[Bumpy]

Without breaking the bank I would like to buy in a pair of 300Bs.

JJ
Electro Harmonics EH
Electro Harmonix Gold Grid
Psvane T MkII silver bottle
Genalex Gold Lion

These are under consideration at present. SQ is top of the list but guarantees and reliability also figures.

So, any recommendations please, either from the list above or elsewhere?

Thanks

[Bumpy]

Have added appox prices

Without breaking the bank I would like to buy in a pair of 300Bs.

JJ    Approx £260
Electro Harmonics EH   Approx £160
Electro Harmonix Gold Grid   Approx £190
Psvane T MkII silver bottle   Approx £450
Genalex Gold Lion   Approx £250

These are under consideration at present. SQ is top of the list but both guarantees and reliability also figure.

So, any recommendations please, either from the list above or elsewhere?

Thanks

[FullRangeMan]

Buy the cheapest,  all will lasts around 2000 hours, current production are commercial tubes.

[Bumpy]

Buy the cheapest,  all will lasts around 2000 hours, current production are commercial tubes.

Hi FRM
Thanks for your response. Just two questions
1. Are you saying they all sound the same?
2. What does this phrase mean  "current production are commercial tubes"?

Thanks Chris

[FullRangeMan]

I had only one friend that had 300b and he used cheap tubes and sound was not great with short life - no soft start amp.

Certainly these tubes sound different, these tubes are not military - made for the war, these tubes are made tô general públic - we.
Só time life will no be long.

I have read EH 300B sound was dis a point ing at the release date, some 10 years ago, but it depends much on the OPT.

[opnly bafld]

The tube was made for telephone use and was used in many applications including military, amateur radio, and movie theatres. I can't speak for the new production tubes, but I don't believe the above uses would indicate a short life tube.

[Markwatkiss]

Of those listed I would opt for the Genalex Golden Lions.Well reviewed and fairly priced.

[Tyson]

I’ve tried them all and the Psvane are the best sounding, IMO.

[FullRangeMan]

The tube was made for telephone use and was used in many applications including military, amateur radio, and movie theatres. I can't speak for the new production tubes, but I don't believe the above uses would indicate a short life tube.

The tubes you mention are obviously NOS, an expert member had informed us on a old thread that the war 300B (World War2) would last til 20K hours.

The tubes Bumpy are around are current production.
Unfortunately in the 1990s several international tube manufacturers reached an agreement and decided that the valves they would produce should last only 1000 hours, no more long life as in the past.

[RonP]

I’ve tried them all and the Psvane are the best sounding, IMO.

what are the sound characteristics of them? and what do they do better than the alternatives?

[Tyson]

what are the sound characteristics of them? and what do they do better than the alternatives?

The Russian tubes all have a bit of grit to the sound that I find a bit irritating.  The Psvane do tonality better.

[opnly bafld]

The tubes Bumpy are around are current production.
Unfortunately in the 1990s several international tube manufacturers reached an agreement and decided that the valves they would produce should last only 1000 hours, no more long life as in the past.

What I'm seeing is reports of 5,000 hrs+ and 5-10+ years from actual users of new production tubes.
Many people would have a different amp before they needed to replace the tubes. 

[FullRangeMan]

What I'm seeing is reports of 5,000 hrs+ and 5-10+ years from actual users of new production tubes.
Many people would have a different amp before they needed to replace the tubes. 

That is interesting, what are the brands?

[borism]

Here is an interesting 300B tube comparison from 2015.

https://wallofsound.ca/audioreviews/triode-roundup-seven-common-man-300b-tubes-compared/

[Bumpy]

Unfortunately in the 1990s several international tube manufacturers reached an agreement and decided that the valves they would produce should last only 1000 hours, no more long life as in the past.

Do you have a reference for this and which International Manufacturers were in the Cartel.

[Bumpy]

The Russian tubes all have a bit of grit to the sound that I find a bit irritating.  The Psvane do tonality better.

Aside from Psvane are all the other valves made in Russia? Thanks

[borism]

The JJ is made in Slovakia.

[Tyson]

The JJ is made in Slovakia.

Which is why I had high hope for it, but alas it sounds pretty much like the other Russian based tubes.  Psvane, Shuguang (if you can find them) and Linlai are the best tube makers right now,  Especially if you can bump the budget a bit and get the Psvane WE300B, that's an incredible sounding tube.

[Bumpy]

We have these on the UK E bay.

Claim to be Shuguang but I'm a bit nervous as its not on the valve itself. Do you have any knowledge of them?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112252738495?mkevt=1&mkpid=0&emsid=e11050.m43.l1123&mkcid=7&ch=osgood&euid=6f3b20b36f6b4140abfc0115fb0f1e87&bu=43156657487&osub=-1%7E1&crd=20211203091026&segname=11050&sojTags=ch%3Dch%2Cbu%3Dbu%2Cosub%3Dosub%2Ccrd%3Dcrd%2Csegname%3Dsegname%2Cchnl%3Dmkcid

[Tyson]

We have these on the UK E bay.

Claim to be Shuguang but I'm a bit nervous as its not on the valve itself. Do you have any knowledge of them?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112252738495?mkevt=1&mkpid=0&emsid=e11050.m43.l1123&mkcid=7&ch=osgood&euid=6f3b20b36f6b4140abfc0115fb0f1e87&bu=43156657487&osub=-1%7E1&crd=20211203091026&segname=11050&sojTags=ch%3Dch%2Cbu%3Dbu%2Cosub%3Dosub%2Ccrd%3Dcrd%2Csegname%3Dsegname%2Cchnl%3Dmkcid

Sorry, I don't have any insight into the Shuguangs.  Honestly after the fire at their factory, I'd be more likely to buy from a different manufacturer.  Psvane or LinLai.  LinLai is actually a company that was created by the best of the Psvane engineers leaving to start their own company.  And it looks like they are offering the carbon coated 300B for a very reasonable price.  $277 for a matched pair is an insanely good price, here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/124796845836?hash=item1d0e78bf0c:g:raUAAOSw561g1co2

I've not heard the LinLai but I'd be willing to bet a lot of money that they are at least as good as the Psvane carbon coated 300b (which is excellent). 

The thing that carbon 300b tube gets really right is tone.  Just incredible amounts of tonal information that it lets through.  And a really big soundstage.  Makes the Russian tubes sound mechanical and small.  Even compared to a very highly regarded tube like the mesh plate Sophia Princess, the Psvane/Linlai carbon 300b is just flat out better.  Also, the Psvane tubes measure very well and are IME more reliable (much more reliable) than the current production Eastern Europe and Russian tubes.