WTB EML or KR Audio tubes

The choice between PX4/25 is clearly a gain play. The PX4s seem to be the best and safest choice for those who are buying blind. They do everything. Great for rock, classical, vocals, cello. They place the choir back behind the speakers wide across the room like it should be. Greg's DIY horns and Yamamoto are very high gain. The PX25 initially had a superb grip on the piano and the cello in Beethoven's cello sonata. On other tracks we were getting too much hardness so Greg reduced his preamp gain by inserting tubes 3db lower. Then the difference between PX25 and the PX4 dropped. So, in other words, please don't read here for advice on whether to buy 4 or 25. If you can't hear both, buy 4.

The Special EML Lampi Globe anniversary 45 did some things better...but only if you were critically listening, and had to write a review, and pick one of the two. Otherwise, they are so close, if you have one and don't want to spend on the other, don't. You are not losing out on any quality or drastic presentation differences that might suit your preferences. The 45 did highlight some of the individual instruments in large orchestral passages better.

In Greg's system the EML mesh 5u4g recti worked the best with all these tubes. It gave a slight air, and timing pause, while the special KR 5u4g sounded too aggressive and rushed. But then in some systems, the EML sounds too laid back. I would still take the KR as the safer bet and if it sounds too rushed, switch to EML. EML has more air.

The Elrogs do their own 300b magic but I don't seem to be a 300b fan. None has worked on me. I think if one has to spend on one output tube, it should be the PX4 or the special 45 depending on your budget and the 45 availability. Greg is in agreement like with last fortnight's rolling group. Bill's system will be worth confirming this in as it is a very different system - SS, big cone speakers.

The 101d and 104 were not used in months and were taken out cold. Both have a warm, embracing feel, but more laid back and less dynamic than the modern valves. The 104 is more dynamic than the 101. What they had over the modern ones was a pause and time interval in the music, making the modern ones appear more rushed. They had a more traditional tubey sound.
 
bonzo said:
The choice between PX4/25 is clearly a gain play. The PX4s seem to be the best and safest choice for those who are buying blind. They do everything. Great for rock, classical, vocals, cello. They place the choir back behind the speakers wide across the room like it should be. Greg's DIY horns and Yamamoto are very high gain. The PX25 initially had a superb grip on the piano and the cello in Beethoven's cello sonata. On other tracks we were getting too much hardness so Greg reduced his preamp gain by inserting tubes 3db lower. Then the difference between PX25 and the PX4 dropped. So, in other words, please don't read here for advice on whether to buy 4 or 25. If you can't hear both, buy 4.

The Special EML Lampi Globe anniversary 45 did some things better...but only if you were critically listening, and had to write a review, and pick one of the two. Otherwise, they are so close, if you have one and don't want to spend on the other, don't. You are not losing out on any quality or drastic presentation differences that might suit your preferences. The 45 did highlight some of the individual instruments in large orchestral passages better.

In Greg's system the EML mesh 5u4g recti worked the best with all these tubes. It gave a slight air, and timing pause, while the special KR 5u4g sounded too aggressive and rushed. But then in some systems, the EML sounds too laid back. I would still take the KR as the safer bet and if it sounds too rushed, switch to EML. EML has more air.

The Elrogs do their own 300b magic but I don't seem to be a 300b fan. None has worked on me. I think if one has to spend on one output tube, it should be the PX4 or the special 45 depending on your budget and the 45 availability. Greg is in agreement like with last fortnight's rolling group. Bill's system will be worth confirming this in as it is a very different system - SS, big cone speakers.

The 101d and 104 were not used in months and were taken out cold. Both have a warm, embracing feel, but more laid back and less dynamic than the modern valves. The 104 is more dynamic than the 101. What they had over the modern ones was a pause and time interval in the music, making the modern ones appear more rushed. They had a more traditional tubey sound.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the write up. The PX4 seems to be the best all around choice, would you agree?

I've got a bunch of PX4's on order for customers (and a couple for myself).
 
Selling my Elrog 300b pair for 700 Euro, which is what I bought it for, if anyone wants to buy. Postage additional. Hardly used except to test (I don't have speakers right now anyway). Bought it off Khonfused who hardly played it either, and it still has warranty till Dec. Barely 100 hours, I guess, and playing fine. Selling because I just received my special Lampi 45s, and already have a PX4 on order, also have a 242. Best 300bs I have heard, better than KR 300b. I haven't heard the original WEs so let's leave those out :)
 
So we heard at Bill's, with SS analog domain integrated and focal Maestro utopias, a different set up from the high efficiency horn loaded SET set ups we had compared the valves on.

The px25 and px4 were nearly equal, with px25 having a bit larger soundstage and leading edge that when compared gave the px25 the edge, but without comparison would have kept anyone happy.

The special Lampi 45s were tonally the best and my choice for most music except that they had less details on tuttis compared to the others. The PXs are also superb on cellos, but the 45 really stand out on all other instruments. These were brand new and not broken in

The baritone vocal was the best on the 45, while Sullaria was better on the px25.

101d replicas were still the most dynamic and cleanest, but tonally the least equal. The others also had a deeper soundstage, but on piano and solo, the notes really slammed and leapt out with the 101ds.

Both of us found that both 300bs, KR and Elrog, were not to our tastes. These are excellent 300 bs however.

All compares were done with KR 5u4g which turned out to be the best all round recti, with KR 274b giving the bit more required edge on special 45s. The EML was relatively too laid back and slow, though on other systems it did give a bit of air due to the mesh plate.

Oh yes, and like an idiot, I forgot to take the 242, but both of us are quite sure if it doesn't distort or sound too hard, it will win easily. I will post it to Bill next week.
 
Hi Ked

Did you manage to send your KR 242 to Bill in the meantime?
Would be curious to hear about the differences between the KR 242 and the EML Lampi 45 mesh anniversary tubes and the PX4...
 
What a fascinating thread for the tube roller. I am interested in any impressions of the Tak recti with the PX4s. Has anyone tried this combo in a Golden Gate? Also, any more impressions of the PX25 vs the PX4? I'm trying to determine what to go for as a starter set for a GG.
 
PX25 had almost always been better than both PX4 and RK PX4 except in very rare cases where the gain has been too much for the PX25
 
New kid on the block

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