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Best PLace To Buy Chinese Tubes?

Can anyone tell me some reliable places to buy Chinese tubes on line?
Grant Fidelity seems very expensive but I guess they are reliable.
Has anyone dealt with the Chinese site "Tube-Sale.com?"
They seem more reasonable but are their tube top quality?
Of course the Psvane factory site warns of inferior tubes sold on line and they direct you to the Grant Fidelity site. But $580.00 for a quad set of CV181 TII tubes is pretty high. Maybe that's the price you have top pay for quality?
I installed a matched pair of Psvane Premium Grade 12AX7-T MKII that I bought on Amazon and was really impressed with the sound. They replaced a matched pair of Tung-Sol re-issues. I am using matched Genalex Gold Lion KT88 for power tubes and am pleased with these. Not really sure how much power tubes affect overall sound however.
So right now just looking to replace the four 6SN7s. I have a Chinese integrate and it seems to like even the stock Chinese tubes over the Russians. Guess that stands to reason, no? Maybe it will really appreciate some premium Chinese tubes? Can't hurt!
I appreciate any suggestions.
wcc10
wcc10 OP
78 posts
 
Good input all!
Sure, I know I do not have to use Chinese tubes. I've used both Chinese, re-issue Russian & NOS GE.
My interest in the upgrade Chinese tubes is mainly due to the fact that I do have 2 Psvane Premium 12ax7s now which I feel greatly improved sound over Tung-Sol re-issues & stock Chinese tubes. Thus my desire to try the CV-181-T MKII.
I can understand increased brightness with that tube, the Psvane 6SN7s were a little brighter but not to the point where it is too much. I feel they opened up the sound stage some especially in Triode.
I've found some possible locations via Alibaba. I've not had good luck with electronics on eBay at all! Maybe I'll try Alibaba unless anyone can tell me why not to!
Thanks all!
Post removed 
wcc10 OP
78 posts
 
To reflect on my experience with the Tung-Sol re-issue 6SN7, I came across a review of the Psvane CV-181-T MKII from 2012 by Srajan Ebaen on the 6 Moons website. This is how he described the Tung-Sol;
"any longer session should show that this effect is achieved by shifting listener focus on more foreground data. One becomes rather less conscious of surrounding supportive threads. This presentation felt more like upper mid-level transistors. The prime quality was vivid clarity with a touch of hyper focus and reduced depth of field"

Exactly how I found this tube in my system.
I found it produced a very shallow sound stage and it did not have that lush tube sound. I'm sure all of this is system dependent, so they may sound totally different in a different preamp.
Ebaen 's review of the Psvane CV-181-T MKII came down to this;

"The Psvane tube played it denser. It soundstaged deeper, was texturally wetter ('bloomier' or more luscious) and also felt a bit more laid back and settled." "any rhythmically incisive complex-layered fare filled out without getting even a tiny bit opaque or 'blended'."

I believe he was comparing the Psvane to Shuguang's Black Treasure CV-181.

Review link below:

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/psvane/1.html


deepee99's avatar
deepee99
77 posts
 
Just bumped across this thread. Here's my two bits' worth: Buy your Chinese directly from a Chinese seller of good repute. Most are on Fleabay but I see a few on Amazon, too. Whether PSVane or SG, plan on a 1 in 15-20 either DOA or very short-lived. China Post makes it prohibitively expensive to return bad tubes under warranty, so consider them hood ornaments. I too, hear better music coming from Chinese 6SN7 types than I have any Russian offering and some, IIMHO, better than the best NOS Sylvanias and RCAs. No experience with that tube type of European manufacture.
shkong78's avatar
shkong78
515 posts
 
https://www.hifi-amplifiers.com/en/t/vacuum-tubes-k-142.html

I usually get the tubes in 5 days upon order.

I bought 3 tubes from there so far.

Shuguang Treasure CV181-Z has a very organic and 3-d sound,
https://www.hifi-amplifiers.com/en/shuguang-treasure-cv181z-electron-tubes-best-matched-pair-p-473.h...


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