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  #101  
Old 06-27-2016, 09:56 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jdandy View Post
Charles.......Never mind where the Psvane logo is, this is definitely your tube. You want more bass just turn down the treble. You want a brighter top end, turn it up. This Psvane tube is only available in China, but I am positive they can be special ordered. You REALLY need a pair of these. .

Somehow, I just can't see that tone dial in green .

BUT SERIOUSLY . . .
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  #102  
Old 06-27-2016, 10:03 PM
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Originally Posted by krustycat View Post
Dan,

If all the threads I have read about this tube are true, then this will be the only pair he will have to replace very soon without reaching the break-in period since it will just reach the break period.

Mike.......I have no experience with the Psvane 12AX7 tube, although I have had experience with other "Made In China" 12AX7 tubes made in the factory where the Psvane's were made. They were McIntosh branded tubes that came with my C2300 preamp. I can't speak of their reliability because they did not please my ear and were replace in short order with Gold Lion gold pin 12AX7's. The McIntosh "Made In China" tubes have been stored and gathering dust for years. McIntosh finally came to their senses and now uses McIntosh branded tubes made at the JJ Tubes factory in Russia.

I have not heard whether the small low voltage Psvane tube have the same reliability issues as the Psvane power tubes. I have read many comments about the Psvane power tubes not delivering longevity, with many early failures. I will not purchase Chinese tubes no matter how fancy the logo or box they arrive in, but I recognize not everyone shares the same few.

I spent some time this afternoon to Photoshop the Psvane 12AX7 just for Charles. Considering he has yet to discover a vacuum tube the encompasses precisely what he seeks, I thought a 12AX7 with a built in tone control would be right up his alley. Guess not.
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STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital cable, Sonos Connect, PurePower 2000, Stillpoints, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Wireworld, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario
LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable, Micro Seiki DD40, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, Nakamichi BX-300, Sony 60ES DAT, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Sonos Connect, Stillpoints, Wireworld, Kimber, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113
VINTAGE - McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, Sony DTC-59ES DAT, McIntosh 4300V, JBL 4312A

Last edited by jdandy; 06-27-2016 at 11:28 PM.
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  #103  
Old 06-28-2016, 05:58 AM
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I hit my first speed bump with the Psvanes. Playing some '60s tunes from the compilation Rock 'n Roll Relix, put out by Polygram in 1996, the sound was bright enough to be somewhat annoying. I turned it down a little and it was okay. True, material from that era is often bright to begin with, but if a tube can render such things more listenable I'm all for it.

What I might do, after the Psvanes get their 30 hours (15:23 currently), is put the JJs back in and play the same material. Other than this one potential hiccup, the Psvanes have been quite good.
This is now official. After the Psvanes I will put the JJs back in and see what I think. If they don't come across as bright on the same material (I doubt they will, but we need to be sure), then they're my primary tube going forward, for as long as I keep the 2300. They were in the 2300 long enough for me to get used to their sound and become my reference. I might still buy the Psvanes from rnrmf1971 though, because they are good (brightness complaint notwithstanding). Perhaps I need to try a greater variety of material going forward, though, because until Rock 'n Roll Relix, I had nothing to complain about with the Psvanes.

The trick will be finding/making time to sit and listen, as opposed to playing background music while I cook or do other things.
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  #104  
Old 07-06-2016, 03:54 PM
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The Psvanes inched past 25 hours this weekend; I haven't had real opportunity to play the system since Sunday PM. Though I said I'd give them 30 hours, I doubt another 4 hours will make a difference in the sound. Perhaps this weekend I'll get a chance to switch the JJs back in for comparison. It's good to have go-to material you're very familiar with.

I still find it interesting that choice of tube let me hear differences with interconnects and vice versa.
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  #105  
Old 07-10-2016, 05:46 AM
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Last night I was listening to the system, and again ran into the need to turn down the volume some to listen comfortably. Materials were the new Santana CD and one of my reference DVDs. Overall, I have 27:19 on the Psvanes. I replaced the Psvanes with the JJs that were in there previously. I'll plan to reconnect the preamp today and listen for a few hours during the week as time permits.

I begin to understand both the fun and frustration of tube rolling, as I've found different results with the various tubes I've tried. The Mullards and Amperexes were both very clean-sounding to my ears, the lack of low-end punch being my complaint on them. The Amperexes seemed more midrange-forward, which I wasn't used to but had no complaint about. And they and the Mullards didn't have me turning the volume down; the Gold Lions and Psvanes did. And as chronicled earlier, with the Mullards in the 2300 I heard differences between my Kimber Hero and Transparent Plus interconnects, the Plus smoothing out the sound with CDs and DVDs.

We go forward and see what happens.
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  #106  
Old 08-25-2016, 06:03 AM
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This past Sunday I was again listening to NPR, specifically "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" with the 2300's volume set to 42; that is where it often is for most "serious" listening. At times, when announcer Bill Curtis spoke I had a sense that perhaps there was too much low end. His voice seemed weightier than it needed to be. That sense didn't last but it was there. And again, watching the Extended Edition of Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice (better than the theatrical version, by the way) in a spot or two the same sense came up.

As I've said, the JJs have a full, weighty bottom which is slightly forward. Could this be, depending upon the material, too much of a good thing? And as for the bright '60s stuff that I found difficult with the Psvanes and Gold Lions, I don't remember giving the Mullards or Amperexes a chance with that. Not that they'd do better, but I don't recall playing that music with those tubes.

So the Telefunken Black Diamond tubes become an option, as they are supposedly more refined than the JJs I'm using. And since they're made in partnership with JJ, the sound should be similar. I may decide to give them a shot.
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Last edited by prepress; 08-25-2016 at 02:23 PM.
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  #107  
Old 08-27-2016, 01:03 PM
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I just ordered a pair of the Telefunken Black Diamond tubes, taking advantage of Tube Depot's 10% off sale. It's my intent that this will be the last tube I order, in terms of additional brands. I think I have more than enough (Mullards, Amperexes, Gold Lions, JJs) to work with if I decide to keep my 2300.

I know that these Telefunkens are made in partnership with JJ, so I would expect them to sound somewhat similar to JJs, perhaps even the ones I have now, which are the hi-performance gold pin version. We'll see, though. Listening will tell the tale. They are burned in before leaving the factory, so it shouldn't take long for me to have a sense of what they are.
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  #108  
Old 08-27-2016, 03:18 PM
rnrmf1971 rnrmf1971 is offline
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I'm definitely interested in what you think of those Black Diamond tubes. I haven't heard them and I'm curious how they compare with JJ's.
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  #109  
Old 08-28-2016, 09:17 PM
bILLwOJO bILLwOJO is offline
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I would not expect new Telefunkens to sound like the originals. The only thing the same is the name. They are not made in the same factory by the same people on the same tooling. It's a different tube.
Find a good set of originals to try. I know if you look at the usual places to get tubes, they can be outrageously priced. There must be surplus electronics stores and some kind of audio clubs or societys in Brooklyn. Start looking around and asking folks. Find some like minded people in your area. I have audio friends, we swap stuff back and forth all the time. If I want to try a particular tube, one of my friends will most likely have something I can try out.
Probably this week, we haven't set a date yet, I'm driving 20 or 25 miles to see a member of another forum. I have a set of Super Tweeters that he would like to try on a set of Bozak Concert Grands that he runs on Mac tube monoblocks similar to my Mac monoblocks. I have MC40's and I think he has MC60's. I get to meet a member that I have chatted with online for the past few years and I get to hear a set of legendary speakers. Sounds like it will be a fun evening.

I was going to PM you about an AK meetup in North Jersey Sept 17th, near public transportation for you city folks but I guess I have to be a subscriber? Or am I missing where to PM you?

BillWojo

Last edited by bILLwOJO; 08-28-2016 at 09:21 PM.
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  #110  
Old 08-28-2016, 09:38 PM
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I guess I have to be a subscriber? Or am I missing where to PM you?
BillWojo.......Private Messaging is one of many benefits available to Subscribers.

If you would like to become a Subcsriber and help support Audio Aficionado follow this link: http://www.audioaficionado.org/payments.php
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STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital cable, Sonos Connect, PurePower 2000, Stillpoints, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Wireworld, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario
LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable, Micro Seiki DD40, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, Nakamichi BX-300, Sony 60ES DAT, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Sonos Connect, Stillpoints, Wireworld, Kimber, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113
VINTAGE - McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, Sony DTC-59ES DAT, McIntosh 4300V, JBL 4312A
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