NEW Hi-Fi TUBES: PSVANE Horizon! Can it Compete with Linlai, Cryotone and Ray Tubes?

Links for tubes in video description.

I like these videos because they let me know I’m not the only one that’s gone down the rabbit hole of tube amps and the inevitable tube chase that follows. Try doing this at 64 with compromised and ever changing hearing. 😊

Been hoping for this one. Thanks.

Thank you for the good review.

Cool tubes

Nice video! I own the Linlai and fully agree with your assessment! It would be great if you continue with tube comparison. Particularly I am interested in 300Bs (but not the very expensive WEs)

Great video. Thank you! I think it would be very informative to do a similar comparison of 300B tubes.

I had my eyes on the linlay elite for some times. you convinced me. the good things is that with the decware ufo , I only need one!

If you want high quality NOS tubes I can totally recommend ValvesNMore. Jim and Charles give fantastic advice and service, and every tube is thoroughly tested prior to mailing. BTW, I have no affiliation with ValvesNMore. I'm in Australia and ValvesNMore are in Canada, so delivery is usually 2 to 3 weeks. You should also try 6CG7 or 6GU7 tubes in the 6SN7 slots. Of course, you need adapters, which ValvesNMore also sell. Recommended 6SN7 (and equivalent) NOS tubes - Sylvania 6SN7GTA straight-plate, Canadian made RCA 6SN7GTB black ladder plates, Toshiba 6SN7GTB, Toshiba 6CG7, RCA 6CG7 cleartop, Hitachi 6GU7.

Thanks for this Loīc. Perhaps an idea for another series with tubes, taking a lower-cost integrated tube amp, Wilsonton, comes to mind, but it could be whatever you have or could borrow for a time. Then, see at what level upgraded tubes do not matter and how close, 70%-80% or even not that close, you could get to a higher-end system like yours. Keep up the great work.

Enjoying your videos, as always, and this comparison. I'll try and listen to everything as there are always surprises, having said that, I may be old-school as I do seem to prefer NOS tubes almost without exception. Sourcing them from trustworthy tube mongers is a must. I'm assuming the warning you were trying to include refers to 6SN7 GT versus GTB (the former have really only been called GTA in hindsight, it won't say so on the tube itself): the former, as you indicate, are not safe to use in many modern-day amplifier designs - best to check with the manufacturer. Technically, the differences are a plate pulse rating increase from 1200V to 1500V (DC), and plate dissipation increased from 3500mW to 5000mW.

I don't need more tube equipment. I don't need more tube equipment. I don't need less tube equipment. I definitely need more tube equipment. I'm definitely sleeping on the couch once my wife finds out that I've bought more tube equipment... I hate you lol.

I enjoy working with Compactron tubes, they use a 12 pin base and they save space inside the amp enclosure. The best part is these tubes are not use a lot and therefore the cost of buying them is low and they have a wide range of types available.

Hi Loic. I replied to your follow-up to my question. I will post it as a new topic. Sorry for the confusion, I was referring to substituting the ECC88 driver tubes in the Sarah with 6SN7 tubes via adapters.

I wonder where the Sophia Electric 6SN7 fits in with all these.

There was a comment on the Decware site that the 6sn7 from Cryotone was detailed but bright and lacked bass. This particular poster wanted to like the cryotone tube but was hoping for changes during breakin. You had mentioned the sound is consistent from unboxing. Did you find them bright? Thanks for a timely video, looking for a tube for my LTA Dac.

Great video. I'm using a preamp with 1x 6SN7 and 1x 5U4G rectifier so tube rolling is a joy. Thanks for insights. Have you heard about the blue bottle Sophia Electric? Curious about their highly rated 6SN.

Thanks, interesting to learn about your experiences. Aren't the larger bottle tubes more susceptible to being microphonic? I'm not sure to what extent tubes can imprint their own character on the sound, irrespective of the given application. Circuit design, what power tubes they are driving - and who knows what else - in conjunction with the structural and electrical characteristics of the tube in question will result in a certain perceived performance.

Thanks for the survey...I've also been shopping around for 12AU7 & 12 BH7 driver tubes and there's quite a difference in sound signature between brands and the NOS. Cryotone tubes sound intriuging based on your feedback. However, I would presume that Cryotone aren't maunfacturing their own tubes as its an expensive business. So looking at the construction, particularly of their 300B and 2A3 on the Cryo site and the JJ site, where the top filaments of those tubes are distinctive, the Cryo look identical to JJ's 300B and 2A3, and from what I can see from your video, the 6SN7 could also be sourced from JJ. The JJ tubes are significantly cheaper than the Cryotones, which is fine if the process is really elevating the tubes to a much higher level, but maybe a comparison would be interesting? Could a diy home cryo treatment of JJs be a fun project?

Woohoo