I own a 219 and while I have rolled all of the other tubes I have been on the fence w/purchasing a true WE310A. Based on your comments above I probably won't now. I have been interested in the Russian equiv. (10J12S) though as well. They can be bought relatively inexpensively but I can only find them outside of the US. I wonder if anyone else around has tried the 10J12S. I'm currently at a point where I need to get another pair (~WE310) in and retire the current ones to 'backup' duty. Was not aware that Shuguang offered varying levels of the WE310.
Shuguang 310A vs. WE310A
Id like to note my small experience with the 310A tube, generally because it is I suppose, contrary to the expected outcome in this case and may assist others in the future in their consideration of 310A's and the limited info.
Western electic being the originator of this tube, it is generally held as the respected 'go to' of this valve. I have had WE310A's in my LM219ia for several months now. While after initial install, there was no improvement, I figured I would give the tubes time to open and break in as i purchased them as NOS. Roughly 5 months later, I decided to swap the stock shuguang 310A's back in (last night). I can confirm that the shugaung 310A's ARE in fact the better tube in MY system. I noticed some additional transparency, and a little bit more attack returned. I will be leaving the shuguangs in. To put it simply....it would be like there was one verrryy thin cotton sheet over my speakers that has now been removed by switching back to the shuguangs.
You hear that the stock shuguangs that come in this amp are in fact pretty good. Ive read one other post on another forum of an individual stating to leave the stock 310A's as he found them to be better than the WE310A's as well. This was one solemn instance on one board, thus i decided to see for myself, and with giving the WE's enough time to settle, i feel that confident in being the second person to state that in fact, the shuguangs are superior... In my system at least..
. I wonder how significant the more costly shuguang 310A models might or might not be compared to these..Others who may have upgraded up the path of 310A's and could weigh in, please do.
Western electic being the originator of this tube, it is generally held as the respected 'go to' of this valve. I have had WE310A's in my LM219ia for several months now. While after initial install, there was no improvement, I figured I would give the tubes time to open and break in as i purchased them as NOS. Roughly 5 months later, I decided to swap the stock shuguang 310A's back in (last night). I can confirm that the shugaung 310A's ARE in fact the better tube in MY system. I noticed some additional transparency, and a little bit more attack returned. I will be leaving the shuguangs in. To put it simply....it would be like there was one verrryy thin cotton sheet over my speakers that has now been removed by switching back to the shuguangs.
You hear that the stock shuguangs that come in this amp are in fact pretty good. Ive read one other post on another forum of an individual stating to leave the stock 310A's as he found them to be better than the WE310A's as well. This was one solemn instance on one board, thus i decided to see for myself, and with giving the WE's enough time to settle, i feel that confident in being the second person to state that in fact, the shuguangs are superior... In my system at least..
. I wonder how significant the more costly shuguang 310A models might or might not be compared to these..Others who may have upgraded up the path of 310A's and could weigh in, please do.
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