PSVANE 300B PLUS
(Retailing price RMB 6800 yuan/pair)
PSVANE, anchored in Changsha, Hunan province of China, boasts the highest achievement in vacuum producing. Hi Fi, rich in types, has been marketed across the world. As an editor of THE TUBE WORLD and one of audio-fancies in great familiarity of the amplifiers, I have tested for over ten years works brought by PSVANE. To be frankly, I contend PSVANE the unbeatable one among antique- reproducings of American Western Electronics with its superb craftsmanship. From 205D to 212, tiny tube to king of tubes, PSVANE has displayed craftsmanship and sound performance competitive with original Western Electric. Surprisingly, the latest test of WE 300B PLUS have even brought me astonishment as it looks as genuine as Western Electric in external structure and greater in music broadcasting which renders it hard to define with each other.PSVANE 300B PLUS, pricing one third of 300B antiques made by Western Electric in the 50s, brings forth the same effects. No word can be used to describe my feelings on the exquisite craftsmanship.
To be specific, the fine sound performance of PSVANE 300B PLUS can’t do nothing with past techniques. Back from 1920s to 30s, transistors have not been developed. As a result, all audio amplifiers have learnt from the design of vacuum tube. America as the advanced country played a leading role in vacuum tube designing and manufacturing. Came the period when some factories were well-known for the manufacturing of vacuum tube including Western Electric, RCA, AMPEREX and so on. Having gone through decades of market turmoil, fanciers have seen the fairest and the widely recognized vacuum tubes produced mainly in Western Electric. This has made it a dominator in American markets with products along the line--amplifiers, loudspeakers and other components-- were only allowed to be rented rather than being purchased. It was not until 1940s when the American government has implemented Anti-monopoly Act that the sub-branch --music division has been re-named as ALTEC co-operated by an original team of staff. Gone was the past prosperity and less than ten years ALTEC has withered away, though, it left with Western Electric of which Hi fi fanciers found amazing crystal in 1940s with the highest sound quality. Among them, Western Electric has been sought after by decade-or-so fanciers.
Vacuum tubes of high fame produced by Western Electric were too large to be numbered. And of all the amps, 300B boasts the most fame and highest popularity. This had largely attributed to the two 300Bs--91 and 86--the former one adopting single-ended design with a 300B acting as intensifier and the latter one plug-pull with two 300Bs co-played in single track. They had brought forth unreachable effects in tune and musicality, inspiring the latter 91 and 86 amps’ imitations. The correspondingly rising 300B had since become a necessity well-known among fanciers. The truth is, after from those imitations, the past half century has witnessed many fanciers DIY 300B amps in a way different from that of Western Electric to bring the potential of 300B into full play. Due to the constant perfecting of 300B, the current WE 300B of 50s to 60s with good condition are pricing over HKD10,000 per one. Given the high price, many traditional manufacturers across China over the past decade has re-produced 300B to satisfy the tube lovers. Less costly as they were, the sound effects were far lower than the original one. It was not until these years when new 300Bs, being readjusted and upgraded, could bring into the effect increasingly closer to the antique version that the map of tubes has been changed. The hot tube- 300B already known all over the world were produced by PSVANE through the past years of hard work contributing to the superb sound effect and craftsmanship. I praised highly after testing it. What surprised me most was PSVANE’s further R&D of 300B PLUS, a new upgraded version from the 300B.
I was quite curious about this cute when I received it as I already have had a good performer of 300B in play at home. Can the new one bring fairer sound? It can only be known after testing. I opened it after having got home. I discovered that not the external structure and craftsmanship but also the sound quality of 300B PLUS were closer to those of WE antiques. To further prove, I used WE 300B PLUS as the matcher between WE91 and 86 and had it compared with antique AB.
91 and 86 were played mostly in one or two days span to preserve their fair sound, for I couldn’t leave aside the new tubes put at my home. However, what came into my mind first were 91 and 86 with the best sound and charm. I expected to spend 30 minutes in listening PSVANE 300B PLUS and the conclusion would emerge after the broadcasting of FM Radios. To my surprise, when it tested Turn Up The Quiet by Diana Krall, I was shocked by the perfect sound boasting 99% similarity to that of WE antiques in less than ten minutes. After I changed it to 300B I could barely tell the difference. Diana Krall’ represents female voice with violin focusing on low pitch. I replaced it with Mosaics played by the violinist Michael Rabin. The difference was hard to define initially and gradually clear. Being transparently played with either tube, the former antique features greater purity, the outcome of over 70 years polish. Yet generally these two tubes were similar to each other to a large extent especially in sound quality.
86 was used to further test. Dues to its plug and pull design, 86 played smoothly in the climax. However, 91 outperformed it as it comes to the musicality and sense. When adopted with 300B with WE antiques in playing the former two CDs, the sound effects boasted the same. Slight difference emerge when comparing 91 with 86, as, I believe, 91 acted better in bringing a pure sound effect in playing violin and high interpretation of different vacuum tubes and 86 competent in tensity and rich in plug and pull. These tests are full evidence of PSVANE WE 300B PLUS effecting as great as Western Electric antiques.
As I know, PSVANE 300B are sold in a limited volume of 100 pair per month. I suggest purchasing it as soon as possible for greater sound brought in earlier period. Those who has not 300B in hands, I recommend you to purchase one or two pairs to to avoid latter regret for not purchasing the greatest tube!