Forums - Wathen CryoTone Tube vs Western Electric

Steve08226

Senior Member

Posts: 57

Wathen CryoTone Tube vs Western Electric
10/24/23 at 15:21:30

Hi,

We are patiently waiting for our Sarah to arrive, down to around 175 from 2200 on the list.

Last year while waiting we bought a Dennis Had 300b amp that came with Western Electric 300b's it had real good sound.

We received the Wathen Decware CryoTone Tube Bundle for the Zen Sarah, SEWE300B yesterday, and in one day, with just the 300b added to the Dennis Had amp sounds better, in every way.

Just pointing this out because, we opted for no tubes when ordering our Sarah, and we are very glad we went the Wathen CryoTone route.

Can't wait to put the whole set into a Decware 300b!

Back to top

IP Logged

Steve08226 Senior Member Posts: 57	Re: Wathen CryoTone Tube vs Western Electric Reply #1 - 10/24/23 at 15:28:49 FYI/ This all started with us buying a Wathen CryoTone tube for a Zrock II that made a substantial improvement over stock. Just our thoughts, Steve08226
Back to top	IP Logged

Steve08226 Senior Member Posts: 57	Re: Wathen CryoTone Tube vs Western Electric Reply #2 - 10/24/23 at 19:46:56 We now replaced the stock GE 5U4 rectifier tube with a Wathen CryoTone 5AR4 tube. Out of the box it sounds better more 3D, no hum and it has a wider soundstage. Impressive!
Back to top	IP Logged

Ghostship Seasoned Member Posts: 155	Re: Wathen CryoTone Tube vs Western Electric Reply #3 - 10/24/23 at 20:00:24 That has been my experience, too. That's why I'm running the complete Cryotone Bundle in my Sarah. Congrats!
Back to top	Paul Pang Quad Network Switch & Fiber MSB Premier DAC Zen Sarah SEWE300B Cryotone Bundle Tekton 2-12 Perfect SET Speakers w/ BE Tweeters and Cap & Wiring upgrades Tekton 2-10 Sub IP Logged

Steve08226 Senior Member Posts: 57	Re: Wathen CryoTone Tube vs Western Electric Reply #4 - 10/24/23 at 20:22:58 Ghostship, You are one of the reasons we pulled the trigger. Thank You, Steve08226
Back to top	IP Logged

Steve08226 Senior Member Posts: 57	Re: Wathen CryoTone Tube vs Western Electric Reply #5 - 10/24/23 at 20:29:10 On a side note: The Dennis Had 300b amp plays 6 db louder with the two Wathen CryoTone tubes.
Back to top	IP Logged

Lon Seasoned Member "Love without guts is worthless!" Philip K. Dick Posts: 23544	Re: Wathen CryoTone Tube vs Western Electric Reply #6 - 10/24/23 at 22:05:57 Nice to hear that about the 300B-WC, I have a pair ordered that should ship next week. I had a 5AR4-WC that I just didn't like in my system as well as other rectifiers; the Sophia Electric Aqua 274B or 274B II is my favorite, to my ears clearly preferred over the Cryotone.
Back to top	HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II, P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3; VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones: Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1 IP Logged

charles hidalgo Seasoned Member Posts: 494	Re: Wathen CryoTone Tube vs Western Electric Reply #7 - 10/24/23 at 22:06:32 Entire Cryotone bundle (including 5ar4 and 5u4 rectifiers) here also for the Sarah. As far as the tubes go they are very quiet.
Back to top	SEWE300B #004 HDTv2 Zbit Schiit Freya+ Schiit Loki Max EverSolo Streamer/DAC combo Custom AT turntable Softone phone stage TEAC and Otari tape machines SVS Pro 1000 subs Nordost cables IP Logged

Steve08226

Senior Member

Posts: 57

Re: Wathen CryoTone Tube vs Western Electric
Reply #8 - 11/13/23 at 14:04:34

Well, after a few weeks of break in on the Wathen CryoTone 300b tubes we switched them out for a set of broken-in Western Electric 300b's.

This is a fine example that you can't go backwards, we're not saying the WE 300b's are not really good, we are trying to say how great the Wathen CryoTone sound.

Can't wait for our Decware Sarah 300b to arrive so we can put the whole set in!

Just our Thoughts,
Steve08226

Back to top

IP Logged

Lon

Seasoned Member

"Love without
guts is
worthless!"
Philip K. Dick

Posts: 23544

Re: Wathen CryoTone Tube vs Western Electric
Reply #9 - 11/13/23 at 14:15:55

I've broken in a pair of Cryotone 300B-WC in my SEWE300B.

Very, very nice tubes. I confess I think I like the Sophia Classic 300B as much, maybe as a shade more tonally. . . but one went out on me and it will be a while before I order another pair.

Thanks to a board member I'll have a borrowed pair of Takatsuki 300B to compare them to later today.

Back to top

HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II, P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3; VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones: Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1

IP Logged

JD Seasoned Member Posts: 533	Re: Wathen CryoTone Tube vs Western Electric Reply #10 - 11/13/23 at 20:58:32 Lon, Curious to hear what you think of the Takatsuki tubes. I ended up ordering the Sarah amp a few months ago and had those tubes on my short list. JD
Back to top	IP Logged

Lon Seasoned Member "Love without guts is worthless!" Philip K. Dick Posts: 23544	Re: Wathen CryoTone Tube vs Western Electric Reply #11 - 11/13/23 at 21:10:23 I'll let you know what I think!
Back to top	HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II, P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3; VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones: Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1 IP Logged

Showme Seasoned Member Posts: 302	Re: Wathen CryoTone Tube vs Western Electric Reply #12 - 11/18/23 at 22:03:55 What happened with the Takasuki’s? How did they stack up.
Back to top	IP Logged

Lon

Seasoned Member

"Love without
guts is
worthless!"
Philip K. Dick

Posts: 23544

Re: Wathen CryoTone Tube vs Western Electric
Reply #13 - 11/18/23 at 22:30:57

Okay, I posted some impressions earlier elsewhere. Here's my little observation.

They are excellent tubes: transparent, very dynamic.

They really aren't the right fit for my needs. I think my favorite tube so far may be the Sophia Electric 300B Classic pair I had. There was a richness and a warmth and yet also detail and dynamics that the other tubes I've tried have not quite matched. but one of them failed after about 3 months, and that is discouraging.

Next best, very closely so, is the Crytotone 300B-WC. There is a sense of a body to the instruments that is very appealing and a low frequency heft (perhaps not the best, but close) that my untreated and not allowed to be treated room really needs. My one niggle with them is that they present the whole shebang just a little more forward than I would like. The Japanese tubes are just right in that regard, but. . . I need that other thang the Cryotone brings.

So I am very thankful for the chance to listen to these tubes! I wish I could afford to purchase them to have as another backup pair and an occasional session pair. . . but I'm a few years away perhaps from that possibility.

Back to top

HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II, P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3; VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones: Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1

IP Logged

Showme Seasoned Member Posts: 302	Re: Wathen CryoTone Tube vs Western Electric Reply #14 - 11/19/23 at 14:21:12 Thanks for the update. I wouldn’t buy Sophia Electric no matter how good for the exact reason you experienced with the failure. I’ve been lucky with a Sophia 274B but I think they’re a risk I don’t need to take. I might try the Cryotune at some point though.
Back to top	IP Logged

Lon

Seasoned Member

"Love without
guts is
worthless!"
Philip K. Dick

Posts: 23544

Re: Wathen CryoTone Tube vs Western Electric
Reply #15 - 11/19/23 at 14:58:30

Well, the sound of the Sophia Electric is a lure for me--they sounded the best of the four brands I have tried. From reading the web it's a risk with any tube purchase, others have had failure with Cryotones. I've had great luck with the Aqua 274Bs. . . . The 300B Classics I bought were a demo pair and had no warranty, they were cheap. One can expect things to happen with such a purchase. In time I'll probably try the 300B Classic II from Sophia Electric, I just have a lot to pay back first.

Back to top

HR-1,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod; Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD, DAC Mk II, P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls, Reference spkrcbls; Mapleshade SamsonV3; VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones: Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1

IP Logged