PSVANE Discussion & Impressions Thread

I have good experience with the sound quality of the Psvane Art series tubes. But I was not impressed on the longevity. Vivatubes did replace a 12AU7 Psvane that got noisy in the warranty period. Hope you guys improve the quality too.

But what is this Horizon series tubes? How is it different from Art series?

Given the ridiculous price of tubes these days, how about doing the unthinkable?  Make a premium sounding highly reliable tube sold at a discount to all competitor's prices.  It'd be a revelation, and you'd dominate the market.  (just a thought...😎)

@knotscott The idea you're talking about is exactly how we started the Horizon series.😉

Didn’t PSVANE buy out the TJ FullMusic stuff when that company discontinued? I forget if it was large power tubes or all tubes. It would be of interest - where that could go.

Seems PSVANE has less competition in China than before the pandemic, and now with Russia also largely off production... I don’t suspect these things will depress PSVANE prices, and for technology that is physically and environmentally challenging to make, higher costs should be expected today - not the opposite ( @knotscott 😉 ). These devices are kinda like camera film nowadays - fun as they may be, they are super niche!

Anecdotally, I’ve had a good time with PSVANE and FullMusic preamp tubes.

@milpai 

For audio vacuum tubes, the hierarchy of our product line is as follows:
Basic：HIFI、UK
Selected：HORIZON、ART
Premium：WE、ACME

The HORIZON Series is our latest line, featuring a more neutral sound compared to the Art Series and incorporating the latest technologies, such as HPC coating.

In terms of quality, our Horizon 12 series （12AU7、12AX7、12BH7） uses the latest internal reinforcement technology, resulting in improved durability.

@alightronics Well, you at least got me to look.  I was largely unimpressed with the pricing until I realized they were 2-packs....12BH7 and 12AX7 added to my watchlist. 😎

I own four tube amplifiers, a tube pre/SS power hybrid, and a vintage SS power and preamplifier.  Actually five tube amps if I count my father’s HH Scott 222C that is in need of a full restoration.  I listen to all of them regularly except the HH Scott. Depending on the amp, they run several of the more common audio tubes including12AX7,12AT7, 6SN7, 6SL7, EL34, 6L6, 6550, KT77, KT88, 300b, and 845. I have a ton (read too many) NOS tubes except the 300b and 845, Those NOS too rare, too $$$.  
 

I’d be interested in trying the Horizon line, particularly the 300b and 845.  I’ve seen a couple of YouTube reviews.  Who are the US distributors and where can the Horizon line be purchased? I haven’t been able to find any information online other than the YouTube reviews.  
Thanks

@benanders Your information is correct, and your understanding of the costs is accurate as well.😁

With fewer manufacturers, the price of upstream raw materials has increased due to reduced demand, which has also led to higher production costs for us.

@knotscott Yes, our products on Amazon are priced per pair.

Thank you so much for your interest in our products!

We warmly welcome you to give them a try.😉

@trivema 

Your collection of amplifiers and tube-based audio equipment is truly impressive! You have the opportunity to experience a wide range of mainstream vacuum tube models. 

Currently, the Horizon Series is sold directly by us, the official PSVANE brand, on Amazon in the US. You can conveniently purchase the Horizon series there. 

Thank you for your interest!

Hello, my amp uses kt150 the Tung-Sol have proven to have quality issues, I have had 4 flame out in 18 months of use. Has anything been done to make the kt150 more reliable. Also you have different versions of this tube I have found kt150pt, kt150j and kt150art, could you explain the difference between these 3 versions.

Thanks

Alightronics:

How would you describe the difference(s) between the EL 34 UK (currently using) and the new Horizon EL 34's? Thanks in advance. 

@sps55n Greetings!

Regarding your concerns about the reliability of the KT150, the Horizon series features the latest coating technology and a more robust design structure. These improvements address the issues found in previous KT150 products. 

As for the different KT150 products you mentioned, currently, only the KT150-PTJ (KT150J) is still in production. This is our entry-level product, offering a warm and powerful sound. 

Therefore, we highly recommend you try our Horizon KT150. This model provides a more comprehensive sound, richer layers, and better longevity, as it is our latest product.😊

@hdm 

Firstly, in terms of product line hierarchy, the UK series you mentioned is Psvane's entry-level product, while the Horizon series is selected product.

In my opinion, I believe the EL34-UK has a full and natural sound with powerful bass, so your initial choice was excellent!

As i mentioned, Horizon series is ranked higher than the UK series because it incorporates a range of our latest technologies. 
Therefore, the sound quality has comprehensive improvements in detail and layering. I highly recommend you give it a try.😉

Are the Horizon 2A3 tubes available in the USA (see them listed for sale in Europe)?

DeKay

Good marketing on the part of PSVane, however I doubt the quality of these has been improved.  I purchased a quad of the preferred series from Vivatubes and within 6 months (maybe 200 hrs play time) three of the 4 died.  Viva didn't honor their one year warranty (in fairness, they did send one replacement for the first but radio silence for the 2 subsequent).  

Sound quality was better than the Shuguang's that came with the amp, however if 75% of your products die within a few hundred hours of use, it really doesn't matter hhow good the sound might be.  FYI - the cheaper JJ replacements have been going strong without problem.

however if 75% of your products die within a few hundred hours of use, it really doesn't matter hhow good the sound might be

This is the exact problem I had. I was kind of disappointed and went with the Mazda tubes. These are on a completely different level. But I would also be happy if the Psvanes last at least 2 years.

@alightronics 

Do you rate Horizon higher than Art series or is it the other way around?

@alightronics

Since you welcome questions. I’ll bite. I just recently ordered a Quad of PSVANE KT88C’s for my Cary SLI-80HS Integrated amp. What kind of improvements with durability and longevity (hours) have been made in the recent years? Some of these comments are concerning to me. Thanks

@dekay Hi! The Horizon series is currently only available for sale on Amazon in the United States.

@dwolek 

I apologize for the shortcomings in our previous after-sales policy. Our sales channels were too scattered in the past, leading to many situations we couldn't monitor properly. I sincerely apologize for this.

To address these issues, starting with the Horizon series, we have decided to manage our Amazon retail operations directly and fully adhere to the platform's after-sales policy to ensure the interests of our users are protected.

Regarding durability and quality concerns, our latest Horizon series incorporates new technologies, with enhanced bases and internal components. Combined with Amazon's after-sales policy, we hope our customers can purchase our products with confidence.

@milpai 

In our sample tests, the Horizon tubes did not show any quality issues after 200 hours of continuous use.

Regarding your question about the Horizon and ART series, both belong to our selected tier. The main difference between them lies in their sound characteristics, with the Horizon offering a more neutral sound.

@aniwolfe 

First of all, the KT88C is not our latest product, but based on our after-sales data, it is a reliable and stable product. You can use it with confidence. 
Regardless of the channel from which you purchased it, if you encounter any issues (as long as it is still within the warranty period), you can contact the dealer for warranty service. If you do not receive timely assistance, feel free to send me a private message here, and I will do my best to help you resolve the issue. 
This is the value of my presence here and my communication with everyone.

Are you guys planning a KT170 Tube. I heard your KT150 tubes at the Dallas Southwest Audiofest in The Black Ice Audio room. Impressed !

@rajugsw 

Thank you!

We do not have plans for the KT170 this year. 
May I ask which series of the KT150 you  listened to?

@alightronics found them on Amazon, very competitive pricing. Are data sheets available?

One of my amps runs the 300b very hot, 550v on the plate,100mA fixed bias with 55w dissipation to output 20wpc. The amp was designed for KR 300B XLS super 300b tube. Only other substitute I’ve found is Emission Labs 320B XLS that can handle the heat.  Both KR and EL are $1,000+ pair.  The KR is a fantastic tube in the amp, as it should be for the price! 

Looking for cheaper substitute/backup. Is the Horizon designed like typical WE 300b with max ratings of 400v, 100mA and 36w dissipation? Or can it handle the heat of my Cary LX-20?  I have another amp with 300b drivers to 845 power output tubes.  It runs the 300b well within the WE specs. 
 

thanks

@alightronics They were the white printed label KT150’s. I forget to take a close up of the tubes. From the Dallas show:

From FLAX 2024

On Amazon, it states a 12 month warranty.  How does this work in practice?  Say a tube dies within a few months of light use.  What is the return/replacement process?

@rajugsw 

That is KT150 of HIFI series.😁

@dwolek Certainly. You can directly apply for a return or replacement through Amazon. However, please note that Amazon's application window is limited. If you are unable to find the application portal, you can send us a message, and we will manually process the refund for you.

@trivema Thank you for your inquiry. The Horizon series has a maximum rating of 480V, 100mA, and 40W dissipation.

Just wanted to add that I am a wee bit peaved that most of us continue to refer to Psvane as “P” “s” vane. I did check with them. The s is silent. The correct pronunciation is “Pvane”!

To clarify, Pavane as is “Pavane for a dead princess”.

Ha, Mglik!  

Maurice is rolling over in his grave!

I am on my 3rd quad of EL34PH tubes being run in my Cary SLI-50.

Fantastic sounding tube. While having a different presentation than the Winged-C’s, they are very similar from a qualitative standpoint. The Winged-C’s have been some of the best sounding/performing tubes I have used in the amp. 

Love the EL34PH. Well balanced tube, with a great sense of space/air. Tight bass, textured mids and clean/extended highs.

I do have to complain about the longevity of these tubes, which quite frankly sucks. 

The first quad had issues w red plating after a couple of hundred hours. The dealer replaced them with a fresh quad after some back and forth. The second quad lasted a little longer, and one of the tubes red plated from that also. 
 

Ran some KT77’s for a while after that followed by some elcetrohome tubes (which did not deliver) so I ordered another quad of the EL34PH’s and I am hoping these prove to be a bit more reliable. If they are not, I will have to go back to the Winged-C’s which have sadly become rather expensive - but at least I know they last for a more reasonable amount of time.

@perkri Hi！We have just reviewed the after-sales data for this product and found very few issues. It is likely that there was a problem during the transportation of this batch. Regardless, if your product is still within the warranty period, we will assist you with the after-sales service.

@alightronics 

I just bought a used PS Audio preamp that came with three pairs of PSVANE 12au7 Art series tubes. One pair was in the preamp and the other two pair were still in their boxes. All of the tubes were noisy and within a few weeks, 5 out of the six tubes started making clicking noises. There is nothing I can see happening and there I can see wrong with the tubes, but I know that doesn’t mean much.  Anyway, I bought a pair of Gold Lions and they have been working fine for almost four months now.

I had purchased several pairs of Psvane 12ax7-TII from Grant Fidelity with excellent results.

So much so when the Psvane 12ax7 art series came out I ordered 6 from Viva tubes. My preamp uses 4 and I ordered 2 extra. Within 6 months all of the tubes were unusable.

@jetter 

Viva tubes is where mine came from as well.

Sigh

@curiousjim 

Viva told me they thought it was either new production problems or was caused in shipping.  Of course, there aren't a lot of other possibilities as these are the only new tubes that ever self-destructed in such a short period of time as my preamp is easy on tubes.

@jetter 

Who knows,@alightronics might be able to help us out? Either way, I just ordered some NOS RCA clear tops from Brent Jesse to try.

I would love to see a KT66!

I will add that if Viva had a particular pair of tubes I was interested in I wouldn’t hesitate to purchase from them.  I’m not sure what happened to the tubes after using them about 8 months in my preamp.  But I think it was something to do with the tubes, whatever.

They were current production priced so no big deal in the scheme of things.  Viva is a good tube store and resource.

@curiousjim Since you purchased a used item, may I kindly ask if you had a chance to check the quality to ensure everything was in good condition? Additionally, it might be helpful to contact the seller to inquire about the previous condition.

@jetter According to our warranty policy, tubes can be returned or exchanged within the warranty period. If you encounter any issues, we can provide assistance.

@curiousjim 

@jetter 

And we will also investigate the after-sales rate of tubes from Viva to identify the exact issues in the transportation or production process. 
We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you.

@dogearedaudio 

6L6 and KT66 can be interchangeable in certain situations (depending on the amplifier you are using). Our Horizon series also includes the 6L6WGC-AT.

The bias voltage requirements for KT66 and 6L6 are different. When interchanging them, it is necessary to readjust the bias voltage to ensure the tubes operate within the correct range. If the bias voltage is incorrect, it may cause the tubes to overheat or distort.

It would be nice to have a real KT66. :-)