[Urassner]

one of the US KR reps has these listed around $1500, does that sound right?  Ouch.

Are those different from the KR 300b HP tubes? Or has anyone here tried the KR 300b HP?

[matthewpartrick]

Don't know. Someone will be along shortly to elucidate.

Until then, what sayeth the hive on these?  Never heard of them. Are they 2a3?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/PAIR-2-Tube-800-GE-NIB-Rohren-Direct-Heated-Triode-Senderohren-Last-Pair/310211309637?hash=item483a08f045:m:muW21nd9iS3-xL-Uyp6q4tw&redirect=mobile

[matthewpartrick]

Anyone interested in a pair of 300b tubes that cost more than a new L2iSE?

https://www.tubedepot.com/products/nos-western-electric-engraved-base-300b-black-plate-late-1930-s-matched-pair

[lengcm]

Has anyone tried these tubes yet?
https://www.partsconnexion.com/STREASURE-73260.html

[matthewpartrick]

Has anyone tried these tubes yet?
https://www.partsconnexion.com/STREASURE-73260.html

I saw them on Amazon.  The Lampizator and Border Patrol experts feel they sound good when they're good, but they are bad when they are bad, ie extremely variable.

[Yomaha]

I emailed with Partsconnexion on Friday and they said they will be getting more TAK TA-300B's in mid next week. Been driving myself crazy with curiosity about the Japanese tubes after reading everything here in AC and elsewhere on the web. I guess that would be a colossal jump from stock 2A3's to the TAK's

https://www.partsconnexion.com/TSUKI-81942.html

[ebag4]

FWIW, I have the Taks and Elrogs, the tube that gets the most play in my Lio DHT are the 2A3s Vinnie sends with the DHT.  Very speaker dependent, I am running GR Research NX Oticas MTMs over Servo Subs in H frame alignment, YMMV.  Clarity of the 2A3s is what impacts my impressions.

Best,
Ed

BTW, in my Bottlehead Kaiju, the Taks and Elrogs are my favorites, in that order.

[Tyson]

2a3s are just a lower distortion, higher clarity tube than the 300b.  Not that I don't love the 300b, because I do.  But the 2a3 is about as close to "perfect transparency" as I've heard, outside of a Type 45 tube.  YMMV.

[BobRex]

I saw them on Amazon.  The Lampizator and Border Patrol experts feel they sound good when they're good, but they are bad when they are bad, ie extremely variable.

I'be been using them for about a year.  Better than the EH tubes - more extended, with a better defined midrange.  I can't compare them to the Taks or Elrods, I haven't gone that route yet, although I'm thinking about it. 

[Yomaha]

Got this email update from Western Electric this morning:

On November 21, 2019, shortly after our last update, Western Electric’s Rossville Works team successfully tested a series of newly manufactured 300B electron tube units. Following Western Electric standards and Bell System practices, each unit survived an eight-hour aging and stressing period and was then transitioned to the testing station to measure performance. We welcomed the much anticipated “GOOD TUBE” reports in style with a champagne toast on the factory floor!

Since then, quality assurance has remained our top priority. Before accepting any tubes for shipment and end use, they must first be proven good or “eligible” in repeatable, batch quantities. If one tube in a batch is ineligible, so is each of its mates. This non-negotiable step in the manufacturing process has always represented, and will continue to represent, the preeminence of quality at Western Electric. When success yields rise above 90%, deliveries to all pre-order customers and distributors will begin immediately.


NOTE REGARDING COVID-19

Staffing at Western Electric's main offices and at the Rossville Works has been reduced to increase safety and to help stop the spread of the coronavirus in our surrounding community. As a result, efforts to bring the 300B into full volume production have been significantly slowed. However, work will continue at our manufacturing facility in a limited capacity and we look forward to brighter news concerning product deliverability in the coming weeks.

[Terence T.]

This is good news. I'm looking forward for anyone who is fortunate to be the first to receive to post his/her views of the WE 300Bs from Rossville. 

Terence

[WG]

I have purchased Living Voice 300B tubes through Border Patrol.  Below are my impressions so far on them and my take on the etherRegen I also have added to my system.  I am using a microRendu to DAC 2.0 on my L2 Signature.
The majority of the week days I have worked from home and have been playing music in the background with the LV-300B tubes.  Besides getting some playing hours on the tubes, that also allowed me to get playing time on the etherRegen as well as more hours on the L2 Signature.

I have the EH 300-B tubes included with the L2, Svetlana 811’s, KR Audio PX4 tubes, and the LV-300B tubes.  I initially listened to the EH 300Bs after receiving the L2, and then went back to the PX4s prior to getting the LV-300Bs.

I am sure I have lost ability to hear higher frequencies with my older age, but I also suspect my perception of musical presentation would be affected if higher frequencies were not available in one setting, yet present in another.

My preference for equipment and presentation has continued to evolve.  I think what I may have thought at times were music detail and emphasis actually could actually been influenced by noise that covered other information and emphasized a more edgy sound.  I feel the L2 Signature is presenting more and distinctly separated information than I recall from the LIO.  That leads into my still early read on the LV300B tubes.

I have been listening a good deal to Americana, including hybrid bluegrass, female and male vocals, blended vocals dipped in folk, jazz, and country, older well recorded rock, ensemble jazz as well as more easy listening jazz, blues, and a little classical—still learning to appreciate it.

I have liked and continue to like the PX4’s.  The LV300B tubes seem to me to be more even across the highs, mids, and bass region.  The PX4s come across more emphasized to me in the bass and some of the mid regions.  PX4s seem much tighter in the bass than the EH-300Bs.  The LV300Bs are not bloated nor bass shy, but do not seem as lit up there as the PX4s. My impressions are the LV-300Bs are more balanced in emphasis across the spectrum with possibly some slight emphasis in the bass region.  The PX4s present more forward than the LV300 tubes.  The 300B tubes give the impression of more space and better to me for imaging and distinct singers and instruments.  Vocals are a bit more recessed, and seemingly more intimate to me.  String instruments seem a bit sweeter, slightly more rounded than the PX4s.  Perceived dynamics seem to me to be stronger with PX4 tubes, but that is probably my perception of more forward, immediate presentation and more mid and bass emphasis.  The PX4s also seem a bit louder than the LV-300B tubes by about 1 volume setting on the L2 Signature.  For now i have a preference for the PX4s for rock, and over the 811’s for that as well. 

Staging is wider now than I recall with the LIO.  I think that is a combination of changes, including the L2 Signature, the etherRegen, and possibly these tubes.  The LV300Bs seem more cohesive, integrated sound across the wider perceived staging, while the PX4s  seems to present more individual sound instrument placement, which is very wide on some music.  I have not moved my speaker toe in, but probably would if just listening to PX4s.  Some of this may be influenced by the etherRegen.   When I first received the etherRegen and before the LV300Bs, this very wide and sudden distinct instrument staging was very noticeable and somewhat distracting.  It doesn’t seem to be nearly as noticeable now, but picked up on it again as I changed to PX4s to listen to some same music selections I had recently done with the LV300B tubes.  My opinion though is the tubes settle in better after playing for a least an hour or more compared to soon after swapping in. 

The LV300B tubes are too large to accommodate the tube covers.  I initially compared the sound of the PX4s with covers off as well, but I believe they do benefit from having them installed.  The presentation is not as edgy and more revealing of softer sounds with the covers on.  The LV300B tubes even without the covers still seem superior to me than the PX4s in these areas.

I find the etherRegen has been beneficial.  There is some similarity in presentation to me as having the tube covers on the PX4 tubes—seemingly smoother with more available music information.  I do think this device has also contributed to wider staging presentation.

[matthewpartrick]

Hey y'all.  One of my toddlers busted one of my Svetlana SV811s today.  How much of a pain in the neck is it to buy a tube and try to match it, versus just buying a set of matched tubes?

Thanks in advance.

Plus:  These look super cool and I want to try them!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-Philips-TC04-10-02-Triode-Power-Tube-Sender%C3%B6hren-Holland-4Volt-1-1-Amp/311832990465?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

[Vinnie R.]

Hi MP,

One of my toddlers busted one of my Svetlana SV811s today.

Sorry to hear.  Hopefully nobody was hurt, and luckily it isn't a very pricey tube like a TAK-300B.

You can't buy one tube and expect to match it with the current tube you have on hand (although it is possible that it would be close enough).
Or you can just buy a new matched pair, and keep your current tube as a spare. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-Philips-TC04-10-02-Triode-Power-Tube-Sender%C3%B6hren-Holland-4Volt-1-1-Amp/311832990465?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

I don't think it uses the UX4 tube socket, so it won't work.  See: https://www.radiomuseum.org/tubes/tube_tc0410.html

Vinnie

[matthewpartrick]

Hi MP,

Sorry to hear.  Hopefully nobody was hurt, and luckily it isn't a very pricey tube like a TAK-300B.

You can't buy one tube and expect to match it with the current tube you have on hand (although it is possible that it would be close enough).
Or you can just buy a new matched pair, and keep your current tube as a spare. 

I don't think it uses the UX4 tube socket, so it won't work.  See: https://www.radiomuseum.org/tubes/tube_tc0410.html

Vinnie

That's a shame, anything that alien looking must sound out of this world!

[Srajan Ebaen]

Like Vinnie, I find that going way up in cost over the stock tubes does buy appreciably better sound.

I've tried TAK 300B, LV 300B, NOS WE300B, NOS WEVT52, Elrog 300B and Elrog ER50.

My favorite is the ER50, a 7V 'super 45' which runs perfectly on 5V. It really is like a 45 on steroids - same kind of lit up, airy fast presentation with endless treble but far better low end than typical 45 in a classic SET.  The Western Electric VT52 is the equivalent. As a classic not modern tube, it's a bit softer and darker but in the same overall vein.

The exact same modern/classic difference applies to the WE 300B vs. Elrog 300B. As 300B, both of them are mellower and less lit up and quick than the ER50/VT52. Transients are gentler, the top end is slightly muted by contrast and as a result, the midrange feels slightly emphasized. Between them, the Western Electric 300B is more so than the Elrog 300B. From those four bottles, classic = heavier on decays, modern = crisper on leading edges. In a generalized way, one might even say, classic tube for classic music, modern tube for modern music. That's because the modern iterations have better bass, separation and control which also makes them 'stiffer' and less elastic. The classic tubes are more loose and lithe and billowy and 'reverby' so do exceptionally well with chamber music, minimalist vocals and such.

I didn't have the TAK in at the same time but it struck me as the most lit up and "45-ish" of the 300B I heard. That would place it closest to the 'super 45'. Unless I did an A/B, I wouldn't know how similar or not it comes.

For what it's worth, there you go. I've not seen anyone mention the Elrog ER50 but to my ears, it deserves attention way up there 

[matthewpartrick]

Now that my L2iSE is running in perfect order, I felt the need to mix up the tubes a little.  For my music I really love the Svetlanas, so punchy and holographic.  But I splurged and bought the Tak 300bs as well as the Ricardo Kron edition Lampizators. 

I've put about 100 hours on the stock tubes, but much less on the test tubes.

The Taks are so detailed, bright, and "happy" that it's hard to get mad at them!

The Krons are darker, good with mid-range punch, and do well with harmonics. 

I have yet to try out the WE 300bs but supposedly it will happen.   Fingers crossed!