I decided to go with SERPs as my endgame 300Bs. Sophia has great customer service (they just responded to an email on a Saturday) and I'm already a fan of their other tubes. I will probably alternate the SERPs with the regular Princess meshes just to keep tube replacement cost down long-term, unless there is a massive difference in SQ.
... I will probably alternate the SERPs with the regular Princess meshes just to keep tube replacement cost down long-term, unless there is a massive difference in SQ.
It's a subjective thing, and everyone's ears and setup are different, but for me the difference in SQ between the regular SEP 300Bs and SERP 300Bs would be somewhere around the "substantial / very large" mark. It is immediately noticeable to me when I swap between the SEPs and SERPs - not a subtle difference at all.
You might find it hard to go back to the SEPs after hearing what the SERPs can do. I know I do.
I am in a similar position with my WA5 and 300Bs. I am burning in a set of SERPs right now (have about 100 hours on them).
They are a big step up from SEP 300Bs, more detail, more soundstage and lot more extension at both ends (particularly the bass). I'm not sure they are worth the $1200 asking price, however they certainly sound good in my WA5.
I have not tried the EML 300Bs - I was tempted, but the relatively poor performance of the EML 274B mesh rectifier put me off. It is a decent tube, but to my ears it is clearly outperformed by a 1960s Mullard GZ32 costing around $80 and about half the size (important in the WA6 where space is at a premium). That really isn't good enough for a new production tube costing around $270 IMHO. That makes me think twice about going for the EML 300Bs.
Any WA5 owners out there who have tried both the SERPs and the EML 300Bs that can give some insight?
I am having some success with the Pavane new production tubes. Running the T2 grey bottle CV181s (really 6SN7s) in my WA5 and WA6. After several bad experiences with NOS driver tubes these are performing very well. Burning in some Pavane WE274B replicas now - only about 60 hours on them - but so far these are also performing well in both my WA5 and WA6. That led me to take a leap for the Pavane WE300B replicas. I don't expect the replicas to duplicate the sound of the vintage WE300B, but I am hoping for a decent sounding tube that gives a taste of the mid-range WE magic that audiophiles rave about.
I am in a similar position with my WA5 and 300Bs. I am burning in a set of SERPs right now (have about 100 hours on them).
They are a big step up from SEP 300Bs, more detail, more soundstage and lot more extension at both ends (particularly the bass). I'm not sure they are worth the $1200 asking price, however they certainly sound good in my WA5.
I have not tried the EML 300Bs - I was tempted, but the relatively poor performance of the EML 274B mesh rectifier put me off. It is a decent tube, but to my ears it is clearly outperformed by a 1960s Mullard GZ32 costing around $80 and about half the size (important in the WA6 where space is at a premium). That really isn't good enough for a new production tube costing around $270 IMHO. That makes me think twice about going for the EML 300Bs.
Any WA5 owners out there who have tried both the SERPs and the EML 300Bs that can give some insight?
I am having some success with the Pavane new production tubes. Running the T2 grey bottle CV181s (really 6SN7s) in my WA5 and WA6. After several bad experiences with NOS driver tubes these are performing very well. Burning in some Pavane WE274B replicas now - only about 60 hours on them - but so far these are also performing well in both my WA5 and WA6. That led me to take a leap for the Pavane WE300B replicas. I don't expect the replicas to duplicate the sound of the vintage WE300B, but I am hoping for a decent sounding tube that gives a taste of the mid-range WE magic that audiophiles rave about.
i have no problems with EML 300B in my WA5, but im sure there are certainly better tubes nout there.. not sure how the more expensive $1200 SERPs compare. I too feel that the EML 274B offers decent quality but lackluster performance when compared to NOS Tubes of similar pricing.
Will do. I will complete putting 300 hours in the SERPs, then put the Psvanes in for 300 hours. That's going to take quite a few weeks.
There are comments out there from folks slagging the Psvanes after 50 or so hours of use - that is not giving these tubes a fair chance - they need lots of burn in to settle down.
Will do. I will complete putting 300 hours in the SERPs, then put the Psvanes in for 300 hours. That's going to take quite a few weeks.
There are comments out there from folks slagging the Psvanes after 50 or so hours of use - that is not giving these tubes a fair chance - they need lots of burn in to settle down.
The new Woo portable amp will be called... surprise surprise... the WA8 according to the RMAF web page. I wonder if it will be a pure amp or contain a DAC as well, hopefully usable with OTG cables from a smartphone like the FiiO e18 can.
BTW if anyone has a hookup on a tube tester drop me a PM. There are a bunch of Hickoks on fleabay but I have no clue how to judge their condition and if they can properly test the type of tubes used by Woos (directly heated and indirectly heated, etc.)
Thanks Silent, that guy is very helpful. I also contacted a company that makes new testers, but their units don't test rectifiers, only driver/power tubes. He claimed rectifiers either "work" or they "don't work", and there is no in-between, thus no need for testing. That seems like spin to me, right? Surely they degrade gracefully like any other type of tube?
Thanks Silent, that guy is very helpful. I also contacted a company that makes new testers, but their units don't test rectifiers, only driver/power tubes. He claimed rectifiers either "work" or they "don't work", and there is no in-between, thus no need for testing. That seems like spin to me, right? Surely they degrade gracefully like any other type of tube?
There is a way to test them but I cannot recall. I believe it was something I researched, along with others, back in 2011. I had wanted to test The Mighty 596.
There is a way to test them but I cannot recall. I believe it was something I researched, along with others, back in 2011. I had wanted to test The Mighty 596.
OK, apparently on rectifiers you just test for shorts and emissions, on preamp tubes you add Gm (mutual conductance). Makes sense. If you see a weak emissions result compared to a known-good rectifier tube, that would be a sign it's getting old then.
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