[aRRR]

I know there are a few 300B aficionados here at head-fi. Being one of them I thought I'd share my experience with the new Royal princess which I recently I acquired from Sophia electric. As far as I could see, it is almost identical to the carbon princess, yet more than double the price tag. It is supposed to have a different design philosophy and materials. So no wonder I was skeptical at first, but I gave it a shot anyway.
 
Ive got more than 100 hours on this tube now and this princess is definitely a royalty. I have used Shuguang treasure 300B-Z and Full Music 300B/n. But also auditioned AVVT 300B, KR 300B. The first thing I instantly noticed with the Royal princess was the improvement in the bass. It has more weight, details and is very deep and controlled. She has less "traditional" 300B midrange, its still there but doesnt dominate the spectrum nearly as much. As a result the voices appear much more natural to me. Similar to the low end, the highs are also very extended and detailed. I can say a lot more but I think I covered the most drastic changes.
 

 

[Blackmore]

[size=10pt]Good to see ya enjoying them, thanks for sharing. About AVVT's, if you were talking about my pair to begin with. They are 32BL version of 300B's with extra cooling plates, much taller and bigger bottle shape, which makes them more resistant to extra heat, but also makes them extremely extended, because of the bottle size/construction, in all directions. [/size]
[size=10pt]More even, I do believe if you hear my new pair of AVVT's, which are 300B, but with C37 glass shape, you may like them even more.

[/size]
 

 

[aRRR]

Yes your 32BL version. I just found out that the EML 300B XLS is supposed to be a "direct replacement" for that one. Although I cannot say for certain, but I think the Sophia's sound similar. By the way, where did you get the C37 and how do they sound compared to the 32BL?

 

[Piotr Ryka]

 
 
Here you are some photograph materials from Cracow  meeting with 300B tubes. This “sock society” 

 predicated, that Takatsuki 300B is as good as very old production Western Electric and definitely better than  Create Audio Golden Jazz Series 300B and Create Audio Luxury Series 300B, which are in turn better than normal Sophia Princess 300B. 
 
 
http://www.highfidelity.pl/@main-894&lang=

 

[Blackmore]

Wow, never heard of them before, here is the link guys
http://www.takatsuki-denki.co.jp/press_release/index.html
 
Anyway, at the price of EUR1300 its pretty expensive joke and they look very Svetlana/Sovtek kind of tube, where are they make them? Their price is EUR880 = JPY98000, much better So, you can order them directly if there no dealership in your country, right?
 
THX for sharing.
 
 

 
Quote:

 
 
Here you are some photograph materials from Cracow  meeting with 300B tubes. This “sock society” 

 predicated, that Takatsuki 300B is as good as very old production Western Electric and definitely better than  Create Audio Golden Jazz Series 300B and Create Audio Luxury Series 300B, which are in turn better than normal Sophia Princess 300B. 
 
 
http://www.highfidelity.pl/@main-894&lang=

 

 

[Piotr Ryka]

 
Takatsuki is the name of town in Japan. According to Mr. Pacuła probably Mr. Miura from Air Tight Company is the person who prompted Takatsuki Electrict Industry (both firms from Takatsuki) to produce top end class 300B tubes. I know nothing about technical specification of Takatsuki 300B. Cracow Sonical Society wrote, that sound is “in carbon style” – very smooth and very involving. More involving than any other 300B tubes besides very old WE.   

 

[aRRR]

Yea takatsuki 300B are pretty unknown tubes and the japanese website does not state much information. Ive looked at them in the past but I dismissed them since I could not find much info or reviews about them, thanks for sharing.
 
Translated: http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=nl&sl=pl&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.highfidelity.pl%2F%40main-894%26lang%3D

 

[Piotr Ryka]

Quote:

Yea takatsuki 300B are pretty unknown tubes and the japanese website does not state much information. Ive looked at them in the past but I dismissed them since I could not find much info or reviews about them, thanks for sharing.
 
Translated: http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=nl&sl=pl&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.highfidelity.pl%2F%40main-894%26lang%3D

 
Takatsuki vs Royal Princess; Zanden vs Grand Silver Mono...Audiophile dreams.

 

[Blackmore]

Doesnt surprise me that Air Tight may involved in that project, because EH they were providing their amps with lately are not up to their quality anyway, even they been found nice and waiting for WE when they may re-start their new production is like waisting time, good work and I hope to hear them soon. Just saw on the base, yes, they do make them in Japan, good.
 
Quote:

 
Takatsuki is the name of town in Japan. According to Mr. Pacuła probably Mr. Miura from Air Tight Company is the person who prompted Takatsuki Electrict Industry (both firms from Takatsuki) to produce top end class 300B tubes. I know nothing about technical specification of Takatsuki 300B. Cracow Sonical Society wrote, that sound is “in carbon style” – very smooth and very involving. More involving than any other 300B tubes besides very old WE.   

 

 

[aRRR]

Look here: http://robertmusic.blogspot.com/2011/07/heads-up-coming-very-soon-takatsuke-ta.html
 
Quote:

All I can tell you after a few days listening is that they are probably the best 300B ever made. My first impressions, after 10 hours breaking in, are that they combine all the virtues of the classic Western Electric in the midrange with a bone shttering bass and a very extended, sweet high. They throw up a big, wide soundstage effortlessly. Switching back to the Shuguang Treasures 300B, the difference is immediate - the Shuguang, which are actually a very good tube, by comparison sound far thinner and lacking in the mids, and bas shy - and they aren't nearly as deep and wide. I did a bit of a comparison between the EML 300B-XLS and the Takatsuki this morning - the EML XLS is a far better tube than the Shuguang - and still, there is no comparison. That midrange and bass on the Takatsuki is just supreme, and the size of the soundstage it throws up is far bigger.

Now, I haven't done a straight up comparison to the AVVT mesh, which I consider unbeatable, but if memory serves, it has it's own unique virtues that make it still very much in a class of it's own. And I haven't yet compared to the EML mesh 300B, also a strong tube.

But so far, all I can really say is that I just have to find a way to get enough money to buy a couple more pairs for my old age. Having two pairs is just not going to be enough, the Takatsuki may be better overall than anything else out there. And I can say conclusively that it is built like an absolute tank.

 
 

 

[Blackmore]

[size=10pt]Thanks aRRR for the link, however its to early to say the last. From my own experience, tubes have that behavior to sound differ in differ amps, so, when I was looking  for best match for my Cary, I was lucky enough to find an old thread from our Italian friend Nik here, who wrote that AVVT's C37 sounds the best in Cary, even more, better than WE's, while when installed in Air Tight, WE's shines like a star, so, I suggest that folks mention their system along with all used tubes and equipment to get the full picture. Other than that, no way I can build my mind on "hype" like that. It’s the same thing with Sophia's, sorry aRRR, their feedback list is full of sweet talk, but that’s just not the reality.[/size]
.

 

[aRRR]

Review from Jeff Day at positive feedback online: http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue57/300B.htm

 

[CADiver]

Hi 300B nuts, I am new and looks like this is a fun place to spend some time ...
 
Coming out of the Quick Silver and Conrad Johnson world, I live with my AudioNote 300B amp since 1997.  Went through stock tube, Centron, AVVT, KR, JJ, Sevlenta and finally settle with Sophia Princess for the last few years. 
 
I now listening to the Royal Princess for about 4 months now
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9609046@N06/5970263965/in/photostream
Royal Princess is definitely quite different and stands out in every area compare to the Princess. 
The mid-range magic of 300B is still behind Western Electric in my opinion but the slam on both end's extension are stronger.  I tend to think of this like certain people like prime-rib and certain people like filet and yet certain people like NewYork cut.  They are all good, they taste differently, have different flavor, different texture.  There is no bad steak.  The really fun part obviously are plug a different set, you get different sound, so enjoy the fun.
 
My Taketsuki TA-300B just arrived too, there will be more swapping and more fun in the coming months.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9609046@N06/6122753453/in/photostream/
Inital listen to the TA-300 seems shy of the extreme end than Royal Princess but the air around people are more obvious and separationi between everything are easier to spot, the mid-range rythum and articulation are closer to Western Electric.  I will report more after a few more months of usage.
 
Cheers!
Dominic

 

[aRRR]

Hi Dominic,
 
Thanks for your input. Where did you get the Takatsuki TA-300B and if I may ask; how much did you pay for them? They are definitely on my want list too but they are pretty expensive here in Europe.

 

[CADiver]

 
In Japan, a friend shipped to me.  There is a retailer in Akihabara Tokyo sell them.  With the wimpy US-Yen exchange rate, a pair cost roughy $1500USD.  Bare in mind Sophia Electric Royal Princess cost $1200.  With those 2 numbers in mind, anytime you see Western Electric below a thousand dollars, buy them
 
The next quest is the ulitmate of the Japan made 300B - Okaya Electric Industry HF-300B ....