Elrog 300B vs Takatsuki 300B tubes

Maybe other Frankenstein MK II owners will share their experiences. I can only comment on my 6 years of ownership and I haven't had these premature tube failures. AVVT SL 32, EML, Takatsuki and Shuguang Black treasure. I've used these 4 different tubes long term(more than 3 years) without any failure issues. So far the replacement Elrogs are doing fine.

So for whatever reason there may be, my outcome isn't the same as yours or Jac's experience.

Brownsfan, Drdavid, Scifi or Snowpro, have you Frank owners had early tube failure issues?

I'm only about a year in, but I have not yet had any tube failures on my pair of Franks (and continue to love them).

- Chris

I've had my Franks about three years and used Shuguang Black Treasures, Takatsuki's and now the second generation Elrog' 300b's without even a hickup. They are spectacular.

Charles,

I haven't had my Franks as long as you have but have never experienced any other tube failures with them other than one of my Elrogs. I have used the stock Shuguang Black Treasures (briefly) as well as VAIC VV300b which were manufactured in the 90s when KR and VAIC were one company. 

When I asked Israel about using different brands of 300b tubes he did tell me to stay away from Sophia Royal Princess as they couldn't handle the voltage levels of the Franks.  It appears that the Franks create higher voltage levels than other 300b amps...this was alluded to by WJT2005 but in a slightly different context than I think Israel meant it with his comments about suitable 300b choices. 

Others he mentioned as being ok were the Taks which he spoke very highly of, Elrogs only the newer ones that have been rebuilt to handle the higher voltages, older KRs but not ones made within the last 5 years, EML XLS which he really liked but not their mesh plates which were prone to microphonics. 

Hope this his helps with the discussion about reliability. 


From on my own experience these amps are by far the quietest tube amps I have ever owned and I have owned a bunch. I can't believe that even with my ear right up to the compression drivers on my speakers there is virtually no noise. Now that's really unprecedented in my experience with tube amps. 

Scifi