[Edward Ng]

One supplier had them at 160 bucks each.

Note that there are supposedly two available grades, Classic and Collector. The Collector ones are supposedly even higher tested than the regular, Classic ones. I've only seen one seller specifically selling the Collector grade ones. Everybody else seems to have Classic, especially North American dealers. The only place I've seen the Collector grade ones are Asian dealers.

Then there's Apos selling their Ray Reserve tubes which, the few people who have listened to both, will tell you are just marked-up/high-test Psvane CV181-T MkIIs. They actually might be Collector grade ones for all we know, but Apos charges more per tube than even Asian dealers selling Collector grade Psvane branded ones.

-Ed

 

[Paladin79]

One supplier had them at 160 bucks each.

Look on Alibaba, there were some PSVane sales going on there. https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/1-Matched-Pair-Psvane-CV181-TII_60747308822.html?

 

[valiant66]

This set of padauk mini speakers should be the last of my mini radial speaker builds. Folks like @Ripper2860 and @sam6550a are using them with Rekkrs and Gjallarhorns as I recall so they might describe their capabilities. PM me if you have an interest in my final build on this item.

I would totally get in on that if I lived in the lower 48!
.

 

[valiant66]

** a wonderful record - debut on ECM !!
•• This is as close as I get .... [ECM: released August, 1990.] Hauntingly beautiful ....

Jan Garbarek is probably my favourite ECM artist. Amazing.
.

 

[Edward Ng]

Look on Alibaba, there were some PSVane sales going on there. https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/1-Matched-Pair-Psvane-CV181-TII_60747308822.html?

Are those sellers trustable?

-Ed

 

[Paladin79]

I would totally get in on that if I lived in the lower 48!
.

Not a problem, the last couple pairs I am letting go at lower prices, just trying to cover parts mostly. I have far too many speakers to keep a pair for myself, I am using Martin Logans as computer speakers lol, subwoofer and all.

 

[valiant66]

Well I have shipped to Canada and perhaps I could again if I gave it some thought. They are best with a small subwoofer.

I have a little 10"er that fits under my desk
.

 

[Paladin79]

Are those sellers trustable?

-Ed

Ed thus far I have had good luck with them but it does take a few weeks for product to arrive.

 

[Paladin79]

I have a little 10"er that fits under my desk
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Very cool, I have a Klipsch under mine, I had my desk custom made with a nice big shelf toward the back.

 

[valiant66]

One set complete and under test. My source today is just a Pono player into a Melos SHA 1 line amplifier into a tube power amp formerly known as Cowen. I know the speakers are too close together but this is more for looks. playing Harvest by Neil Young.

Heckuva rig for the workshop!
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[yonson]

Mine arrived today. It's just so...so...<sniff> beautiful. I thought a pristine copy of this LP was a part of my youth that could never be revisited.

Suppose I have enough 1812's for now. The Decca, while not the sonic spectacular of the Telarc, is very nicely recorded and with a great performance to boot. The Philips is a decent recording, but Haitink is one of my favorite conductors (especially with Brahms works) and did not disappoint with this. The MoFi is a decent recording too, but not as good as many other MoFi Original Masters. It's my least favorite of the group, but not because it isn't good just that I like the others better.




And interesting that this piece of paper was added to the new LP. Didn't come with the original. Sign of the times I suppose: "If you're scraping your speaker cones off the wall opposite your speakers, don't say we didn't warn you."

This really is no joke... I remember the first time I listened to this CD in my car in the early 90's and it did something no other recording had ever done before which was to bottom out my subs, and I didn't even have it cranked to 11, merely 9 hehe. This track can stress even the most robust systems if you get a little happy with the volume.

 

[valiant66]

Very cool, I have a Klipsch under mine, I had my desk custom made with a nice big shelf toward the back.

I got a shallow Dayton designed to fit under a couch - I find it works equally well flipped on its side and placed against the wall behind my desk. "Sidefiring" if you will, instead of downfiring. You still get the surface reinforcement it was designed for.

Edit - my desk faces the outside concrete wall so I'm not disturbing other condo dwellers by firing bass into sheetrock.
.

 

[bcowen]

One supplier had them at 160 bucks each.

A lot depends on how much risk you're comfortable with. You'll pay more buying from someone like Viva Tubes, but if there's a problem you'll likely get things taken care of without issue. Several vendors on Ebay sell for less, but you'll wait on shipping and may have a more difficult path to resolution if a problem occurs. There is also a question of what you get for your money. As @Edward Ng noted, there are two grades sold under the PSVane name, and then the Apos. I don't know for sure (myself) whether Apos is just relabeling high-testing PSVanes and then selling them for a dramatic markup or not, but there are a lot of indications that's the case. So what happens to all those tubes that don't meet the Apos or PSVane 'Collector' standards (and maybe not even the lower 'Classic' standard)? Unless the tube is just outright defective, I don't imagine they are thrown away. Probably just sold off to someone at a lower price who subsequently offers them for a lower price on the market.

 

[Paladin79]

Heckuva rig for the workshop!
.

Those are just pieces I had laying around and the power amp just produces 10 watts which is enough. I worked with @sam6550a on a tube amp and have a sweet Cary amp but this amp was the most handy. My main shop amp is a Bob Carver but I would have to be very power cautious so I am playing it safe.

 

[valiant66]

Not a problem, the last couple pairs I am letting go at lower prices, just trying to cover parts mostly. I have far too many speakers to keep a pair for myself, I am using Martin Logans as computer speakers lol, subwoofer and all.

I will pm.
.