, you won’t benefit directly from this capability but certain amps, such as the Bob Carver Black Beauty 305, do utilize the tube’s extra plate dissipation.  It is also claimed that due to the fact that the KT120 is running much under specification in most applications, there may be extended tube life as a result.

  The New Sensor Tung-Sol KT120 has a three-hole grey plate structure with a top getter and two side getters extending near the center of the plates.  It has a chrome colored collar and black base.  It has been described by at least one writer as two 6L6 power tubes residing in one envelope.

       

   

       

  This is a physically large tube so you should ensure:  1) the tube sockets in your amp have cutouts large enough to accommodate them and 2) if you use a tube cage, that there is sufficient clearance since they are taller than KT88s.  Also, please see my comments at the end of the review regarding the heater current draw of the KT120.

  The small signal tubes used in the Premier 11A were GE JG 5751 black plates and GE 6CG7 of the older, white label vintage (these are not the tubes in the above picture).  The Premier 16LS2 preamplifier carried Electro-Harmonix 6922EH tubes outfitted with two conrad-johnson O-rings per tube.

   

  Listening Impressions:

  • Listening to the Haydn Piano Trios on DVD-A, the sound is smooth, easy on the ears and detailed.
  • The bass response lays a solid foundation to the music and is one of this tube’s strengths.
  • Dialogue is clear and vocals have good realism.
  • Transients are average to good but lack impact.
  • Soundstage and dynamic range are excellent as was evidenced on the Odyssey CD by Yngwie J. Malmsteen’s Rising Force.

   

  I found these tubes better at rendering music, especially rock, than for video (DVD and Blu Ray) applications.  They were also very good when used in conjunction with my cable box to view TV programs and Netflix streaming. 

  The NS Tung-Sol KT120 draws 1.8 amps of heater current per tube, so before you use them, you should check with your amp’s manufacturer to make sure the transformers in the amp can handle them.  Just as a point of information, the vintage Tung-Sol 6550 and GE 6550A also draw this amount of heater current.

  conrad-johnson now supplies these tubes as standard equipment on their current line of amplifiers.  Messrs. Lew Johnson and Bill Conrad both think very highly of this tube and, in fact, believe it to be superior to the SED =C= 6550C.  From what I’ve read on the conrad-johnson forum at Audio Aficionado, this tube appears to be almost universally preferred by c-j users who participate there.

  In the final analysis, while these are good tubes, and appeal to a wide audience, there are any number of tubes, both vintage and current production, that I prefer.  As always, your opinion is what counts and it will most likely be different from mine.

   

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