ARC Ref 110 with KT 150 tubes

David12..... If I may inquire, have you been advised on this point , Verbatum, by your own dealer/distributer ? Absolute Sounds I would assume, or are you referring to the unpublished internal comm sent out by ARC some time ago, to distribution network ?

Jasper.

Jasper and David, ... other than double secret hearsay comments that have been published here and on another website, I have *NOT* read or heard directly out of ARC's metaphorical mouth that the KT-150s are approved for use in other models, be they current amps or older models. If either of you gents can point me and the others to a direct *OFFICIAL* source, the collective "we" would be grateful.

(@Jasper, you are the official A'gon grammarian, should I say "the us'es" as in "us" plural instead of saying the "collective we"?? I want to come off as an erudite.)

David, ... having said all of that, until and unless ARC blesses the KT-150s for use in the ARC Ref 110, I would be very cautious about dropping in the KT-150s. As an "fyi" the current Ref series amps (i.e., Refs 75, 150, 250 and 750) were designed to run with KT-120s. The KT-120 is a more robust tube and draws considerably more current than its predecessor, the SED 6550 "winged C."

Stated differently, the marginal difference in power draw between the 6550 and the KT-120 is much greater than then the marginal increase in power draw between the KT-120 and the KT-150. Check the web yourself to confirm what I am saying.

Nevertheless, it would not surprise me that ARC, if and when it gets off its royal corporate arse, may ultimately bless the KT-150s for use in the Ref 110. ARC amps are very robust and can take a "lickin' and keep on tickin'" so to say.

In the meantime ... we wait for its royal majesty to get off the can. And as the official A'gon audiophillic (sp?) erudite Wolfman would say, it's time to can it sweet prince. Say goodnight Gracey. LOL :)

Bifwynne..... I rather suspect that we, the Loyal ARC customer, may not see any such public proclamation until ARC have stockpiled sufficient KT150's to meet demand.

In the absence of any such affirmation from the horse's mouth, or should that read Ass?!!! and Were your Ref150 to have any factory warranty left on the clock, then I would suggest that the most pertinent source of any such confirmation would be your own Dealer, responsible, for honouring and facilitating the practicalities of that warranty, who presumably, will have seen, or at least be aware of, this mythical ARC memorandum.

@Jasper ... not sure I concur with the practical take of your last response. It would be a pure greed play by ARC to withhold the KT-150s approval if they otherwise would not damage the current ref line of amps. Sh*t, who is to say that even if ARC approves the KT-150 that I would buy from ARC .... for $200 a tube. I think not.

Next, my amp was purchased pre-owned from a dealer. Upshot is still no factory warranty. I am dubious that a dealer would go crosswise with ARC.

Having said that, one dealer did in fact post on anther A'gon thread double secret hearsay information sourced back to ARC that the KT-150 was approved for use in current ARC amps. When I spoke to ARC a week or so later, the tech folks denied the bona fides of the report because it came from a marketing guy ... not the tech department.

Go figure.

I'm a big boy. I'll make a decision shortly. If I opt for KT-150s, I'll take my chances.

I'm a big boy. I'll make a decision shortly. If I opt for KT-150s, I'll take my chances.

Please do it NOW!!! Beating a dead horse ... stuck in repeat wining with the SAME monologue.