KR Audio 45
- Thread starter JackD201
- Start date
Hello Mike, the Takatsuki 274b recti is still on my 'audio shopping list'. Too busy (i) at work and (ii) with the Tidal LA set up lately. But I will surely surely give it a try, hopely in the near future. However, first of all I am going to make serious work of my power distribution,
So far the metal base GZ34 and the RCA. I havce to restest the Haltron double micas too, to be certain. I have about 12 rectis.
What about the Brimar 5Z4GY? Have you tried that one?
I know I can rely on your recommandation.
A cheap alternative is a pre 1946 world war 2 era RCA/JAN 5r4gy with the double upsloping getters. Less than $100 on Ebay. Claimed rival to vintage WE 274b.
Champagne budget says Elrog to Takat 274b as current rollers darling...apart from full WE vintage 300b/274b setup.
Cognac budget is the mesh 45 globes or KR242 with rectis like the vintage metal base GZ34 or Kr274.
Beer budget is UK design 300b, eml 45 mesh, KR 45,KR px4, etc with JAN ww2 5r4gy, Brimar 5Z4, Haltron double Mica 5r4gy...i think I may have forgotten one more...
Cognac budget is the mesh 45 globes or KR242 with rectis like the vintage metal base GZ34 or Kr274.
Beer budget is UK design 300b, eml 45 mesh, KR 45,KR px4, etc with JAN ww2 5r4gy, Brimar 5Z4, Haltron double Mica 5r4gy...i think I may have forgotten one more...
Well I suppose upfront you never know for sure which of the mentioned beveridges - champagne, cognac or beer - will suit your taste in the best way, right?
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I was going to go for them, then I read a dissenting review.
I was thinking of some Chatham 5R4WGY's next as they look cool LOL.
You can waste serious money flipping all these tube options. I'm always rolling TBH and don't really stay with any particular tube for any extended period of time.
However, I virtually never select the Philco 45, or the EH 2A3.
Ah interesting. I suppose I am not really a tube roller: so far I have only inserted the Elrog 300b tubes. So happy with those that I have not yet tried Lukasz mesh tubes nor a pair of Takatsuki 300b tubes that I specially bought for the GG dac.
But as mentioned before I want to try the Takatsuki recti somewhere in the future.
I have the Chatam 5r4..dont like them too much, but those submarine tubes do look cool. LoL
Rudolf, the Jan 1944 5r4 is my joint favourite with the Philips metal base GZ34. From memory the Haltrons double mica are next and then the Brimar 5Z4 and the Mazda 5r4...but I need to retest.
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Well I know you have the Gold Lion 300b that we tested for 10 minutes and nixxed (may have been unfair as they were cold), but how could you NOT test Takat 300Bs that you have in your possession????
The EML Lampi mesh 45 Globes are "da bomb".
this is the recti I was using with the Elrogs prior to getting the Takatsuki. the Tak lowered the noise floor and added nuance and authority to the Elrog's over the RCA.
and i'll add that the Elrog-Takatsuki combo made me stop rolling tubes or even thinking about it. I had been agonizing over whether I should buy this or that WE 300b/274b for months. I had bid on a few of them but never won an auction. then I heard this combo and figured why worry about it? I just like the ease, transparency and authority and the all-around listenability of this 'marriage'. I have a drawer full of tubes I had acquired while I had that 'sickness' that Norman infected me with.
the Elrog-Tak combo seemed to resemble my vinyl front end balance in many ways and that was my target reference.
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Well Norman, probably I am just a very lazy audiophile.
But all kidding aside, I have the following reasons for not (yet) testing the Takatsuki 300b tubes in my GG dac:
1. I really like what the Elrog 300b tubes are doing.
2. Although they have been completely reliable so far in my set up, we both know that the reliability track record of the Elrog 300b tubes in general and also in combination with the GG is not good at all. According to Lukasz the Elrog is the only 300b that ever failed on the GG. Swapping them make the chances of a break down higher. See what happened with Al's Elrog 300b tubes: they were functioning well before these tubes were being swapped and now they are 'dead'.
3. Still making serious progress with my Tidal set up. It is hard work but I am getting nearer and nearer to finalize it (although there are still three important issues that need to be resolved; see one of my earlier remarks in the Tidal La Assoluta thread). Only after the Tidal LA set up is more or less finalized/stabilized, I will be able to hear the real quality of all the different tubes.
Hopefully this makes sense.
LoLthis is the recti I was using with the Elrogs prior to getting the Takatsuki. the Tak lowered the noise floor and added nuance and authority to the Elrog's over the RCA.
and i'll add that the Elrog-Takatsuki combo made me stop rolling tubes or even thinking about it. I had been agonizing over whether I should buy this or that WE 300b/274b for months. I had bid on a few of them but never won an auction. then I heard this combo and figured why worry about it? I just like the ease, transparency and authority and the all-around listenability of this 'marriage'. I have a drawer full of tubes I had acquired while I had that 'sickness' that Norman infected me with.
the Elrog-Tak combo seemed to resemble my vinyl front end balance in many ways and that was my target reference.
My bad!
Who can fault you for going straight for the Champagne solution?
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