[San Raal]

MC - If your looking for bass impact, the rectifier will go a long way to meet the requirement. The 596 has bass in spades, if you like a more "hifi" presentation.
 
As for the Psvane 274b - they are in, my they are agonizingly bright but there is something there that hints that these will mature into something special, almost like a effortless sound, note decay and musicality, the bass is somewhat forward in the mix with great impact.
 
Its like my head is being drilled out right now. But I'm told that 250h is the sweet spot.
 
That said, I'm still getting used to my new SME IV on my Orbe table so some of what I'm hearing maybe that tonearm doing its magic.
 
Did another continuity check on the GEC U52 heater pins, they should work when I plug them in again. Puzzling.

 

[TonyNewman]

  As for the Psvane 274b - they are in, my they are agonizingly bright but there is something there that hints that these will mature into something special, almost like a effortless sound, note decay and musicality, the bass is somewhat forward in the mix with great impact.

 
Wow - I'm impressed you can hear some goodness from these right out of the box. Mine sounded nothing but horrid for the first 200ish hours, then transformed into something really special for the next 100 or so.
 
Really looking forward to hearing your impressions of this tube after some more burn in - I'm dying to know if they can play with the NOS "Big Boys" - 596, U52, GZ34 metal base, WE422A ... etc. I hope so - it would be great to have a new production alternate to the increasingly hard to find and expensive top tier NOS rectifiers.

 

[Badas]

   
Wow - I'm impressed you can hear some goodness from these right out of the box. Mine sounded nothing but horrid for the first 200ish hours, then transformed into something really special for the next 100 or so.
 
Really looking forward to hearing your impressions of this tube after some more burn in - I'm dying to know if they can play with the NOS "Big Boys" - 596, U52, GZ34 metal base, WE422A ... etc. I hope so - it would be great to have a new production alternate to the increasingly hard to find and expensive top tier NOS rectifiers.

Yeah. I'm waiting for that result as well. If they do compete my plan is to buy 2 or 3 Psvanes 274B's next year.

 

[TonyNewman]

 
Yeah. I'm waiting for that result as well. If they do compete my plan is to buy 2 or 3 Psvanes 274B's next year.

 
And the same amount of cashola for 3 of these puppies would buy you approx one of the top tier NOS tubes. Pricing on these things is heading down the same nutter path as the WE300Bs, which why I am so keen for there to be a new production alternative that at least gets close in performance.

 

[TonyNewman]

  You should spoil me with some pics of your WA5 with the Psvane tubes. I don't think I have ever seen a WA5 with all Psvanes!!

 
Some WA5 porn, as requested. Apologies again for the crappy camera work - my photography skills rate somewhere between 'excremental' and 'zero'

 
SERPs doing the business in the 300B slots.

 
Another shot of the SERPs - socket savers are an absolute necessity for those monsters to fit with the T2 CV-181s.

 
Psvane replicas. Socket savers also required, but more elbow room here.

 
Shot of the replica rectifiers doing their thing with the replica 300Bs.

 
With the EAT 300Bs. These are the only 300Bs I have that can fit with the T2s without using socket savers.
The glass envelope for these is identical to the EML 274B, to give an idea of sizing.

 
One last bit of PSvane tube goodness - this is my big rig amp - Triode Corp TRV-845SE.
T2s, WE275s and WE845s.

 

[magiccabbage]

Sweet shots - thanks! 

 

[San Raal]

Looking Good
 
246 hours to go here! Though the Psvanes were the least of my worries last night as my new ipad Air 2 will not connect to my PC so didnt have time to do any more head drilling, just left them burning away

 

[TonyNewman]

  Looking Good
 
246 hours to go here! Though the Psvanes were the least of my worries last night as my new ipad Air 2 will not connect to my PC so didnt have time to do any more head drilling, just left them burning away

 
If you can avoid listening to them for the first 200 hours you will be doing your ears (and sanity) a big favour

 
After 200 hours things start to improve markedly - heading into rectifier nirvana around 250-300

 
I was lucky to have the WA6 and Taurus to use while burning in on the WA5 (and vice versa with the WA6) I think only this stopped me smashing the Psvanes with a hammer

 

[Badas]

^
 
Great pics Tony. Amazing gear.

 

[TonyNewman]

  ^
 
Great pics Tony. Amazing gear.

 
The WA5 with the right tubes is an amazing piece of kit. The Psvane rectifiers take it to the next level for me - and let it have some BASS.
 
I've started the serious burn in of the SERPs - previously I have only popped them in for a few quick listens - now I need to put 200+ hours on them and see how they turn out. Anyway, the point is that the SERPs have the best bass extension of any tube I have heard, even without a burn in - tight, controlled and deep bass. Combined with the Psvane rectifiers it is amazing. The SERPs are still all over the shop elsewhere, as they have less than 20 hours on them, but that bass. Damn!!!

 

[magiccabbage]

   
The WA5 with the right tubes is an amazing piece of kit. The Psvane rectifiers take it to the next level for me - and let it have some BASS.
 
I've started the serious burn in of the SERPs - previously I have only popped them in for a few quick listens - now I need to put 200+ hours on them and see how they turn out. Anyway, the point is that the SERPs have the best bass extension of any tube I have heard, even without a burn in - tight, controlled and deep bass. Combined with the Psvane rectifiers it is amazing. The SERPs are still all over the shop elsewhere, as they have less than 20 hours on them, but that bass. Damn!!!

so you are using Sophia electric royal princess + psvane 274b? What drivers? 
 
Can you post up some shots of this combo please?

 

[TonyNewman]

  so you are using Sophia electric royal princess + psvane 274b? What drivers?
 
Can you post up some shots of this combo please?

 
Already done - refer to pics from earlier in the thread - the SERPs are in there. Look for the shots of the big huge person 300Bs - that's the SERPs

 
Drivers are the same - Psvane T2s (CV-181 / 6SN7).
 
Eventually I will post some impressions of the 300Bs (SERPs vs Psvane Replica 300Bs vs EATs), but not in this thread, of course.

 

[Audioclyde]

Tony, when you post your comparison of the 300B's, please give us a heads up in this thread--I don't want to miss your assessment. I'm running the SERP's in my Manley preamp, but have the Psvane replica 2A3's in my amp and really like them. I'm anxious to read how the SERP vs Psvane replica turns out. I'd love to try a pair of Takasuki (think I spelled that right), but the cost has made me wait.

Sorry, back to the great discussion of the rectifiers!

Thanks,

Randy

 

[isquirrel]

Tony,
 
I am running Mullard metal base GZ34's and comparing them to the Psvanes 274B's. These are initial findings, however I wanted to cross check with you on yours. I am finding that the Mullards do not have the subtarrean bottom end or the air of the Psvanes, but they do have a sweeter and more detailed sound, still very good bass.
 
Your thoughts?
 
Thanks

 

[TonyNewman]

  Tony,
 
I am running Mullard metal base GZ34's and comparing them to the Psvanes 274B's. These are initial findings, however I wanted to cross check with you on yours. I am finding that the Mullards do not have the subtarrean bottom end or the air of the Psvanes, but they do have a sweeter and more detailed sound, still very good bass.
 
Your thoughts?
 
Thanks

 
I have never heard a metal base GZ34 (I wish I had) - the only Mullard I have heard is the GZ32 - a much lesser animal.
 
Have your Psvanes had 200+ hours burn in (preferably 250+)? These tubes change for the better in a big way past 200/250 hours. I'd suggest reserving any judgements until a truckload of hours have been put on them.