Pavane/PSvane tubes, are they really THAT good?

[hal55]

I haven't bought tubes since 2010 and the prices seem to have gone thru the roof! One of the new players is Pavane and the reviews Ive seen of their tubes are extremely favourable. They are very expensive but if they live up to the hype I'll get some for an upcoming preamp purchase. A pair of 12 AX7s are some $70+ on ebay while I'll also need a 12AU7 which is used a cathode follower. Not really knowing a thing about such technical matters, is it necessay to spend big bucks on a tube used for this pupose?
Thanks for any input, shame you can't get good military tubes any more, of great quality, for just a few dollars.

Hal55

[julesd68]

Don't know about Psvane but do these fit the bill?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TEONEX-Branded-12AX7-CV4004-Military-Grade-Vintage-Valve-NOS-/251174367358?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Valves_Vacuum_Tube s&hash=item3a7b28b07e

[worrasf]

Hal

I have a pair of new (well about 5 hours) matched TJ Full Music 12AX7's you can try if you want - likely very similar to the Pavane's. I've also a load of JAN GE / Phillips 5963's which are very good - I think I've got a pair of GE 5 star 12AU7/ 5963's somewhere. I dont use these any more as they were bought for my SOHA II headphone amp which I now run at 6V
Oh - there are also pairs of Brimar, RCA, Philips Miniwatt 12AX7's kicking around in good fettle.
PM me if interested.

Steve

[Ammonite Audio]

I have tried Psvane ECC82 and ECC83 tubes in my phono amp, but I can't really hear any improvements over the standard Shuguang tubes that are produced in the same Chinese factory. The Psvane tubes are supposed to be assembled with extra care and to be better specced, but I don't think the extra cost is justified. In my phono amp, I finally found bliss in some (very) expensive NOS Telefunkens, which are wonderfully vibrant sounding - a quality that the Psvane and 'cooking' Shuguang tubes lack.

[HanTheMan]

I'm not sure which factory they are made in, Psvane stuff is either made in Shuguang's Changsha factory or the newly aquired former Foshan Guiguang factory. I have never tried all of them but Psvane, TJ and Shuguang tubes are said to sound similar - for 12AX7s Valve Art, Create Audio, and the various European & Russian have a different sonic signature.