https://photos.google.com/share/AF1...?key=VjN1SHRiUWYxUGd0dk5qWTVQOEJNNXdMaEZ0RGZB Yesterday I inserted original Western Electric 300B made in 1930’s to Line Magnetic 508 amplifier.
After I got LM 508 on Aug 2018 and I had done lot of tube rolling.
Now I have Psavne Acme 805, 1944 Sylvania vt231(6SN7), Mullard ECC85(6SL7) and Synergistic Blue power cable and fuse with it.
Isoacoustics Orea Bordeaux foot is also under LM 508.
I had been hesitant to try my original Western Electric 300B with LM 508 amplifier.
After paying 3k$ for pair 17 years ago, I had run 10K hours on the tube with Silbatone 300B 8W SET amplifier.
It still sound fine with 5K - 10K hours more remaining.
But it is hard to get good NOS Western Electric 300B tube anymore and it get more expensive ( more than 6K for pair now).
I had tried Sophia Carbon Plate 300B and Shuguang Treasure 300B on LM 508.
With Sophia Carbon Plate, I got slightly deeper bass with more refined treble.
With Shuguang Treasure, I got more details and tight and deeper bass with wider soundstage.
Now with original Western Electric 300B, I got much more and cleaner details and tighter bass with transparent and wider and deeper soundstage.
The most notable difference is more details and transparent soundstage.
I had not expected that much improvement with original Western Electric 300B.
After going back to Sophia Carbon Plate, it sound warm but boring with less details and less transparent sound.
Thus I had to go back to original Western Electric 300B.
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51X0iE0RA7L.jpg When I play " Songbird" of Eva Cassidy with original Western Electric 300B, she appears to sing in front of me with spooky presence.
Now I got into trouble.
I do not want to put valuable original Western Electric 300B into LM 508.
20 years ago, replica of Western Electric had been made and I compared it with original Western Electric 300B.
It turned out that replica was no match to original Western Electric 300B.
Replica had crude and less details and narrower soundstage.
Although they claim to make another replica of Western Electric 300B, I do not have much expectation from my previous experience.
I placed order of Psavne Acme 300B tube yesterday which cost me 900$.
Psavne Acme 805 is the best new production tube with natural details and transparent soundstage.
I do not expect Acme 300B to be better than original Western Electric 300B.
But if Acme 300B is 90% as good as original Western Electric 300B, then I will use it with LM 508.
Replica of Western Electric 300B made 20 years ago was only 70% as good as original Western Electric 300B
