Be Connected - Electronics

If you know anything about amps you’ve probably heard of the KT77 series of vacuum tubes, but in case you aren’t familiar with them, here’s a quick primer.

Vacuum tubes, like their name suggests, are tubes that contain electrodes that are stored in a vacuum, and wrapped in a heat-resistant envelope. These are usually stored in a glass encasing, which makes them look like glorified lightbulbs. The special property of vacuum tubes allow them to create, amplify, or modify electrical signals by controlling the motion of electrons in a low-pressure environment.

Back at the start of the 20th century, vacuum tubes were all the rage, what with the development of computers, and it wasn’t long before engineers figured out other uses for vacuum tubes as well. One of those was sound amplification. In 1935, a company called Kivac developed the first KT (kinkless tetrode) vacuum tube, which soon gained popularity in radios and hi-fi amplifiers.

The KT series of vacuum tubes gained in popularity, and other companies began to develop the tubes as well, including the KT77, KT63, and KT88, which differed in terms of size and other properties. At their height, vacuum tubes were the technology of choice for sound amplifiers, and were used by musicians and DJs around the world to amplify their music.

These days, vacuum tubes are rarely used anymore for sound amplification, but there are still fans who swear by the distinctive distortion caused by vacuum tube amplification, and the retro, throwback look of KT77 vacuum tubes.

Fortunately, there is a Russian company called Genalex that creates faithful reproductions of the KT77 vacuum tubes from half a century ago. The Genalex KT77 is gold plated, and looks fantastic, and is durable enough to be used for even the loudest sound amplification. Plus the sound from the Genalex KT77 is good as well, with a smooth quality and a refined mid-range.

Anyway, that is short is the history of the KT series of vacuum tubes, and how they’re used for sound amplification. If you’d like to reproduce the unique sound of old school vacuum tubes, the Genalex KT77 can help you amplify your music and bring back the sounds of the past.

-Takeshi, shopping blogger and sound amplifier