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300 B Shuguang Black Bottle tubes

Just got them from Canada (from NA distributor) and put as a replacement to my Audion Silver Night 300 B. I used to have 300 B (Hot Rods marked), I think they were codenamed as Golden Dragons (correct me if I am wrong), had to replace them recently, I got what I could get in Russia - Svetlana 300 B ones. Svetlana by all means not bad tubes (I thought way better than the ones I used which came with amp), but Black Bottles are just another league way up from what I heard. Suddenly bass became very articulated (used to be rather boomy), soundstage is a huge improvement at all.

They are in burn in process at the moment (as I read they really start signing after 300 hours), I am wondering whether anyone did have an experience with them and whether it is as much positive as mine (very addictive tubes!!!!).

Anyone?
salavat
ml89009
14 posts
 
and which 300B is their best?

And others think better than WE? thx
salavat OP
37 posts
 
>Ml89009

If I understood you correctly, you are asking about 300B models in Shugaung range... Black Bottles is their top model, and I (personally) think (reading from reviews) is much better than comparable TJ ones (I believe also that JJ, Svetlana, etc does not stand out at all in this competition).

If you go to grantfidelity.com you can find short review by the guy claiming that they are better than new WE. A friend of mine has new WE and he has heard Black Bottles. When I asked him to do A/B testing between those 2 he refused)))
vze739en
7 posts
 
The 300B tubes are similar to the TJ MESH at first in transparency. After 50 hours or so, imaging takes off. But, not until 300 hours do they enter spooky real, assuming your other equipment can deliver this. In my case this is the occasional "spooky real." And, I need to do more listening, but that is due to the system hitting its quiescent state after literally hours of play. In the end, at least in this case...they are better and it seems you get what you pay for...in ever increasing slivers....Remember the bit about imaging...lifting off the speakers...that was something I really noticed at first....I did not take notes...so take this for what it now is....a memory...
melville's avatar
melville
22 posts
 
My BT 300B-Z do not sound good yet. In fact, my old EH Gold Pins deliver all of the things that I like about tube amplification. The BTs sound way too forward, brassy at anything above 'normal' volume, kind of SS overall. I put the EHs back and pleasure has returned. I am going to try the BTs again (and give them more time), of course, as I didn't buy a quad of these things to resell them. My surprise is that I have not read any other acccounts of these tubes sounding this bad right out of the box.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
My amplifier came standard with the EH Golden Grid 300b. When I replaced them with the Shuguang BT they were far better(right out the box!)than the EH tubes. Sometimes I wonder how much of these different impressions are due to the amplifier used and or system.
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