Psvane Acme Series (new flagship series)

[JSA]

Hi nquery,
Thanks for all the efforts. To me the reply from Rachel raises more questions than provides answers.
Sounds very unlikely that suddenly Linlai offers twice as many product variations as originally. Essentially each Linlai tube comes with Linlai Global logo version as well. Time will tell - maybe someone will do direct comparison of Chinese and Global versions.
I have checked on aliexpress and it is difficult to judge whether I am buying directly from Linlai or not (it seems to be Linlai but who knows). One thing is for sure that spec sheets that I have received for my DG805 are from the same date as my order date. So if this is a dealer I am buying from, he must be close to the factory.

Hi nquery,
I have asked hifi-amplifiers and they have responded that the tubes are identical i.e. Linlai and Linlai Global.
Same response from aliexpress linlaitube store.
Don't know how much it is worth what they write, but likely Global is just a marketing rather than different tubes.

 

[nquery]

Hi nquery,
I have asked hifi-amplifiers and they have responded that the tubes are identical i.e. Linlai and Linlai Global.
Same response from aliexpress linlaitube store.
Don't know how much it is worth what they write, but likely Global is just a marketing rather than different tubes.

Thanks and yes I would agree. If the tubes actually had different tuning and sonic qualities it seems much more likely that they would have slightly different model numbers, not just different labels.

 

[Sandston]

Vivatubes.com has apparently picked up sales of Psvane Acme tubes. For now they have the 300B and the 211 only on their site

VIVA TUBES

Unbeatable prices on thousands of guaranteed vacuum tubes for sale, vintage NOS hi-fi audio tubes, radio tubes, ham and industrial ready to ship. The only NOS valve dealer with a real webstore. We carry everything from NOS RCA 6L6GC black plates to JJ 12AX7s. We carry brands like Western...

www.vivatubes.com

 

[nquery]

Vivatubes.com has apparently picked up sales of Psvane Acme tubes. For now they have the 300B and the 211 only on their site

VIVA TUBES

Unbeatable prices on thousands of guaranteed vacuum tubes for sale, vintage NOS hi-fi audio tubes, radio tubes, ham and industrial ready to ship. The only NOS valve dealer with a real webstore. We carry everything from NOS RCA 6L6GC black plates to JJ 12AX7s. We carry brands like Western...

www.vivatubes.com

$1325 + tax + shipping for a pair of Acme 300b’s? That $1500 to my state. I bought a pair of ACME 300b’s AND a pair of ACME 805’s from Hifi-amplifiers for same price all in. Nice to have the US distributor but hard to justify!

 

[JoeyGun]

Wow, that is incredibly expensive for these tubes!

 

[Crashem]

Looks like psvane opened "official" store on Amazon. Another blow to specialty stores, even online ones

 

[RDSChicago]

One other question for you - are your tubes labelled Linlai Global or do they have a Chinese label?

Linlai seems to be stating that they are screening/tuning tubes for the asian market vs western. From a 6moons review: "In short, Linlai aim at serving Western music and its usual instruments without emphasizing the particular features of Chinese music with its pronounced ultra-high frequencies. Linlai tubes sold to vendors in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau are tuned, produced and screened to meet Asian listening habits and preferences. They bear a different logo in Chinese script". Likewise the main page of https://linlaiglobal.com really talks about this a lot.

I initially thought this was just verbiage to maintain western pricing/marketing and also seemed technically questionable. So I got my Chinese labelled Linlai's from a reputable Chinese seller and not labelled Linlai "global" via Grant Fidelity or other western distributor. Almost half the price. But now I am wondering if there isn't some truth to it! If so, Linlai buyers will need to be careful where they purchase from.

I don't believe that Psvane does this - there is no certainly no difference in labelling or ever been wording to this end. I did order my Psvane tubes from the same reseller and I know others who bought Acme's from them successful. This seller actually was willing to take back my 805DG's at full price and just charge me the difference to upgrade to E-805's. They are very responsive, cheap, ship fast and free via DHL (3 days door-to-door), and they have replaced another's broken Psvane tube without question or cost. So we'll see ...

[EDIT: I see from your pics that you got Chinese labelled tubes intended for Asian market ... so there goes that theory of mine]

Can you provide a link to the seller you bought from?

 

[nquery]

Can you provide a link to the seller you bought from?

sure ... https://www.hifi-amplifiers.com

 

[RDSChicago]

sure ... https://www.hifi-amplifiers.com

Thanks. Are they an authorized Linlai dealer? Their prices are substantially less than GF. Thanks again.

 

[RDSChicago]

Any more opinions on the LinLai E-845? I’m tempted to buy them. I need 8 for my MasterSound monoblocks so was hoping to hear some opinions before I pull the trigger. I wanted Elrog but they would cost nearly three times as much and for 8 that’s quite a difference. Thanks!

 

[RDSChicago]

LinLai also makes a WE Replica 845. Interesting that the LinLai Global labeled tubes appear to be different from the tubes you get from the Chinese vendors which LinLai’s site says are geared toward listeners in the Asian vs. Western markets. Any validity to this? Also wondering how the LinLai WE845 would compare to the E-845?

 

[DeadWax]

Perhaps I've missed it in this or other threads but has anyone done a head-to-head comparison between the Psvane ACME and Linlai Global Elite tubes? I'm interested in the Linlai Global Elite E-805 tubes, particularly if they have the ACME tonal qualities but with much higher reliability.

Or even if no head-to-head comparison just any listening impressions of the Linlai Elite series (ideally 805).

Thanks.

 

[RDSChicago]

Perhaps I've missed it in this or other threads but has anyone done a head-to-head comparison between the Psvane ACME and Linlai Global Elite tubes? I'm interested in the Linlai Global Elite E-805 tubes, particularly if they have the ACME tonal qualities but with much higher reliability.

Or even if no head-to-head comparison just any listening impressions of the Linlai Elite series (ideally 805).

Thanks.

The 6 Moons review from March compared various ACME tubes to the E Series but I don’t believe the 805 in particular. It was interesting and worthwhile to read.

 

[DeadWax]

The 6 Moons review from March compared various ACME tubes to the E Series but I don’t believe the 805 in particular. It was interesting and worthwhile to read.

Thanks. I should have read that more thoroughly and will.

 

[RDSChicago]

Thanks. I should have read that more thoroughly and will.

The upshot I recall was that the reviewer found the acme tube to be more romantic and the LinLai tube to be more linear with more clarity.

 

[DeadWax]

The upshot I recall was that the reviewer found the acme tube to be more romantic and the LinLai tube to be more linear with more clarity.

That's good to know. I'm running NOS RCA 805's right now and they deliver clarity, detail, range expansion and weight in spades - what the RCA's "may" compromise is the warm and romantic sonics. I was curious whether the Linlai may fit that bill, and now I'm guessing the RCA's may beat out the Linlai's in what the Linlai's do best. I would buy a pair of ACME's but I worry about the reliability. Fortunately I get a good balance of romance and warmth from the rest of my rig with tube front end components and a warm speaker in my O/96's. I may have my system dialed in perfectly but it's tough to resist trying another set of 805's just to test that premise

 

[JoeyGun]

Damnit damnit! My Psvane ACME 300b tube on my Cayin HA-300, the right channel is popping a loud click! And I can see a flash of white light emiting from it! I swapped the 300b for TJ Full Music, but it seems like the right channel is about -20db less than left channel. Ugh, so frustating, considering the tubes are only 1 1/2 years old.


I swapped those with the stock TJ Full music tubes, and that at least fixes it, BUT now the right channel is about -20-25dB lower than the left channel per the VU meter, even on a simple sine test. I've swapped the two 300bs around, as well as the 6sn7w tubes and the rectifier tubes, and the VU meters are still showing -20 to 25 dB less on the right channel. What can I do here?

 

[JSA]

Perhaps I've missed it in this or other threads but has anyone done a head-to-head comparison between the Psvane ACME and Linlai Global Elite tubes? I'm interested in the Linlai Global Elite E-805 tubes, particularly if they have the ACME tonal qualities but with much higher reliability.

Or even if no head-to-head comparison just any listening impressions of the Linlai Elite series (ideally 805).

Thanks.

You might have seen that I had compared ACME 805 to Linlai DG805 In this thread. I own both. ACME are better but I could easily live just with DG 805. They are quite different in character, Psvane is putting more light on things, and Linlai are more refreshing. Both have outstanding resolution and dynamics.
Similar applies to rectifiers ACME 274B and Linlai E274B. Both are excellent, characteristics are same like with 805 tubes. ACME more sunlit and Linlai more like fresh water.

 

[JoeyGun]

Where can I buy a replacement Psvane Acme 300b in North America, since one of my tubes died after 1 year 2 months

 

[DeadWax]

You might have seen that I had compared ACME 805 to Linlai DG805 In this thread.

I did read about your impressions between those two tubes and really appreciated it. Aside from the DG805 I was curious if anyone had experience with E-805 as well. I suspect the "house sound" is probably fairly consistent throughout the Linlai line. Thanks.