What is the best 5U4G ?

Tango

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I have Ayon's own 5U4G in both mono blocs and preamp.
My friend recommended KR saying KR is best and better than EML on noise floor, bass, dynamic, clarity and density.
Out of curiosity I boght a pair. This morning I replaced Ayon 5U4G on my Titans with KR. Right out of the box, they sounded more similar than different. Only Ayon's texture was more refine and the bass was tighter. I was told I need two weeks burn in. Any other challengers?

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Tang
 
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bonzo75

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Takatsuki, haven't heard. Audioquattr owns both

WE 274b and 422a though Bill and I didn't prefer the latter. Haven't heard the first.
 

wisnon

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Try NOS GEC equivalent.

If you can use 274B, try the cheap Chinese Shuguang 274b.

Finally, the Kron 5u4g has MUCH higher internal vacuum (factor of 10x , I was told) than all the others and will last a lot longer.

There is a MONSTER recti thread on headfi.org
 
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marslo

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I have Ayon's own 5U4G in both mono blocs and preamp.
My friend recommended KR saying KR is best and better than EML on noise floor, bass, dynamic, clarity and density.
Out of curiosity I boght a pair. This morning I replaced Ayon 5U4G on my Titans with KR. Right out of the box, they sounded more similar than different. Only Ayon's texture was more refine and the bass was tighter. I was told I need two weeks burn in. Any other challengers?

View attachment 37677

Tang
I have had Ayon 5u4g for two years in my Cross III but the bulb became very dark and I decided to replace it with EML 5u4g, according to rumors both Ayon ans EML are made in the same factory in Czech Republic.
EML is ca 20% less expensive, needs at least 2 weeks to burn up.
I use KR 5u4g in my B7.
 

bonzo75

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I have had Ayon 5u4g for two years in my Cross III but the bulb became very dark and I decided to replace it with EML 5u4g, according to rumors both Ayon ans EML are made in the same factory in Czech Republic.
EML is ca 20% less expensive, needs at least 2 weeks to burn up.
I use KR 5u4g in my B7.

Just to clarify, they are made in the same factory, but not necessarily the same valve?
 

marslo

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Just to clarify, they are made in the same factory, but not necessarily the same valve?

The owner of Amare Musica, the fellow audiophile says the are the same at least as far as eletrical specification is concerned.

http://www.jacmusic.com
 

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Tango

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I have had Ayon 5u4g for two years in my Cross III but the bulb became very dark and I decided to replace it with EML 5u4g, according to rumors both Ayon ans EML are made in the same factory in Czech Republic.

If I remember correctly Gerhard told me he owns a tube manufacturing facility. I didn’t ask him where. Next time I see him in Bangkok I will ask him if it is the same facility that produces EML.

If Ayon is the same as EML, then, KR I was trying this morning sounded quite close to EML :).

Kind regards,
Tang
 
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bonzo75

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If I remember correctly Gerhard told me he owns a tube manufacturing facility. I didn’t ask him where. Next time I see him in Bangkok I will ask him if it is the same facility that produces EML.

If Ayon is the same as EML, then, KR I was trying this morning sounded quite close to EML :).

Kind regards,
Tang

In the Lampi circuit the differences are clear, especially in bass and stage depth region. Are your Cessaro subs driven by your Ayon amps?
 

Tango

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In the Lampi circuit the differences are clear, especially in bass and stage depth region. Are your Cessaro subs driven by your Ayon amps?

No. They have seperate amps.
 

Cellcbern

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I have only used it in the separate (PS 9.0) power supply for my Modwright -Sony 5400es SCD player, but the new Sophia Electric blue 274B, which is a drop-in replacement for a 5U4G (and subsitutes) is the best rectifier I have ever heard in the PS 9.0 - better than EML, Phillips 5R4GYS, 1940's RCA and Tung Sol, CEC, Mullard GZ32 5V4, etc. (you name it).
 

wisnon

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I have Ayon's own 5U4G in both mono blocs and preamp.
My friend recommended KR saying KR is best and better than EML on noise floor, bass, dynamic, clarity and density.
Out of curiosity I boght a pair. This morning I replaced Ayon 5U4G on my Titans with KR. Right out of the box, they sounded more similar than different. Only Ayon's texture was more refine and the bass was tighter. I was told I need two weeks burn in. Any other challengers?


Tang

This!

https://best300b-com.myshopify.com/...ted-series/products/kr-5u4g-rk-limited-series

KR5U4G_rk.jpg
 
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Nascimento

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Airtight ATM300 and 274B-5U4G-5U4GB
Have:
Takatsuki 274B, it seems a little weak, limiting the volume, is also very sweet!
EML 274B, very good this rectifier, dry bass and treble with a lot of extension!
EML 5U4G, follows the EML 274B standard, but makes the sound a bit aggressive!
Tung-Sol 5U4GB (US) very honest, nothing exceptional, a great buy for its low cost!
Sylvania and GE 5U4GB (NOS) good, but below Tung-Sol
Shuguang 274B WE (Black Treasure) For ears tired by my 62 year old, this was the rectifier I liked the most with my ATM300, without being deep, it has dry and controlled bass, good treble extension, the best buy I made for rectifier tubes!
 

bonzo75

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Airtight ATM300 and 274B-5U4G-5U4GB
Have:
Takatsuki 274B, it seems a little weak, limiting the volume, is also very sweet!
EML 274B, very good this rectifier, dry bass and treble with a lot of extension!
EML 5U4G, follows the EML 274B standard, but makes the sound a bit aggressive!
Tung-Sol 5U4GB (US) very honest, nothing exceptional, a great buy for its low cost!
Sylvania and GE 5U4GB (NOS) good, but below Tung-Sol
Shuguang 274B WE (Black Treasure) For ears tired by my 62 year old, this was the rectifier I liked the most with my ATM300, without being deep, it has dry and controlled bass, good treble extension, the best buy I made for rectifier tubes!

Yeah Tak is sweet and colored for those who want all recordings to sound similar.

You should try the RK 5u4g it is excellent. Haven't tried Acme yet
 
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marslo

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Yeah Tak is sweet and colored for those who want all recordings to sound similar.

You should try the RK 5u4g it is excellent. Haven't tried Acme yet
You will my friend, soon;)
 
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christoph

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Zero000

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Is his Kedness honoring you with his attendance? :eek::eek::eek:
:p:p
:D

After two attempts to come to mine over Xmas, because it genuinely wasn't convenient, the Kedster won't get to assess the Tesla AD1 until March sometime, in my new listening room.

But marslo? No idea if he's going to get Audiophile #2. I am if course #1. Ked needs another 250, 000 air miles to make up for the decades he was off the scene and for not having a system;)
 

Chops

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All of these new tubes these days stink. I will always go NOS with any and all tubes I need.

A few years back, I had an old converted and heavily modified Baldwin organ amplifier that required TWO 5U4G's. After rolling in a few new and old tubes, the absolute best ones were a matched pair of NOS Westinghouse 5U4G's with a quad set coin-base Russian 6N3C-E (6L6GC equivalent) output tubes.

Those particular 5U4G's added weight, grip as well as added space and air to the overall sound. It made that amp sound a lot more powerful than it's 23-28 watt output. At the time, I was powering a pair of NHT 2.9's with it and that amp had zero problems getting them to pretty loud levels... Cleanly.

All of the other 5U4G's that I tried just sucked the power and life out of that amp. It was weak, anemic, had background noise and just blah sounding. Those newer tubes included EH, Mesa, Psvane, Shuguang, and some JJ's. Oh, and some Golden Dragon's that didn't even fit because the envelope was too large.

I really miss that amp and wish I still had it, but it was my oldest brother's amp and I just had it a few months to make the repairs/mods/upgrades to it and run it through its paces before giving it back to him.


 
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