[kujokku]

Has any one tried either of these? Feedback on these very hard to find. I have a Audio Space Ref lll 300b and have already ordered Psvane 12ax7s for it. 

[JakeJ]

Hi kujokku,

Welcome to AC and the Tube-O-Phile Circle.  No experience with 300B amps here but maybe someone will have some usable input.

[yo2tup]

I have a pair of grant fidelity grade A Psvane cv181-t that i was never able to try out.  i order them and by the time i got them, i sold the component that I was going to use them with     if anyone is interested, feel free to make an offer.

[morganc]

The Black Treasure 300b is fantastic in my humble opinion.   I don't have any comparisons to make as far as other 300b's go, but in my Coincident Frankenstein's the BT are the favorite of the amp manufacturer and after a very long break in, they are now fantastic.   I compared my current amp with the BT to Decware, Art Audio Carissa,  Art Audio PX-25, and Pass XA 30.5.  The BT 300's have Good tight bass, amazing midrange of course, and are just all around engaging. I don't think you can go wrong and at the sale price that I just saw that Grant Fidelity has  (no affiliation) at $150 less, you basically can try them for free. 

[rlmacklin]

See some discussion I posted re Psvane CV181-T in

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=92112.0

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rlmacklin

    Jr. Member
    Posts: 50

Sophia Electric 6SN7s are the "keepers" vs. Psvane CV181-T in my LS100
« Reply #14 on: 26 Sep 2011, 06:45 PM »

Received my [ModWright] LS100 July 26th, so 2 months old today.

I rotated in my 1957 metal base Philips Miniwatt GZ34/5AR4 rectifier
(previously in my SWL9.0 Signature) and inserted 2 Psvane CV181-T
(similar to Shuguang Black Treasure CV181-Z, but per Rachel of Grant Fidelity:
"There is no difference in quality control, testing or specs. They are
same model tubes but T is tweaked for slightly more high frequency.")

I have never run my LS100 with the stock tubes.

After two months of break-in/burn-in, the Psvane CV181-Ts sound similar to me as "jriggy" described the BT CV181-Z :

" The BT's are holographic, detailed, well extended and fleshed out."

jriggy contrasted CV181-Z with the TungSol round plates:

"the TS rp's are much more organic and rounder. More analog sounding to me. What I do love about them is the air and spaciousness they add. Very holographic, wide, yet a bit diffused (still image well though). Maybe that is what is adding to the spaciousness... Great organic and euphoric sound but still hits nicely used in the LS 100"

In preparation for upcoming receipt of Modwright tube modified 2-channel and SS mod on remaining multi-channel Oppo 95 (with Bybee rail mod on each DAC and Truth Umbilical), I received a new NOS 1957 metal base Philips Miniwatt GZ34/5AR4 rectifier  and 2 of the Sophia Electric 6SN7 on Friday and installed these in the LS100 for break-in/burn-in (went through the LS100 case disassembly, tube rolling, and assembling the case and re-inserting in system and reconnecting the ICs). Same TelWire PC used on LS100.

Source is currently Oppo 83SE with Modwright full SS 2-channel and SS multi-channel mods.

Indeed the Sophia Electric started with a slight upward tilt in frequency response curve, but right out of the box displayed increased resolution over the CV181-T at all frequencies [reference the Steve Davis Project "Quality of Silence" stereo SACD] and did not sound at all edgy or harsh to me on any material played [primary reference test for this aspect was SACD of Mozart Horn Concertos with Alan Civil on horn, with Neville Marriner conducting the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields (stereo layer)].

After two days, the Sophia Electrics are clearly the more neutral and linear and resolving tube to my ears - and hence the "keepers."  The sonics match descriptions by Ern Dog in the Oppo tube rolling thread here in the Modwright Circle on Audio Circle.
The slight upward tilt is reducing.

So when the modded Oppo 95 arrives, I may place the 2 CV181-Ts atop it ...
if I haven't received 2 more Sophia Electric 6SN7s by then !!!

(I plan to keep the Psvane Cv181-Ts as higher level "backups" than the stock tubes and
I will definitely run the competition again between them and the Sophias on the Modwright Oppo 95.)
« Last Edit: 26 Sep 2011, 07:48 PM by rlmacklin »
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mraudio

    Jr. Member
    Posts: 16

Re: Let's talk about Tube Rolling in the Modwright LS100 Pre
« Reply #15 on: 26 Sep 2011, 10:53 PM »

I'll add my 2 cents worth.  I've had my LS100 for over 6 months now and have both the original BT tubes and the Sophias.  I am using a Mullard GZ34/5AR4, (Blackburn) as the rectifier.

Each pair need a massive amount of burn-in/break-in.  Grant Fidelity recommends 150-300 hours for the BTs.  I have over 500 hours on each pair.

I find the BTs to be my "keeper" tube.  In my system and for my tastes they throw a wider, deeper soundstage and are smoother and more open than the Sophias.  I agree that the Sophias are "a tad" more neutral, linear and have more detail, but that's not what I am looking for.  I wanted a smoother, more open, more romantic sound and found that in the BTs.  Had I started with the Sophias, (I didn't, I started with the BTs), I might have just stopped.

Bottom line, they are both excellent tubes and really need to be tried in one's system to match personal tastes and preferences.  You really can't go wrong with either.