Interesting. I've read a review that the PSVANE ACME 300B and Linlai E-300B are quite similar in performance but the Linlai is a little closer to the WE300B in tone.
Has anyone tried either of these tubes? What were your thoughts?
Has anyone tried either of these tubes? What were your thoughts?
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I'm curious how the opinion even originated - that one Chinese tube is a little closer in tone than other to a WE version of the tube ? I ask because it sounds like typical internet nonsense of which there is much floating around because money is at stake for brands competing for a subjective reputation. Do you remember where you saw this review ?
Hmm, I can seem to find it any more. It might have been the PSVANE WE300B vs the ACME that I was reading about.
This is the only comparison I can find between the Acme and E-300B
https://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/300b-tubes/
This is the only comparison I can find between the Acme and E-300B
https://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/300b-tubes/
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“On Linlai's vacuum tube construction, she points out, "The E-series with molybdenum material produces a much stronger electron emission than other types of plate material such as graphite or hybrid plate,”
Well, maybe lost in translation, but this statement doesn’t bode well.
Well, maybe lost in translation, but this statement doesn’t bode well.
Just the usual marketing rubbish, look at what the others are saying about their own product before you judge. Flowery marketing prose is just part of the landscape. Remember most of the market for these things are technically unsophisticated, possibly anti-science audiophiles. I suspect they are just fine.
Apparently molybdenum is used in filaments and supports very high operating temperatures without failing, and this might have an impact on filamentary emission and life?
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I think you're being quite charitable but it's possible that is what she meant. But the same sentence says "other types of plate material" so I think the context is the plate not the filament. I'd bet the Chinese tube builders buy their filament material from the same source.
lickumms, Yes. I have not tried them yet. I am working on a driver at the present time and plan to run several distortion tests with them before I do listening tests.
A number of people I know are using LinLai tubes, just not the 300B, they all think quite highly of them, and they are fussy. I have no direct experience, but so far no reports of a bad ending.
Given the technical market place in China I would be surprised if there were not a half dozen or more suppliers, it's not quite like here yet.
My other thought on the plate thing had something to do with secondary emission, but it could just be the usual marketing mumbo-jumbo, and that's not too unlikely. 😀
I have found such interview and my interpretation is a bit different, starting from the fact that salesmen and marketing people often get confused or are not accurate in technical descriptions. I think what she meant to say is that the E-series with molybdenum filament and permalloy plate has stronger emission than other types with different plate material and more traditional filaments.
Having said this, if I were to spend all that money for a pair of 300Bs my first choice would be the 300B XLS without a doubt. It's a 55W tube that can work at such dissipation and very comfortably run at 40-45W plate dissipation producing 14-15W at 3% THD easy with very long life. That's one thing standard 300B's, including the original, cannot do. The EM version is a bit more a mystery about max ratings, but 55W plate dissipation is possible without doubts. The KR version is rated at 70W max plate dissipation but has 1.8A filament current instead of 1.5.
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I would avoid designing for that much high power because it would lock in the need for a very specific tube, a tube that’s a 300B only in name.
I have three AVVT 32B tubes that have not been used much. I thought of selling them at eBay, but never got around to it. See here: https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/avvt-av-32b-sl-tubes.373458/post-7041081
These tubes are super-duper quality. Shoot me a PM if anyone is interested.
These tubes are super-duper quality. Shoot me a PM if anyone is interested.
What would the problem be? Remove the possibility of tube rolling? Tube rolling is a typical audiophile practice. The only valid reason for tube rolling is to keep people in a loop so that they keep spending money. It's the same for all HiFi equipment.....
Regarding the design, the 300B XLS run at 40-45W plate dissipation will outlast (by a lot) any standard 300B running at 27-30W. Will last a lifetime. It's really a case of "the more you spend the more you save". If can afford it it's a really good choice. I have a couple of friends that have been using the KR XLS all the time for 12 years at least and they still work flawlessly.
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The problem with the Chinese made 300B's is that they don't have a proper datasheet showing all the characteristics and how it is made. They produce various types with they all named 300B with different price. God knows what are the differences between them.
True kmtang, I suspect a lot of it is asthetics, like different bulb shapes, carbon coating the glass, etc. It would also make sense to grade the internal structures before encapsulating them, and grade again before adding bases, marking and packaging. Sell those farthest from bogie as lesser priced units.
From physical inspection and comparison to the photos on the Western Electric web site, I believe the WE 300B from LinLai is a fairly accurate copy. I don't have an actual WE 300B for comparison. However there are many photos for comparison on the new WE web site.
General appearance is the same down to the three side wings on the upper mica.
The overhung 4 support structure appears to be the same.
This is different on the EH Gold and Psvane tubes which have coil spring suspension of the upper filament points and 2 wings on the Psvane, no wings but a star pattern around the upper mica for the EH.
All have four upper support points and eight segments for the filament.
I would question whether or not the currently sold tubes by the new 'Western Electric' company are truly "original" since from the time the original WE shut down tube production until the new company started production, many tube component suppliers ceased production. What happened to original WE manufacturing documentation, and how much survived for the new company to acquire?
I would expect the new WE to be more accurate given the effort they have made and applauad them for doing so, but iis it truly an original WE?
From physical inspection and comparison to the photos on the Western Electric web site, I believe the WE 300B from LinLai is a fairly accurate copy. I don't have an actual WE 300B for comparison. However there are many photos for comparison on the new WE web site.
General appearance is the same down to the three side wings on the upper mica.
The overhung 4 support structure appears to be the same.
This is different on the EH Gold and Psvane tubes which have coil spring suspension of the upper filament points and 2 wings on the Psvane, no wings but a star pattern around the upper mica for the EH.
All have four upper support points and eight segments for the filament.
I would question whether or not the currently sold tubes by the new 'Western Electric' company are truly "original" since from the time the original WE shut down tube production until the new company started production, many tube component suppliers ceased production. What happened to original WE manufacturing documentation, and how much survived for the new company to acquire?
I would expect the new WE to be more accurate given the effort they have made and applauad them for doing so, but iis it truly an original WE?
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I seem to remember reading that WE went to some lengths to ensure authenticity of the new production tubes, but in a sensible fashion they use modern knowledge. This is from their FAQ
How do newly manufactured 300B’s compare to those manufactured in the past?
Western Electric 300B’s have been and always will be manufactured in America following the original 1938 specifications. We rely on historical quality standards, proven manufacturing techniques, and decades of experience to do so. However, in a continuing effort to put quality first we have taken advantage of materials and assembly processes that were not available in the past. For example, current turbomolecular vacuum technology allows us to achieve at least two decades lower (2 x 10-6) Torr than previous runs, resulting in longer tube life. It is also easier than ever to maintain cleanroom practices for increased quality control. Additionally, most of our machinery, like our heat treatment ovens and anode presses, has been computerized for safety and efficiency. We believe our employees and ultimately our customers deserve 21st century manufacturing standards.
Though we do take advantage of modern times, some things remain the same. The 300B’s filamentary cathode core material is derived from a 1963 melt from the Western Electric Hawthorne Works in Chicago. The tooling is also original, some going back as far as 1943.
How do newly manufactured 300B’s compare to those manufactured in the past?
Western Electric 300B’s have been and always will be manufactured in America following the original 1938 specifications. We rely on historical quality standards, proven manufacturing techniques, and decades of experience to do so. However, in a continuing effort to put quality first we have taken advantage of materials and assembly processes that were not available in the past. For example, current turbomolecular vacuum technology allows us to achieve at least two decades lower (2 x 10-6) Torr than previous runs, resulting in longer tube life. It is also easier than ever to maintain cleanroom practices for increased quality control. Additionally, most of our machinery, like our heat treatment ovens and anode presses, has been computerized for safety and efficiency. We believe our employees and ultimately our customers deserve 21st century manufacturing standards.
Though we do take advantage of modern times, some things remain the same. The 300B’s filamentary cathode core material is derived from a 1963 melt from the Western Electric Hawthorne Works in Chicago. The tooling is also original, some going back as far as 1943.
I agree, for me the only reason not to get the XLS (if spending that kind of money) would be if it sounded much worse than the normal version, and this is why I asked Rod a while ago if he had tested it or could comment on it's sound quality. The price difference is not much if it outlasts the normal one and sounds about the same.
Have you by chance heard it in those operating conditions (14-15W)?