[Alenotta]

I have understood that the WE 300B is having issues with QC. Hopefully then, this has been resolved?

Seems like most 300b tubes these days are having failures. That definitely factors into the buying decision when you're dropping like 800-2000 on top shelf ones.

 

[jambaj0e]

I did have my first pair develop some noise issues, but because of the 5-year warranty, as well as having the factory be in the US, the replacement was very easy. They sent over a new matched pair, I tested it, then shipped back the bad pair. All shipping paid by them.

 

[ColSaulTigh]

Has anyone been using EML 300Bs? I see so many folks using Elrog, but not a lot of chatter about those.

Also, anyone test out the Linlai Elite 300B? I'm really enjoying these Linlai Elite 6sn7 in here.

 

[JeffMann]

I have noted that Linlai has produced a new 6sn7 tube variant called the CV181-H

See - https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804710818037.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt&_randl_shipto=US

Does anybody know any details regarding this new variant and has anybody auditioned the tube?

Jeff.

 

[jonathan c]

Seems like most 300b tubes these days are having failures. That definitely factors into the buying decision when you're dropping like 800-2000 on top shelf ones.

Accelerated production to meet demand ==> higher chance of QC mishaps?

 

[paradoxper]

I have noted that Linlai has produced a new 6sn7 tube variant called the CV181-H

See - https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804710818037.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt&_randl_shipto=US

Does anybody know any details regarding this new variant and has anybody auditioned the tube?

Jeff.

The answer is there is not a new tube. Not from Linlai. And never from AliExpress which aren't authorized distribution channels.

 

[jambaj0e]

Seems like most 300b tubes these days are having failures. That definitely factors into the buying decision when you're dropping like 800-2000 on top shelf ones.

My current WE300b (1 1/4 year in) and the other tubes are working great. Lots of dynamics, speed, soundstage, and textures, no electrical noise or humming.

 

[jambaj0e]

So I changed back my 22DE4 to the stock RCAs. Definitely more dynamic, especially with the drums, and I like the front to back depth more and not having the left right channels not be pushed way farther than it should be.

So for me, there's definitely a noticeable difference between the Sylvania vs RCA 22DE4, and at least with my audio chain and set of tubes (Western Electric 300b and Sylvania 6sn7W metal base tubes), the RCAs work much better.

 

[ThanatosVI]

I have noted that Linlai has produced a new 6sn7 tube variant called the CV181-H

See - https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804710818037.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt&_randl_shipto=US

Does anybody know any details regarding this new variant and has anybody auditioned the tube?

Jeff.

If Linlai really produced it, then it's only for the Chinese domestic market.
They "trial" all their new stuff in China and then probably bring it to the Western market after a while.

On Aliexpress you can find a ton of fakes.
Personally I would look on sites of official distributors like
https://premiumvacuumtubes.com/product-category/shop_by_brand/linlai_tubes/

If it's listed there it's at least an official type they actually produce.

However often they come with reliability issues.
The german distributor btb-elektronik.de told me, that the new Dream series is still unreliable and they will start listing them after Linlai got a grip on it.

 

[Andykong]

Seems like most 300b tubes these days are having failures. That definitely factors into the buying decision when you're dropping like 800-2000 on top shelf ones.

It looks like your speaker has picked up some crosstalk inside the amplifier. What is the sensitivity and nominal impedance of your speaker? Technically, the amount of audible crosstalk is related to the sensitivity of your speaker, the higher the sensitivity, the more likely you'll hear crosstalk when there is multiple output path in the amplifier.

 

[ColSaulTigh]

Seems like most 300b tubes these days are having failures. That definitely factors into the buying decision when you're dropping like 800-2000 on top shelf ones.

"Most" is a rather subjective statement. I think it's more like "rare to occasional". Also, most of the ToTL tubes will come with pretty substantial warranty and excellent customer service, from both the distributor and the manufacturer.

 

[JeffMann]

If Linlai really produced it, then it's only for the Chinese domestic market.
They "trial" all their new stuff in China and then probably bring it to the Western market after a while.

On Aliexpress you can find a ton of fakes.
Personally I would look on sites of official distributors like
https://premiumvacuumtubes.com/product-category/shop_by_brand/linlai_tubes/

If it's listed there it's at least an official type they actually produce.

However often they come with reliability issues.
The german distributor btb-elektronik.de told me, that the new Dream series is still unreliable and they will start listing them after Linlai got a grip on it.

It is my understanding that the new Linlai CV181-H tube has only been produced for the Chinese market.

However, I cannot understand what it means to label any Linlai 6sn7 tube as a fake because there are apparently very few tube manufacturers in China who could produce a 6sn7 tube. It could well be that the Linlia Elite 6sn7 tubes sold in China are inferior in quality than the ones sold in the USA and Europe, but I strongly suspect that they are actually manufactured by Linlai.

There is a long Audiogon thread discussing this issue - https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/linlai-e-6sn7-tubes

It is interesting to me that although the Linlai manufacturer doesn't offer warranty for those unauthorized Linali Elite 6sn7 tubes being sold in China, they have never categorically stated that they did not manufacture those tubes.

Here is a link to those Linlai Elite 6sn7 tubes being sold in China - https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256...tewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt&_randl_shipto=US

I can accept the fact that they are unauthorised by Linlai, but how can they be a "fake tube" manufactured by another tube company, considering the fact that there are apparently very few tube manufacturing companies in China?

Interestingly, a number of USA tube amplifier owners have purchased those tubes and have stated that they were very impressed with their sound quality.

I have ordered a pair of those Linlai Elite 6sn7 tubes out-of-curiousity just to hear how they sound compared to the NOS RCA smoked glass V231 6sn7 GT and NOS Sylvania V231 6sn7GT tubes that I have recently purchased.

Jeff.

 

[ThanatosVI]

However, I cannot understand what it means to label any Linlai 6sn7 tube as a fake

That means that some other company just labels their tubes with the Linlai logo to make them look like Linlai tubes.

Exactly like they fake G.E.C and other famous NOS tubes.

 

[JeffMann]

That means that some other company just labels their tubes with the Linlai logo to make them look like Linlai tubes.

Exactly like they fake G.E.C and other famous NOS tubes.

I cannot understand your claim.

If you look at those AliExpress Linlai Elite 6sn7 tubes that I linked to there are only small differences to the official Linlai Elite 6sn7 tubes being sold by Premium Vacuum Tubes in Canada. The official Linlai Elite 6sn7 tubes have the writing on the tube aligned vertically and there is no horizontal groove across the base while the "fake" tubes have the writing on the tube aligned horizontally. However, the interior structure of the two tubes look very similar. You may claim that it is a still a "fake" being manufactured by another tube manufacturer, but how does that manufacturer produce such a similar tube? Also, when Linlai was challenged as to the origin of those "fake" tubes (according to a person writing in that Audiogon thread), they never stated that they did not manufacture those tubes. They seemingly inferred that the Linlai Elite 6sn7 tubes being sold in China were tuned differently for the Chinese ear.

Jeff.

 

[JeffMann]

I just discovered an interesting fact.

Here is a link to the Linlai company's Chinese website - http://www.linlaitube.com/

If you look at their listed 6sn7 tube on page 5, it is the AliExpress version (with horizontal lettering and a groove across the base).

It is marked as selling for 625 Yuan, which works out to ~$93.

That suggests that the AliExpress version is really a Linlai-manufactured tube specifically targeted for sale in the Chinese market.

Jeff.