I know this thread is over a year old, but it does not seem like any light has been shed on the Psvane WE replica in that time...
Regarding the youtube video, basically, the guy compares the construction of several different tubes: the stock 300b that comes with the Triode Corp 300B integrated, the Psvane WE replica, an original WE300B from 1988, and a Vaic 300B. He demonstrates that the Psvane and WE have nearly identical construction except for the size of the four holes at the top of the spacer in the top of the tube (slightly larger holes on the Psvane) and the flashing at the bottom (extending slightly higher up the glass on the Psvane). Then he flicks each tube with his finger and says that the sound of the filament rattling around inside is more pronounced in the Triode Corp tube than the Psvane. He taps each tube and says that the Psvane and WE have significantly less rattling inside than the others. I looked for more videos and I found ANOTHER Japanese guy doing the same thing and others off camera being amazed that the sound from tapping the Psvane tube is somehow better than other tubes. This is inexplicable to me... What does it even mean? Who cares? How does it SOUND when making music? There were no comments about this. Japanese obsessiveness over odd details superseding the actual point. I am Japanese and I see this ALL THE TIME! Of course, when constructing something, that obsessive attention detail often yields incredible results, such as the Takatsuki TA300B. But when evaluating a product, I wish they would get the meat of the subject.
I am really looking for some kind of worthy backup to my Takatsuki 300B. I have two pairs. I wrote to Takatsuki and they informed me that the life expectancy is 5000 hrs. With two pairs that is 10,000 hrs total. My amp is custom made and runs Class A all the time right near the maximum dissipation. At about $1400-$1600 per pair, I don't want to replace these tubes every few years. For $900, I wonder if the Psvane WE replica might be an OK backup.
I am faced with an additional problem. The holes in the top of my amp, where the base of the 300B slides in, is too narrow to fit most of the gigantic ceramic base 300Bs currently being made. It is somewhat frustrating. I have to use either real Western stuff (unacceptable failure rates, I owned three pairs and none of them were noise free), Takatsuki (THE BEST, but too expensive), or some other 300B that I am not aware of. From the photos, it seems clear that the base of the Psvane replica is the same diameter as the Western.
Obviously, I am very curious about these Psvane tubes. I am thinking of just ordering a pair and checking them and writing up my findings in comparison to the Takatsuki.
Anyway, can anyone who has experience with this tube please provide a review?
