Good & Bad News for 300B Lovers

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FullRangeMan

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Good & Bad News for 300B Lovers
« on: 30 May 2012, 09:01 am »
Guiguang Chinese maker of the fine NGG-300B tube and several others valves is no more.
It has taken by the hi priced audiophile PSVANE brand in October2011.
So Shuguang factory no more made PSVANE tubes.
http://psvanetube.com/wordpress/who-was-guiguang/
« Last Edit: 7 Feb 2013, 01:38 am by FULLRANGEMAN »

56oval

Re: Bad News for 300B Lovers
« Reply #1 on: 30 May 2012, 10:19 am »
Thats ok I still can get KR's , EML & EAT  :D, touch wood  :).

Its doesn't matter what company it is , its sad to hear of company's closing down  :(

Cheers

richidoo

Re: Bad News for 300B Lovers
« Reply #2 on: 30 May 2012, 12:32 pm »
Guiguang Chinese maker of the fine NGG-300B tube and several others valves is no more.
It has taken by the hi priced audiophile PSVANE brand in October2011.
So Shuguang factory no more made PSVANE tubes.
http://psvanetube.com/wordpress/who-was-guiguang/

Sounds like good news to me. Guiguang is bailed out, not closed. The people still have their jobs, the facility remains open, and the best tube engineers in the world (creators of Shuguang Black Treasure tubes, now on their own) are charging in with established superior technology and money to save Guiguang. High priced (good) tubes is what the audiophile world wants. Audiophiles will pay for the best. To me, the future looks very bright for Guiguang/Psvane.

This merger is another squandered opportunity to change the god-awful name.

rajesh

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Re: Bad News for 300B Lovers
« Reply #3 on: 30 May 2012, 03:49 pm »
This merger is another squandered opportunity to change the god-awful name.

Yeah, "Psvane" sounds more American. :lol:

FullRangeMan

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Re: Bad News for 300B Lovers
« Reply #4 on: 30 May 2012, 09:37 pm »
Sounds like good news to me. Guiguang is bailed out, not closed. The people still have their jobs, the facility remains open, and the best tube engineers in the world (creators of Shuguang Black Treasure tubes, now on their own) are charging in with established superior technology and money to save Guiguang. High priced (good) tubes is what the audiophile world wants. Audiophiles will pay for the best. To me, the future looks very bright for Guiguang/Psvane.

This merger is another squandered opportunity to change the god-awful name.
Maybe I not explained well, the NGG-300B tube that cost less than $100/pair will no longer be made​​.
The Guiguang factory, now rebranded Psvane will only made PSVANE high priced tubes.
There is plenty of expensive, good sound 300B tubes made in USA.

Diamond Dog

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Re: Bad News for 300B Lovers
« Reply #5 on: 30 May 2012, 09:44 pm »

There is plenty of expensive, good sound 300B tubes made in USA.

News to me...

D.D.

FullRangeMan

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Re: Bad News for 300B Lovers
« Reply #6 on: 30 May 2012, 10:14 pm »
News to me...

D.D.
TubeDepot had NOS 1957 WE-300B at $1,995.00 the page not inform if this price is for each or pair.
To these astronomical prices I guess the supply is greater than demand.
http://www.tubedepot.com/we-300b-as1.html

Quiet Earth

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Re: Bad News for 300B Lovers
« Reply #7 on: 30 May 2012, 10:25 pm »
Well, there will always be that thing going on. But for the rest of us there are no Western Electric or made in USA 300Bs anymore. Such is life.


Thanks for the update on the Guiguangs though, I remember when you recommended them a while ago. It's difficult for most of us to keep track of all the different make and model numbers of 300Bs that come out of the Shuguang factory. Guiguang, Shuguang, Full Music, TJ, Valve Art, Psvane, plus other OEMs factory installed tubes . . . . . whew! Maybe it was just way too much to manage in one factory?

Hopefully the reorganization will be a good thing for all of us in the long run. Keep your fingers crossed. They might even bring back your favorite $100 tube if the demand is there for it.

Diamond Dog

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Re: Bad News for 300B Lovers
« Reply #8 on: 30 May 2012, 10:26 pm »
TubeDepot had NOS 1957 WE-300B at $1,995.00 the page not inform if this price is for each or pair.
To these astronomical prices I guess the supply is greater than demand.
http://www.tubedepot.com/we-300b-as1.html

Looks like those PSVANES and Treasures aren't so expensive after all, comparatively speaking ? There is also that recent PSVANE "tribute" to the WE 300B which they claim is identical in all respects for half that price. I'm not averse to NOS - I use them myself ( not with 300B's ), but the tag on those WE300B's you mentioned is a pretty big ask.

D.D.

FullRangeMan

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Re: Bad News for 300B Lovers
« Reply #9 on: 30 May 2012, 10:57 pm »
Looks like those PSVANES and Treasures aren't so expensive after all, comparatively speaking ? There is also that recent PSVANE "tribute" to the WE 300B which they claim is identical in all respects for half that price. I'm not averse to NOS - I use them myself ( not with 300B's ), but the tag on those WE300B's you mentioned is a pretty big ask.

D.D.
After seeing these 2K dollars 300B I beginning to think PSAVANE prices are cheap.
Sales technique: places to sell a product with very high price for a week, then lower the price a bit or put near another product with the price a little lower.
So the consumer thinks the second price is acceptable... :icon_twisted:

Freo-1

Re: Bad News for 300B Lovers
« Reply #10 on: 30 May 2012, 11:07 pm »
I guess this is a case of what the market will bear.  It seems that at least the tube will be available for the time being, and that is a good development overall.
 
The crazy prices of some audio tubes are a primary reason that I’m currently working on mono blocks that uses 1625 output tubes.  They are inexpensive, available in quantity, and are well made.  It’s a lot easier to get power transformers made for those than find well made power tubes like the 300B.

JoshK

Re: Bad News for 300B Lovers
« Reply #11 on: 30 May 2012, 11:27 pm »
I personally would rather buy EML's higher price 300B over WE300B or especially higher priced Chinese 300B.  I know the Chinese are capable of good designs when they want to, but something leaves me wanting. 

I would guess you can still get TJ 300Bs, although not as cheap.


Quiet Earth

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Re: Bad News for 300B Lovers
« Reply #12 on: 31 May 2012, 12:05 am »
Considering all of the 300Bs available and all of their prices, the EML is a very good value. Probably the best value I have encountered so far.

Diamond Dog

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Re: Bad News for 300B Lovers
« Reply #13 on: 31 May 2012, 02:03 am »
Considering all of the 300Bs available and all of their prices, the EML is a very good value. Probably the best value I have encountered so far.

Have you had a chance to compare the EML's vs. the Black Treasure and/or PSVANE 300B's ? I haven't so I'd like to hear your impressions. I have used the latter two.

D.D.

Quiet Earth

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Re: Bad News for 300B Lovers
« Reply #14 on: 31 May 2012, 03:51 am »
Sure, EML vs. Black Treasure. I own both of those so let me take a stab at it.

Keep in mind that I use a single 300B per mono amplifier to drive a speaker, and you will use yours in that awesome preamp that you bought recently. 8). There could be big differences the way the tube sounds between those two applications. Here goes.

The major difference between the EML and the Black Treasure to my ears is that the BT is polite and hifi sounding, and it seems to imply a perfect hifi projection of what should be happening, where as the EML just makes it happen.  The EML has a larger, more dynamic and lifelike sound to it and it takes much better control of the speaker. They are both similarly balanced although the EML has better control of the frequency extremes in a non hifi way. Again, this is what I observed in my single ended (single 300B) power amp driving my speakers. Not everyone is going to agree with me on the differences between these two tubes if they have different kinds of amplifiers, but I have had people agree with me comparing the two tubes in my amp.

Of all the 300Bs I have tried, my favorites in order of best to worst are :

1. Western Electric (totally different thing going on here, but number 1 because of the most addictive sound. Sadly gone.)

2. EML (Best value, best overall sound)

( a tie for third and fourth place,)
3. Genelex 300B (surprisingly good balanced sound and dynamic, what's not to like?)
4. Black Treasure (good, but too expensive for what it is)

5. Valve Art (similar to BT but not nearly as refined and weaker bass)

6. JJ (similar dynamics to EML but too strident and etchy by comparison)

7. TJ Mesh (these would tie with EML but they have been unreliable for me)

8. Full Music S.E. (these would also come in around number 3 but unreliable)


56oval

Re: Bad News for 300B Lovers
« Reply #15 on: 31 May 2012, 06:36 am »
My fav 300B from best to nice
 KR
Vaic
EAT
TJ pretend mesh since its a perf plate
JJ
Sovtec
Golden dragon

Would like to try EML ,no hope of trying WE maybe a reissue might pop up .

Cheers


Quiet Earth

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Re: Bad News for 300B Lovers
« Reply #16 on: 31 May 2012, 12:53 pm »
"Best to nice". Yes, that is a much better way of saying it because when I get down to the bottom of my list I still like what I hear.

D.D.,
Are your BT and Psvanes more similar than different?

SET Man

Re: Bad News for 300B Lovers
« Reply #17 on: 31 May 2012, 10:03 pm »
Hey!

   Well, that wasn't so bad. I thought every countries banned 300B tube or something.... now that would be bad news.

   Actually to be honest I don't think I care about that Chinese made 300B since there are other 300B tube manufactures out there. Quality one like those from KR Audio and EML and etc. So, if I ever go for 300B amp those two will be my top choice.

   BTW.... I've been KR Audio tube user since 1999. On a second pair of 842VHD now.

Take care,
Buddy :thumb:

TONEPUB

Re: Bad News for 300B Lovers
« Reply #18 on: 1 Jun 2012, 12:01 am »
Maybe I not explained well, the NGG-300B tube that cost less than $100/pair will no longer be made​​.
The Guiguang factory, now rebranded Psvane will only made PSVANE high priced tubes.
There is plenty of expensive, good sound 300B tubes made in USA.

Good riddance.  Those were terrible sounding tubes...

FullRangeMan

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Re: Bad News for 300B Lovers
« Reply #19 on: 1 Jun 2012, 12:17 am »
Good riddance.  Those were terrible sounding tubes...
I read they were better than Shuguang graphite plates. You had any comparison??