Western Electric 300B Tube Problems

The repair consisted of replacing resistors and capacitors in both channels since the repair tech could not find the exact replacement brand but wanted to keep the two channels equal in sound quality. Also, the tech also replaced all off the coupling capacitors in the amp.

But I agree, was still overcharged.

Thanks.

Due to the price and history of failures with the WE 300b tubes I opted for a pair of used “like new” Psvane Acme 300b’s in my Aric Super SET 300b amplifier. Aric recommended either the WE or Acme as his top 2 preferred tubes in his amp. I couldn’t be happier with my decision. A BIG improvement over the adequate Valve Art Shuguang made tubes that came with the amp and the Acme build quality is by far superior to any 300b’s I have owned.

Takatsuki 300b are often considered the best sounding and are very reliable. I have not compared extensively, but they are the best I have ever heard and enjoy them daily.  

I have a pair of the newer WE 300B tubes in my headphone amp, and they've been perfect for the past few years; no trouble at all. But wow, what a difference they made to my amp over Gold Lions or JJ's; made it sound like the next higher model in the line, but there is no next higher model. 

I had a newly purchased WE300B go bad at aprox 5 hours, loss of vacuum. I caught it immediately, watching closely when powering up amp for the second time since tube installation, lost rectifier tube with this. Replacement now at something over 20 hours, no issues thus far.

Very nice sound quality with these, superior transparency, resolution, harmonic development vs my Psvane Acme which are also top notch. Hopefully the WE prove to be reliable since SQ so nice. No issues with Psvane, I'd judge build quality of Psvane superior to WE, thicker glass, gold plated pins, internal structure appears to be more substantial.

Sorry to hear about such a hassle. 

Bad enough to hear about the WE tube issue. But even worse yet the cost to repair your amp---you can't be serious. Did they replace anything else?  If not, that is highway robbery.  Not sure who did the repair, but they need be avoided like the plague.  Please share the details.

Wow a cap and resister replacement should be maybe a few hundred not $1000 unless you're having other work done?!

And sorry about your WE failures it was a bad WE 300B from the 1997 re-issue series that put me off 300B tubes for life just too $$$.

I've heard of infant failures in these tubes.  Generally failures go open rather than short.  Sorry it cost you $1000 to replace less than $50 in parts.  I had a tube short (not a WE) and blew a resistor.  Replaced it for $1.10 the next day. Free one day shipping.

Jerry