Can You Understand The Insane Western Electric Prices

[sheltie dave]

If you want to hear some of the best, expect to pay a price comiserate with the quality.

The good WE gear has been amongst the best for 70 or 80 years.

 

[vinny55]

If you want to hear some of the best, expect to pay a price comiserate with the quality.

The good WE gear has been amongst the best for 70 or 80 years.

I would love to hear it so i can beleive you.
hows your craftsmens by the way? i bet they are probably just as good sounding as we. made by sid smith of marantz

 

[vinny55]

It is simple supply and demand, as things get more scarce and as the amount of people wanting them increases so does the prices, the Telefunken 803s is a perfect example of this, nice sounding tube no doubt but not worth 7-8 times more than an all ready overpriced 12AX7 IMHO but some want the best even if it is only by 2% and are willing to pay for it.

Status plays into this also being able to brag that you have a blah blah blah to your peers helps drive up the prices, and I suppose if you want the absolute best there is, money really isn't a concern but ownership is.

I know that after listening to a Mullard 10M Master series 12AU7 and 12AT7 in my Fisher 80AZ that I would pay hundreds if needed because they really do sound that good to me, The Telefunken 801s and 802s combo sounded pretty nice also but not like the Mullards did, others of course would prefer the sound of the Telefunken's and pay whatever they had to also.

Face it their not going down in value probally ever or until something better is made.



REGARDS JIM

the 300b is an average sounding tube to the rg telefunken and 245 2a3 on head to head comparison

 

[vinny55]

I own WE tubes and I've heard the 'stupid' expensive 300Bs.

I get it.

have you compared it the ux245 and telefunken rg globe at 1/10th the price?

 

[analog addict]

Had a WE 728B full range driver pass through my hands. Best sounding full range driver I've ever heard. Worth $2-4K??? Not to me.

However, if I had more $$$ than space, it would be an awful nice driver for a small room

 

[Snow]

the 300b is an average sounding tube to the rg telefunken and 245 2a3 on head to head comparison

Well I cant comment on that since I haven't heard these tubes, but as I said earlier "status" plays a large part in the perceived value of an item, if most people believe that X tube sounds better than Y tube then people will pay whatever they have to, to get X tube.

I think that the Telefunken 12AX7 and Telefunken 803S is a pefect example of this, both tubes sound very nice, the 803S may sound better but if so it is by such a small margin that I personally cant justify the extra expense but others can and will, due mainly I think to the status symbol of owning such a rare tube.

Whatever the reason/s are WE 300A's and B's have reached such high prices because many people feel that they are the best of their type and they are getting more scarce by the day.

Of course if you stumbled across a room full of WE tubes for a great price i'm pretty sure that once you started selling them you also would be extolling their value and worth :lmao:



REGARDS JIM

 

[Billfort]

have you compared it the ux245 and telefunken rg globe at 1/10th the price?

Which UX245? I have and use several 45s including RCA globe UX245s but what does that have to do with 300Bs or even 2A3s?

 

[reggaenaut]

Like the brothers that hoarded silver in the seventies driving up the price.

If my memory served me right I think those guys lost their shirts.

 

[Snow]

Which UX245? I have and use several 45s including RCA globe UX245s but what does that have to do with 300Bs or even 2A3s?

Apples oranges bananas ya know :yes:



REGARDS JIM

 

[reggaenaut]

The 300B was built to last forever. I cannot say anything about its sound.

 

[sheltie dave]

I would love to hear it so i can beleive you.
hows your craftsmens by the way? i bet they are probably just as good sounding as we. made by sid smith of marantz

Actually, Vinny the RC 500 was a licensed WE design that Sid massaged, so they ARE a WE product, in that sense. :yes: And my singlet is one of the quietest tube amps I have.:thmbsp:

 

[luvvinvinyl]

Vinny, I've heard billfort's system. It really is something special. He knows whereof he speaks.

Did you click on his "my system" link?

 

[reggaenaut]

Actually, Vinny the RC 500 was a licensed WE design that Sid massaged, so they ARE a WE product, in that sense. :yes: And my singlet is one of the quietest tube amps I have.:thmbsp:

Sid gave special attention to the OT.

 

[vinny55]

Wow i didnt know that. thank you much for that awesome information

 

[vinny55]

Vinny, I've heard billfort's system. It really is something special. He knows whereof he speaks.

Did you click on his "my system" link?

sorry i dont see the link

 

[BadassBob]

Vinny, I've heard billfort's system. It really is something special. He knows whereof he speaks.

Did you click on his "my system" link?

You are definitely one luck SOB :yes: Id LOVE to hear that system someday. So Bill, you bringing it to AKFest?

 

[Billfort]

I've thought about it in the past Bob but not for long. This stuff really doesn't travel well, then there would be renting a van and crossing the border - 2 times, US AND Canada Customs. I looked into what it would take to do it correctly and it made the van and moving/setting up all my crap twice look like the easy part.

So no, but if you ever get up my way...