[lumdicks]

To those who owned all 3, I would love to hear some impression of Takatsuki vs WE and Elrogs.
While being very tempted to get WE down the road, I might have a chance to get my hands on Takatsuki, so yeah, rather curious.

And damn, that WE blue glow is something else.

I may be able to share some experience as I have once owned all three, despite I sold my Tak and WE subsequently (but repurchased WE just now).

1. Elrog (non-Mo): Amazing all rounder with the best high low dynamics and the most HiFi sound. Not very 'tuby' in sound and having unbelievable details and resolution.

2. WE300B (current production): Sweetest mid with the most holographic imaging. Sounds warm with the 300B magic, low is fast but not as deep as Elrog.

3. Tak: Very neutral and balanced sound, a bit bright compared with the other two, very transparent but a bit boring to my preference.

 

[ardbeg1975]

I may be able to share some experience as I have once owned all three, despite I sold my Tak and WE subsequently (but repurchased WE just now).

1. Elrog (non-Mo): Amazing all rounder with the best high low dynamics and the most HiFi sound. Not very 'tuby' in sound and having unbelievable details and resolution.

2. WE300B (current production): Sweetest mid with the most holographic imaging. Sounds warm with the 300B magic, low is fast but not as deep as Elrog.

3. Tak: Very neutral and balanced sound, a bit bright compared with the other two, very transparent but a bit boring to my preference.

I partially agree but acknowledge a lot of the following is also heavily influenced by amp implementation (an EC Studio B in my case). I own the new issue WEs, Taks, and Elrog-MOs and previously owned the “standard” Elrogs. I agree the ERs have great hi / low range and sound very “modern” but I personally find them lacking a bit of nuance and smoothness up top (once you compare them to the MOs). That said, they are great especially if you’ve never heard the MOs (or the TMs for that matter). I also agree with the WE comments BUT I’m a big fan of the Taks. They sit somewhere between the WEs and Elrogs on the vintage vs modern sonic presentation spectrum. At least in the EC, they capture some of the mid sweetness of the WEs and some of the expanded dynamics of the ERs.

 

[kevin gilmore]

anyone with a dead 211 to be used as a physical example? or 845 or 805 or 810...

concerned with the quality of the one and only available pc mount socket for 211,845 etc.

megatron with 8 x 211 should be a nice thing with +/-750v power supplies. and 4 x 300b as the driver tubes.

 

[jlbrach]

interestingly I did not notice a blue glow on my WE300b...the pictures with the blue are quite stunning

 

[shwnwllms]

interestingly I did not notice a blue glow on my WE300b...the pictures with the blue are quite stunning

I had a pair for a hot minute (before one turned noisy). Mine did not have a blue glow either

 

[JTbbb]

I had a pair for a hot minute (before one turned noisy). Mine did not have a blue glow either

I didn’t notice until it was very dark, no lights on whatsoever. But it’s there.

 

[Wes S]

My WE's are faint blue at the tops, but only when it's totally dark. All the pics we see of bright blue glowing tubes, are overexposed.

 

[incredulousity]

My WE's are faint blue at the tops, but only when it's totally dark. All the pics we see of bright blue glowing tubes, are overexposed.

This. You have to take WE pix overexposed, or do a +/- 3 stop HDR. Also, you have to underexpose Elrog pix.

 

[ThanatosVI]

A new experimental tube from Thomas Mayer (Elrog). Not directly a 300B but from the comments section it seems like it can replace 300B?

Source: Thomas Mayers Facebook

Stay tuned, for more info will be available at munich High End.

 

[incredulousity]

That is an unusual looking tube indeed.

 

[Wes S]

A new experimental tube from Thomas Mayer (Elrog). Not directly a 300B but from the comments section it seems like it can replace 300B?

Source: Thomas Mayers Facebook

Stay tuned, for more info will be available at munich High End.

So damn cool to see someone constantly moving forward, with incredible New Production tubes. We need more people like Thomas.

 

[steve468]

A new experimental tube from Thomas Mayer (Elrog). Not directly a 300B but from the comments section it seems like it can replace 300B?

Source: Thomas Mayers Facebook

Stay tuned, for more info will be available at munich High End.

For such a pillar of the 300B community, Mr. Mayer sure does like making not-300Bs

But I'm sure everyone, myself included, is very exciting to get more details. Has anyone else tried making actual new tube types in the modern age?

 

[ThanatosVI]

For such a pillar of the 300B community, Mr. Mayer sure does like making not-300Bs

But I'm sure everyone, myself included, is very exciting to get more details. Has anyone else tried making actual new tube types in the modern age?

He Actually prefers other types if I'm not mistaken, there are also a lot of non 300B Elrogs.

The only manufacturer that I'm aware of, that creates new types is EML.
Headamp uses one of their new types in the Grand Cayman for instance.

 

[ardbeg1975]

He Actually prefers other types if I'm not mistaken, there are also a lot of non 300B Elrogs.

The only manufacturer that I'm aware of, that creates new types is EML.
Headamp uses one of their new types in the Grand Cayman for instance.

If he ever makes a WE205D replica, I’m all in.

 

[Leto Dal]

Hey gang, recently got WE300b from a german Western Electrics distributor BTB Elektronik and apparently the guys matched the Tubes themselfs instead of sending me a WE matched pair. One of the warranty cards was missing and overall a very unpleasant experience communicating with them, rather unfriendly on the phone trying to make it look like they did nothing wrong and I am just a complicated customer.

Right now I am deciding if I keep the tubes, or continiue fighting with them, potentially waiting for my money for quite some time. Or if I keep the tubes if WE accepts the extended warranty for the second tube with missing card.

Could you please take a look at the matching results, is it tolerable, shell I bite the bullet and keep the tubes or rather go for a new pair?

Thanks.


The tubes sound magnificent even without burn in btw, wasnt a big fan of Elrogs, the Western Electric been a giant leap for my Susvara, my absolute favourite tubes to be honest. Cant wait to experience a burned in pair.