12E1 & S11E12 as a KT88 substitution

[mobyd]

I notice that one of the UK tube vendors (Billington AFAIR) is touting the 12E1 and/or the S11E12 (capless version of the 12E1) as a substitute for the KT88, and have a sample amp to demonstrate the effectiveness of the substitution. Presumably this is to assist in selling the vast quantities of 12E1s and S11E12s available on the military surplus market. The schematic is not published but available to those who buy tubes off them.
Q: Has anyone tried out these tubes and compared with the "Real McCoy" KT88s, and what were your findings. What are the essential differences in circuitry when the substitution is made?.
Cheers
M
(sitting on a substantial pile of S11E12/CV4060s)

 

[delvaje]

The 12E1 does not support more than 300V on the screeen but much more (up to 800V) on the plates. This tube is a little easier to drive than the KT88 but otherwise very similar.

 

[Zen Mod]

http://www.turneraudio.com/

Patrick was feedling with 12E1 , if my memory isn't shot

 

[DigitalJunkie]

Chokkkkyyyy!!!

http://www.turneraudio.com.au/

 

[Zen Mod]

Chokkkkyyyy!!!

http://www.turneraudio.com.au/

Mea Culpa !

I just forgot Oz in addy

 

[Jaap]

s11e12

I tried S11E12 in a PP1 clone (el34 pp amp, design Allen Wright). It sounded just as good or better than the other tubes I tried (KT66, el34). But I read somewhere that these tubes, designed for regulated powersupplies, don't like fixed bias !

 

[Geek]

I played with these and yeah, pretty sensitive to power supply fluctuations.

They sound OK, but aren't "spectacular" as many make them out to be. I've heard TV line output tubes that beat them IMO and for a lot less coin

Cheers!

 

[Jaap]

This is the Billington design.
They use a 1300 ohm cathode resistor under the tubes with 400V B+