What 300B tubes are you using in your VAC amps?

What's the matter with using Electroharmonix Gold Grids?
Is it because they cost so much less than all the others or are they audibly inferior?
I have to tell you that I run eight of them in my Canary 339 amp (also a push pull 300B triode amp like the VAC) and I love them. Never felt the urge to upgrade them. I did find that using NOS 6sn7's as the input/driver tues did make a nice diff. over the stock EH tubes, however.

Hi Roger,
I went with the WE 300B's for the following reasons:
1) They (WE) made the original 300B tube & to my ears & system still sound better than any other 300B I've ever heard.
2) Pro-rated 5 year warrantee - Not 30 - 60 or 90 days like most others.
3) Synergy - My entire system is warm & lush.
(VAC Ren. Sig. Mk. II pre & SF Stradavari's) & the WE sounded best to my ears & everyone else's ears in my listening room.
BTW - The KR 300B's advertized here on the gon are $872.70 a pair & the 300BXLS are $976.90 per pair x 8 = $6,980/$7,815 to re-tube the 140's.
Regardless or which 300B you choose - I think the VAC Ren. Sig. One Hundred Forty Mk. III is the best piece of work Kevin has ever done & most people will never know what 130 wpc of 300BLISS can sound like.
Under $6K for the 140's? You got one hell of a deal!
ENJOY!

Well I got a smokin deal on a octet of Sophia CB's so I now have 16 for my 140's......will report back.....I just couldn't pull the trigger on WE or KR's.

I have a 70/70 MkII which I run with Sophia Carbon Plates.

To be honest I find them a bit of a disappointment - rather flat and lifeless (6SN7s are all genuine Russian milspecs - the ones with metal bases and 'OTH' on them).

The current consensus here in Australia is the the TJ Full Music Mesh Plates are the best all-round 300Bs at a non-insane price. BTW you can get GDs from Evatco (www.evatco.com.au).

One more thing - the VACs in unmodified form drive 300Bs VERY hard. I've had mine detuned to ~50 wpc. That's why I chose the Sophias in the first place. They are very ruggedly built.

Cheers

Alan

Alan....I was thinking about your detuning to 50wpc...could this effect the performance of the CP's. I ask because KH recommended the CP's over the mesh plates because he thought the carbon plates would be a better match with the Vac's push pull design. Did the factory detune the amp? My 70/70 does not have the tube sentry and I will have Kevin perform the upgrade soon. Kevin says it is a must for these amps. If you have talked to Kevin about this I would be intersted in his thoughts.