My Electro-Harmonix tubes sound far better now than when I received them. For my tastes, I will use the Electro-Harmonix and Sovtek tubes, with a preference toward Electro-Harmonix. Your amp will tell you which brand will work best for your tastes. Let me know what you end up with.

Yes, the blue halo seems to be unique to the Valve Arts. I sometimes like to fall asleep to low level classical on very quiet nights, like during snowfalls. It used to be really cool to wake up to those blue glows at the end of long passages.

I switched to Sophia meshplates (2.5V 300B's), but I hear Sophia stopped making them. I've also heard that most Asian meshplates are manufactured in the same factory.

From what I understand, the Valf-arts are very inexpensive tubes. The Sophia's were close to $300 a pair (yes, an impulse buy during a moment of weakness). What is surprising is that they seem to work really well in some systems.

I use them after I mod my amps, just in case something leads to a blown tube. That actually happened last time and I blew one of the VA's. After switching the system off and on repeatedly too many times, one of the rectifier tubes (a Mullard no less) on my McIntosh tuner blew and overloaded the amp. POP!

Regards,

Len

Where've you been? Been missing seeing you around. Whatcha been up to?

The Valve Art 2A3's are inexpensive, which I think is why they're the standard tube in entry level kits. But the blue halo is nice, glowing like a flame that gently dances to the music. That alone makes it worth buying a few to find a pair that don't pop.

As a replacement for Valve Art's, I think I'll try Electro-Harmonix 2A3 tubes in my Paramours. Maybe try Sovtek tubes sometime too. And one of these times, I want to swap out the transformers for better Magnequest iron and then move up to an RCA or Tung-Sol 2A3. Probably nice to build another pair of amps, so I can compare the stock build with the improved one.

What do you like about the 300B as opposed to the 2A3? Do you suggest changing bias to run a 300B in Paramours?

Wayne

Been really busy and expect that to continue into May. I hope to finish up my Master's this semester. Meanwhile some of the grandchildren are visiting. I really enjoy both school and the grandkids, but the combination of the two is not optimal.

Oh, supposedly the blue halo is due to an imperfect vacuum in the tube, but it doesn't seem to affect performance. I hear it affects longevity. I haven't seem a post on the electro-harmonix before now, which shows you how out of it I've been.

I like to fall asleep to low-level classical on really quiet nights like during snowfalls. It used to be nice to wake up at the end of long passage and see those blue glows.

I still use a Valve art for testing my amps after mods. They used to be a pair of course, but during the last mod I kept restarting my system without proper cycling times in between. I kept the preamp out of the circuit for testing, going direct from my McIntosh MR71 tuner to the Paramours. Well, the stress blew a rectifier tube (a Mullard no less) in the Mac, sent a surge through the 'Mour and popped the Valve Art.

The Sophias are labeled 2.5V 300B's, as are the TJ's. I heard all the Asian meshplates are manufactured in the same factory, but different labels have differing Quality Control standards. Who knows.

Like both the 300B and the 2A3 they fit the UX4 socket. But unlike the 300B, they run at 2.5 volts, they only put out 3.5 watts and they follow all the 2A3 op points, so I would call them 2a3's. The bass is very nice in my modified Paramours, but again some people find them to have too much bass. The mesh also gives them great detail in my system. I think that will show up even more when I change the 'Mours to direct coupling.

I believe true 300B's run at 5V and put out 8 watts, so they won't run in Paramours. I guess these meshies have a similar internal structure and maybe a similar sound to 300B meshies. But since all these DHT's produced by different manufacturers sound different, I don't know what a "true" 2A3 or 300B should sound like :-)

My listening room is full of MDF for the Seven cornerhorns, almost completely cut to size (only the 45's on the doghouses left) stacked on the floor. As soon as I have a chance to breathe, they'll be built "on site". Then the direct coupling of the Paramours. Then the GM70 amps. Then...

Ah, so many passions, so little time.

The Sophia tube sounds interesting. It also sounds like it is neither 300B or 2A3, but rather a third that shares some characteristics of them both. Sort of in between as far as bias and load line goes. Interesting.

You've really got your hands full there. All those projects, grandkids and a Masters to defend. So I'll understand if you nod off from time to time.