SET Shootout China VS The USA

I really enjoy this thread. Been introduced about many tubes that I have not known existed before and learned things about those familiar with. Compared to many herein I have limited experience with tube amplification having introduced myself to them in my own system only in the decade. Currently I am using a 6SN7 based preamp with a 6SN7 tube driven PP amplifier which takes several KT variants and EL34s. 

Must say this thread reafirms my amazement at how one can so easily become profoundly adamant about their position on a subject that is so subjective in nature. Like for example how something sounds.

I loved the saying brought forth by ghasley  ...credibility wanes as your hyperbole rises as you discuss the absolute of your beliefs...  Quite generally apropo with the replacement of 'you' with 'one'.

@mozartfan That Phillips amplifier is Push-pull.

Must say this thread reafirms my amazement at how one can so easily become profoundly adamant about their position on a subject that is so subjective in nature. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WEll as far as Chineswe 2A3’s vs NOS RCA ’s. For the record AT LEAST TO MY EARS, The stock $30 chepo Psvane’s wopped the **LEGENDAY* RCA NOS double plate 2A3’s. But you can read and believe what you wish. IMHO the new prod chinese 2A3’s and most likely 300B’s are far superior in NOS RCA’s(= over rated). Just thought I’d set the record straight. Who wants smudgy midrange? The Q we need to answer is rating the 2A3 C vs Z vs T vs E Lin Lai versions. btw I think Shu black glass T series = LL black glass T series, same exact tube. Shu is making tubes for both Psvane and LL. Same as in russia, New Sensor makes tubes for Tung Sol, EH, Gold Lion, etc. However they are not the exact same tube. Gold Lions do not sound like Svets and EH’s. Each 88 from russia sound different. But in chinese tubes, the differences are more miniscule. Psvane ACME 2A3 at $1k a pair will sound almost exact as LL’s E series 2A3 for $500 a pair. AS both are made in Shu’s plant. Same materials. BUt in russia the nuances are more significant between each brand. Same plant, but wider range of details in the design.

Ok?

I believe that Shuguang and Psvane are two seperate entities with their own seperate manufacturing facilities. Psvane initially derived from Shuguang but is today independent .

Charles 

Damn. I thought the PL v Raven thread had shut this down ;)

I believe that Shuguang and Psvane are two seperate entities with their own seperate manufacturing facilities. Psvane initially derived from Shuguang but is today independent ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not buying

Both big manufacturers New Senson and Shugaung pretty much own the tube industry.

HOWEVER,, take Prima Luna and cayin, both made in Spark plant. Build are both well design, but they are both different. I prefer Cayin. Same in tubes, Gold Lion and EH are both made in New Sensor’s plants. But there is a difference in sound, I found the popular GL’s a bit dull, as did someone on audiokharma. IMHO the Elecrto Harmonix designs are best tubes out of russia. In china, Psvane, LinLasi, Shugauang are all 3 equal, Its what you can afford.

Take Psvane’s ACME 2A3, sure if sounds a nuance superior to LinLai’s E series,

But at a COST, 2x’s the price,

Does my classical music deserve, justify paying 2x’s the price for a tiny nunace more in sonics??

? No it does not,

If I listened only to jazz/blues, yes the ACME’s nuances will come through much cleaner.

. But again its what you can afford.

One issue i have with Psvane is their lack of product info.

 B, C, Z , T , E , ACME,

, LinLai does offer some product info on their TI D Dream series, TI coating, and their E series, which is some Nickle plates, carbonized.

Psvane offers nada, Just dif pricing. For this reason I prefer LinLai over Psvane. IMHO LinLai will over take Psvane and put Psvane OOB. btw Psvane’s 12AX7’s that come in that nice boxs, are worthless trash at $75 a pair, China can not make a good sounding AX.AU tube,

They shine in the 6SN7 new high end offering,,but ya gonna pay.

Here is why LL will put OOB Psvane. LinLai lower prices, same quality

someone won a pair of RCA 300B's at $650

when they could have bought LinLai/Psvane's top end tubes.

ohh well. Amazing how legends live on and on ,,,and on.....

Richard says ,, **allow the 80 yr RCA's to warm up, ,,they will come around..**

Not

 10 minutes was quite enough

The $30 Psvane's were a  clean, clear winner. 

Shuguang is separate entity from both Psvane and Linlai. Shuguang government entitiy, Psvane and Linlai privately owned. Psvane principals originally with Shuguang, Linlai principals left Psvane.

And the top lines of tubes from Psvane and Linlai are obvious upgrade from lower lines, assuming one's system sufficiently resolving.

assuming one’s system sufficiently resolving ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Someone etch this in stone./ The other day I swqaped out the jadis JS2 DAC for the wonderful wounding Shanling 300 cd player (which i use as a disc drive for the Jadis)), and man, as good as the Shanling sounds, theJadis DAC with Teles/Mundorf caps, JFET class A opamps, was superior.

That aside, if one has smudgy, colored speakers,, it makes no sense whatsoever to invest in high priced 2A3 tubes.

Compltete waste of money.

My speakers are higher sens,  and clearly register any tube roll.

. As you say, Shugang has liscened out its facilities to Psvane and Lin Lai to make their tubes INSIDE Shugaung’s manufacturing tool shop. I prefer LinLai as they actually give a few words why they want $250/pair for the D series and why they want $500 for the E series. I will probably go the extra cost and get the E, as they will out last the Ti coated Dream *D* series, stronger plates = longer life + less chance at a failure. + tiny nuance superior sonics. . My tech completely disagrees/dismisses this theorum, as **baloney**

Shugang has liscened out its facilities to Psvane and Lin Lai to make their tubes INSIDE Shugaung’s manufacturing tool shop.

FWIW the Shugang plant that made their 6SN7s burned to the ground about 2 1/2 years ago (so that tube has gotten hard to get). I've heard they are rebuilding. But somehow the Psvane and LinLai 6SN7s are readily available so I don't think the statement above is entirely correct .

Charles..believe you are correct..I have the Psvane ACME 845s ...2 in each SET and WE 300B ..1 each in the SETs as the driver tubes.both are amazing tubes..would not trade my SETs for any other amps..

Charles..believe you are correct..I have the Psvane ACME 845s ...2 in each SET and WE 300B ..1 each in the SETs as the driver tubes.both are amazing tubes..would not trade my SETs for any other amps.. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I believe it was Stereophile or some other online review that madea shootout of LinLai top 845 vs Psvane ACME, even draw. Priced same.

And yes SET folks never ever go back and purcahse a KT series amp. If we add a 3rd amp it will be another SET type.

Although we all have a KT amp in our collection, our crown jewel is the DHT's.

. Runner up is our KT series amp, WE still need the KT’s for big orchestra and complex heavy jazz, especially if we want a lil more SPL. But our pride and joy is our SET’s.

I have heard many good SET amps, OTL amps and pushpull tetrode/pentode amps (what mozartfan refers to as KT amps).  For the record, I’ve gone from a very good SET amp (Audio Note Kageki) to a pushpull 349 amp.  It is simply not the case that one never goes back from SET amps.  There are no absolutes.  I don’t understand what appears to be a compulsion to declare one thing the best.

@larryi 

There are no absolutes.  I don’t understand what appears to be a compulsion to declare one thing the best

Agree 100%

We like what we like, it's absolutely personal.  Proclamations just don't apply to audio and music listening experiences in my opinion. 

Charles