274B choices?

[JSA]

@Sablon Audio - thanks, I will look into Baltic thread. I am promised SE Aqua 274B anytime soon, so will be one more to check.
Will try to report my findings on various recties.

 

[retired farmer]

Forgot to mention that Sophia has now got their own 6SN7 back in stock.

Well they sold out quickly yesterday I found on there sight they had a demo pair so I ordered that pair and a pair of 6sl7 as well. I will Try them out and see what I think. I have an upgraded melody h88 with oilers put in it. Really a nice amp it is a kt88 based amp. If you are interested I will let you know what i think.

Regards

 

[Sampajanna]

Been listening to my new Taka for a week now. It is so nice. Best so far!

 

[retired farmer]

Been listening to my new Taka for a week now. It is so nice. Best so far!

My main dealer tells me those are the best. Wonderful that you are enjoying them!

 

[JSA]

I have received Brimar CV1863 and Linlai 274B-D Titanium. Still waiting for Sophia Aqua 274B.
Initial impressions - will post more after some burn-in in couple of days (I am using these in my Pacific Lampi).
Linlai 274B Titanium: first impression is extremely positive. Need more time and some burn-in but overall seems like a really fantastic tube - great soundstage, fabulous mids, well defined bass, great highs, very live sound.
Brimar CV1863 - I have received NOS unused, so it will require some days to let it settle in before making an opinion.

 

[retired farmer]

Looks like there are three series of linlai 274b tubes. I might not understand there website but which one did you get? I find ot really neat that so far you are enjoying them. They are at the price point that intrigues me. The take are supposed to be exceptional but I just don't want to spend that much that is why I bought the sohpia electric 274b Aqua ones. I have been very eased with the extended range musicality and detail and beauty of the sound out of them. But unlike yourself it is the only one I have tried vs the noname used ones the dealer put into the amps for me to hear them and for me to get started. The Sophia electric ones are a huge step up. But that being said I will be interested if you find these better than the sohpia ones nothing to say I picked the best ones. Please keep us posted at what you find out. Thinking I would like to have a spare set of tunes for each amp I have. Before everything gets extremely hard to find. Until the war gets settled out it may be sketchy getting Russian tubes as it sounds like that is where most new ones are made. Even if that is not a problem they likely are only going to go up in price so no harm done having a spares around.

Thank you for sharing

Regards

 

[JSA]

Looks like there are three series of linlai 274b tubes. I might not understand there website but which one did you get? I find ot really neat that so far you are enjoying them. They are at the price point that intrigues me. The take are supposed to be exceptional but I just don't want to spend that much that is why I bought the sohpia electric 274b Aqua ones. I have been very eased with the extended range musicality and detail and beauty of the sound out of them. But unlike yourself it is the only one I have tried vs the noname used ones the dealer put into the amps for me to hear them and for me to get started. The Sophia electric ones are a huge step up. But that being said I will be interested if you find these better than the sohpia ones nothing to say I picked the best ones. Please keep us posted at what you find out. Thinking I would like to have a spare set of tunes for each amp I have. Before everything gets extremely hard to find. Until the war gets settled out it may be sketchy getting Russian tubes as it sounds like that is where most new ones are made. Even if that is not a problem they likely are only going to go up in price so no harm done having a spares around.

Thank you for sharing

Regards

I have already Elite E-274B for over a year. This is almost as good as PSVANE ACME 274B (my favorite). It is similar price range like Aqua 274B.
Now I have purchased 274B-D Titanium. And this one is truly exceptional already from the start. This is relatively cheap (I paid just below USD 100).

I am still keen to finally get Aqua 274B and try it out.
I keep KR274B and tried KR5U4G. But I strongly prefer Psvane ACME and both Linlai tubes.
I keep also Svetlana black plate 5U4G, and now purchased also BrimarCV1863.
And I have PSvane replica of WE274B - that one i will be happy to part with if anyone is interested.

 

[retired farmer]

Thanks keep up the great sharing! What amp are you running them on? Regards Tom

 

[JSA]

I can see now Linlai also has got 274B-H ??? I wonder what that is.
And of course they have a whole range of WE274B replica, as well as just regular 274B and 5U4G.
If I understand correctly then Linlai is offspring of people who used to work at Psvane.
I am in no way connected to Linlai or its distribution. I am based in Europe.

 

[JSA]

Thanks keep up the great sharing! What amp are you running them on? Regards Tom

I use rectis for Lampizator Pacific only.
My amps are Wavac MD805m monos.

 

[matakana]

I use rectis for Lampizator Pacific only.
My amps are Wavac MD805m monos.

I was using the ACME 274b for over a year, curiousity got the better of me and I snapped up a GEC U52, wow, complete ear opener, now sold the ACME. This is in the power supply for allnic phono, thank you.

 

[Cellcbern]

I was using the ACME 274b for over a year, curiousity got the better of me and I snapped up a GEC U52, wow, complete ear opener, now sold the ACME. This is in the power supply for allnic phono, thank you.

There is little to choose in my Modwright PS 9.0 between the variously labeled (Brimar/GEC/Marconi/MWT/Osram) 1950's U52 CV575 5U4G and the current production Sophia blue 274B, which is a drop-in replacement. Those two are in a class by themselves. Nothing else I've tried in the 5AR4 and 5U4G family of tubes/substitutes including the metal base 5AR4 comes close. Note in the photo the rounded edge base which identifies the desirable U52 tubes. The variations with squared off base edges are inferior in sound quality

 

[retired farmer]

I can see now Linlai also has got 274B-H ??? I wonder what that is.
And of course they have a whole range of WE274B replica, as well as just regular 274B and 5U4G.
If I understand correctly then Linlai is offspring of people who used to work at Psvane.
I am in no way connected to Linlai or its distribution. I am based in Europe.
View attachment 100452

Interesting. I might be wrong but looks like they carry different ones in North America this is the USA site I am in Canada.

 

[JSA]

For Linlai - since there is no dealer in Europe - I go directly to China websites for purchasing. Seems Titanium (274B-D) and this new 274B-H are newest additions to the line. I can see Elite is the same in both cases.
About a year ago there was a discussion on WBF in one of the threads that Linlai Global is carrying only a subset of full range.
Besides rerctifiers, I have Linlai DG-805, and they are extremely good for the price.

 

[matakana]

There is little to choose in my Modwright PS 9.0 between the variously labeled (Brimar/GEC/Marconi/MWT/Osram) 1950's U52 CV575 5U4G and the current production Sophia blue 274B, which is a drop-in replacement. Those two are in a class by themselves. Nothing else I've tried in the 5AR4 and 5U4G family of tubes/substitutes including the metal base 5AR4 comes close. Note in the photo the rounded edge base which identifies the desirable U52 tubes. The variations with squared off base edges are inferior in sound quality

“ Those two are in a class by themselves “ . Which two ?

 

[Cellcbern]

“ Those two are in a class by themselves “ . Which two ?

The U52 5U4G and Sophia blue 274B that I mentioned in the first sentence of my post.

 

[retired farmer]

For Linlai - since there is no dealer in Europe - I go directly to China websites for purchasing. Seems Titanium (274B-D) and this new 274B-H are newest additions to the line. I can see Elite is the same in both cases.
About a year ago there was a discussion on WBF in one of the threads that Linlai Global is carrying only a subset of full range.
Besides rerctifiers, I have Linlai DG-805, and they are extremely good for the price.

Thanks I will look a bit more

 

[matakana]

The U52 5U4G and Sophia blue 274B that I mentioned in the first sentence of my post.

Its got me thinking of the Sophia EL 34 tube now ! as I have a SEP that uses these.

 

[retired farmer]

Its got me thinking of the Sophia EL 34 tube now ! as I have a SEP that uses these.

If you get them let us know what you think. I ordered a pair of 6sl7 and 6sn7 tubes the other day from sohpia electric that should be interesting hoping they sound beautiful

 

[highstream]

Its got me thinking of the Sophia EL 34 tube now ! as I have a SEP that uses these.

I have a Sophia pair no longer needed that were used for a relatively short time in a Atlantic 2 TRP about a year ago. Lampi dacs run at about 25% max. I also have a pair of their of KT 88-ST that I used after them which are no longer needed, as I now have a GG2/3. Both pairs are Grade A. Both are excellent, although the 88’s tonally worked a little better in my system at the time for my tastes. I’m in the States. PM if interested.