Favorite 300B: Sophia vs KR

I`ll just come out and say it now,after 2 1/2 hours of listening tonight with my friend Jwm(audiogon member). The Takatsuki 300b is 'OUTSTANDING! plain and simple truth. I`ve been so pleased with the Shuguang BT for quite a while on a nearly daily basis and freely recommended it to others, it`s a very very good tube. The Takatsuki is in an entirely different class.It is superior to the BT in every parameter, bass is deeper,better controlled(but not over damped at all)there`s better articulation,tone and nuance. Stunning midrange true of tone,weight,saturation and believability. Instruments and voices are just vivid and alive.Upper frequencies are superb,airy,open and without hardness or phony 'hyper detail'.Resolution, transparency and dynamics are supreme.

Now to the important point, The music we heard tonight was utterly devine.If like me you cherish natural/organic reproduction of music you have found your ideal tube.
I realize I`m heaping much praise on a tube with less than 3 hours of use but this tube is honestly a standout. If it does`nt improve a hair from this point onward I would`nt care. 1,450.00 USD is a very steep price for one pair of tubes, well they`re worth every penny of it.This is the 300b tube for those who want ultra quality music reproduced in the most realistic and natural manner.

I still must compare it to the Sophia RP(once they`re returned frrom Sophia). The japanese craftsmen/engineers did a stupendous job with this project. They really love music or it would`nt have been possible to be this sucessful.
Best Regards,

Charles1dad, man, now you are talking!

I am like you, but already have 3 pairs and have something on order, not tubes this time, so, these must wait for a while.

Thanks for your impressions, its clear to me and if you use them for another 100 hours, they settle fully by then for sure.

Maxmad,
If this tube continues to improve over a 100 hour burn-in, oh my goodness! The one major concern I had prior to buying was the cost of these tubes. I`m very value aware and know all to well the diminishing slope aspect of high end audio. There`re many examples where more money does`nt equal better performance.You have to spend wisely.

IMO the Takatsuki is most fairly price given its supreme sound and if someone wants what is likely one of the very best 300b available. The RP is 1200.00 USD,old stock WE 300b are well over 2000 USD and going ever higher in price(what`s their true condition and history of use/hours?). Try finding an AVVT 300b mesh plate and how much will it cost? I would still strongly suggest the BT tubes in their price range, they will out perform many other 300b choices.

If you want to hear the best of your amplifier and are willing or able to spend 1200-1450 USD it will come dowm to the Sophia RP or the Takatsuki(current production tubes with a warranty).
Best Regards,

Charles1dad,

Just wait until you get RP's, but to be honest, USD1200 is way to much for them. They sure were better than BT in my Cary, but no way they can be compared to the real thing.

I agree about AVVT Mesh's, very difficult to find, but also very risky to buy, even for say USD500 a pair, you can't be sure they will not die on you next month, cos you never know how much and how heavy they were working in somebody else amp.
The same reason for me do not buy any NOS Svetlana's, certainly not from Russia or from not trusty source, cos many are just B stock and really bad at the end. I found a real Svetlana's that were made in the years of US ownership and these are the only one to try/get, but even then, their history is unknown, so, putting USD350 for a pair is very risky and I just didn’t get them.

I mentioned 100 hours only, because it will be more than enough, think even less than that, to say that these are fully settled. Normally, and I think that's the case with Takatsuki as well, they burn them for like 24 - 48 hours nonstop, before they pass the manufacturing test. I know that AVVT did the same, not sure if this counts for all of their production years, but say after 1999 is. Do you believe any Chinese made tubes going to be tested like that? I doubt, especially when they make 500 tubes in hour, while an real handmade manufacture make like 500 in month, so, no comment.

I think if you ask the Takatsuki seller about their testing procedure they may tell you more, would be interesting to know, if that's not much trouble for you of course.

Keep informing us please.

THX

I was at Charles1Dad and all I have to say is that both of our jaws were left on the carpet. I think the Takatsuki improves his overall sound 80% or more. I am not kidding. This tube has dynamics that startle, transparency that welcomes you in to the event, and detail and smoothness on the treble without irritation. It is like you are listening to the piece of music you play for the first time. His older tubes were way darker and not as alive sounding as these. I need to convince Takatsuki to make KT-88's for me. Maybe second thought I should be quiet because I would need 16 of them in my amps, on second thought I would buy them. Charles will have to be served his meals in his man cave and he is lucky he has a bathroom close by. I don't think he is going anywhere soon.