Best 300B


Can anyone compare the new Genelex PX300B tube to either Svetlana 300B's, Western Electric 300B's, Sophia 300B mesh plates,newer KR300B tubes or Electro Harmonix 300B's.

From my experience the Svetlanas sound a lot like the Western Electric 300B reissues. New KR300b's are better than the older KR VV32B's, KR VV300B's or KR VV302B's and all the above are better than Electro Harmonix 300B's

My Sophia Mesh Plates sounded very good in my Manley Retros but after several listening sessions I put them back in their boxes because the bias kept changing at the recommended setting. Whenever I get around to it I'm going to compare them to others in one of my self biasing amps.

Thanks in advance,
Ron
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Showing 2 responses by karelfd

Take the EAT 300B on your shortlist. Dead quiet background (I use them in a system playing at very low levels with virtually no ambient noise around) and, referring to your problem with bias shifting, extremely stable over any period of time. Soundwise more "sober" than WE, I would say (but that is based on a comparison in different amps!)
Tvad, be very careful! The tubes made for the local market are said to show unacceptable quality fluctuations (can't find the press coverage anymore but the measurements were flabbergasting). I was offered a "matched pair" for a nice price in Europe once, turned out the guy had actually bought a random lot ("matched", you bet) in Hongkong and was making a big profit on the sale, concealing their origin.