Used in DNA Stratus with Marconi U52 rectifier and cryo pearl 6N1P: I have tried EML mesh plates, RCA dual gray plates, Psvane Treasure T Mk II and Psvane WR2A3. EML meshplates are very smooth, quiet, rich, full and balanced. RCA dual gray plates are nice but the EMLs are in a different league. EMLs are elegant sounding tubes. Only the Psvane tubes (that I can't recommend) sounded better to me than the EMLs.
The Psvane tubes are my hated favorite. Why? The WR2A3s, in particular, are very full, open and airy without being bright or harsh, more extension on top and better defined bass than EMLs. WR2A3s are dynamic, musical and exciting souding. Horns and electric guitars have more grit and bite but they aren't grainy. Hard to explain but they sound faster and make the EMLs sound too polite in comparison.
BUT I have come to hate Psvane tubes because they tease me with their great sound. They keep sounding better and better as they burn-in. THEN they develop low level ticking, squealing, sputtering. I can ignore it on louder passages but completely ruins the experience during quieter passages or softer music. Grrrr!
To confirm the Psvane experience is more than just bad luck, I first purchased a matched pair of the Treasure MkIIs. They sounded great for 20-30 hrs, then one started acting up. I was sent a replacement tube and while waiting, the other tube started making noise. Then the replacement tube (3rd) began acting up within a few hours. I returned for refund. 6 mos. later I got brave and purchased matched pair of WR2A3s. They started making noise after less than 2hrs use. I returned them for another pair. The replacement pair lasted longer than the others, about 30 hrs. but now one has started making the same noise I experience with all Psvane tubes. So, out of 7 brand new tubes, only 2 did NOT develop noise. At least not yet. Double Grrrr!
Shuguang Natural Sound could be a similar sound without the problems but it is getting very expensive returning tubes to China for a refund if they have problems. If I had never heard the Psvane tubes, I would be quite content with the EML meshplates that I am listening to now.
I am going to have Donald North look at my amp to be sure none of this is amp related but, I have had no similar experience with any other brand.
If you try the Psvane WR2A3s, please share your experience. I would love nothing more than to find that Psvane has identified a production problem that they have solved eliminating the kind of experience I had. Those tubes sound amazing....until they don't.
