Item reviewedRe: WE 300b vs CryoTone 300B-WC tubesReply #9 - Decware ForumOk, with ~550
hours on the amp, ~250 with ♠ the economy tubes plus WE300Bs, and ~300 with the full
Cryotone Bundle with Cryotone 300Bs, I have some impressions.The Sarah ♠ 300B sounds
great with the economy tubes Decware supplies for ~$600. The amp easily sounds better
than amps two times ♠ the price.Swapping in the Western Electric 300Bs with the economy
tubes, the amp sounds utterly amazing, now in the three ♠ to four times the price
category.The Sarah 300B with the full Cryotone compliment sounds perfect, world-class,
end game, easily one-and-done ♠ - it's the best I have ever heard, comparable to the
Kondo Audio Note Gakuoh II 300B monoblocks I've heard, ♠ which are 20x the priceparing
the Western Electric 300Bs with the rest Cryotone, against full Cryotone including
their 300Bs: the ♠ WE300Bs are perfectly clear, transparent, detailed, etc. In short,
everything you would expect, except...when you swap in the Cryotone 300Bs ♠ you realize
there is more density and clearly more bass response, all the while retaining every
other excellent characteristic of ♠ the WE300Bs.It's like looking at a magnificent view
thinking it was perfect with the WE300Bs, then with the Cryotones having ♠ an
immaculately crystal clear window pane removed and now you have the same view but you
can feel the breeze ♠ on your face, too, like an added level of realism.On the older
solid-state amps I had growing up, there used ♠ to be a Loudness button that would give
it a boost usually designed for low-volume listening...but I would leave it ♠ on all the
time because I loved the extra density.That is the best way I can describe the
difference between ♠ the WE300Bs and the Cryotone 300Bs...it's the density
button.Certainly, this will all come down to personal taste and system uniqueness, ♠ so
your mileage may vary.I strongly recommend the Cryotone bundle for the Sarah SEWE300B.
Yes, they are 3x the price ♠ of the economy tubes, and worth every penny. Be aware that
these tubes are selected by Wathen to go together ♠ synergistically...you may not get the
full value swapping in one or the other piecemeal...or you might, I have no clue...I
♠ don't have the time or the interest in doing a sq test like that...I am far too busy
listening to ♠ this glorious sound.And, I have no real interest in buying additional
tubes to roll right now, however, I am spending ♠ money on additional sets of Cryotones
instead, because I want this sound to last forever.Ghostship
Item reviewed12AX7-WCL
Long Plate GoldWhat a ♠ HUGE difference in the tone ranges at the potentiometers.I was
LIKE WOW! Tighter crunch and much less overtones. Harmonics are ♠ quick and easier to
control. My amp is a Hughs and Kettner TriAmp Mark III.Chris T.
Item
reviewed12AX7-WCM"I replaced the front ♠ input tube of my Decware ZP3 Phono Stage with
your 12AX7-WCM. The voice clarity is amazing. Also overall depth is ♠ excellent. I'm very
impressed!"Frank Z.
Item reviewedEL34-WC"After adequate time to break in, I can’t say
enough about the extraordinary difference these ♠ tubes make. Prior to these tubes, my
favorites were the Mullard el 34’s. I still like the Mullard’s, but in ♠ every
conceivable subjective measure, the Wathen Cryotone el 34’s absolutely outperform them.
The cryotones are significantly more dynamic, detailed, coherent ♠ top to bottom, full
bodied, and they are simply captivating. They enable me to play music louder with less
distortion. ♠ Every part of the frequency is superior to the Mullard’s from the highest
highs to the lowest lows. Further, the ♠ leading edge, body, and decay of every note is
beautifully displayed in a natural and captivating way. These are relatively ♠ expensive
tubes but the result is similar to an amplifier upgrade at a fraction of the cost.
These are the ♠ best sounding el 34’s I’ve heard to date and I’ve tried everything from
Gold Lion KT 77’s to Mullard’s, to ♠ Tung Sol’s.These are truly extraordinary!!"Jeff
P.
Item Reviewed300B-WC"Thank you for such a fine sounding 300B tube! It is remarkably
spacious, delicate on ♠ top with “air” and dynamic. In the context of new stock tubes,
the Cryotone 300B-WC stood well against tubes costing ♠ on a net basis at least 30% more.
The soundstage is wide and deep-as advertised. The certain care of the Wathen ♠ initial
tube selection/matching process along with this cryogenic process have yielded a fine
tube and a great value, too. Glad I ♠ bought them! Best regards to you and your team." Ed
B. In North Carolina
Item reviewed5AR4-WC"Using these in Decware Tori Mk IV if ♠ you can
swing it change all the tubes in the MK IV to Cryotone Tubes. Steve Deckert description
of these ♠ tubes is accurate I took him at his word best money I’ve ever spent on
tubes.Thank you Steve and Don."Michael ♠ B.
Item reviewedEL34-WCI have around 60 EL34
tubes fromR$60 a piece toR$400 a piece. My problem is so many of them ♠ sound so similar.
Your units work very well with other units of yours. Kind of a match made in heaven.
♠ The best thing about these tubes so far is I dropped one and it didn't break.Michael
L.
Item reviewed6SN7-WCI have around ♠ 10 sets of this tube both new and old. This Tube
makes any power tube sound better. It's hard to ♠ believe the difference. These tubes are
my favorite by far. I give this tube a rating of no equal.Thanks,Michael Lynch
Item
♠ reviewed12AT7-WCT Texas Special"Hi don, totally awesome! what can say great sounding
tubes! I did use them with the stock 12sn7 ♠ NOS just to see how they sounded and quite
an upgrade! I have them now with some mint Sylvania VT-99[ ♠ 6f8g] with adaptors and I
think this is the way the LTA preamp should sound much more detailed and natural
♠ sounding. Most likely will buy other tubes from you in the future."Cheers,Rio
Costantini
Item reviewed12AU7-WCL Long Plate"Clean, clear, dynamic. Great tubes!"Bill
♠ O.
Item reviewed12AU7-WCL Long Plate"I have a great many NOS 12AU7 tubes, both old
European and USA. I recently did a ♠ shootout of all my tubes and settled on what I
thought were the best of them. These tubes are better, ♠ in my opinion, and are now my go
to 12au7's."Jim M.
Item reviewed12BH7-WC"I purchased a matched pair of the Cryotone
12bh7 ♠ tubes . I’m using them in my Croft Micro 25RSLS Preamp . After a few hours of
burn in they ♠ sound nothing short of revelatory . That’s not hyperbole. Extremely clear
, neutral , hyper detailed but natural sounding with ♠ a wonderfully clear extended
treble . Huge up tick in resolution compared to any of the previous tubes I’ve used
♠ including my much loved RCA NOS . Initially I was a bit taken aback at the level
vividness and resolution ♠ (compared to my more relaxed NOS tubes) I was hearing with
these tubes but my ears soon adjusted . The ♠ Cryotone’s will definitely staying in place
. Needless to say I’m very impressed and thrilled with my purchase . So ♠ much so , that
I’m now going to order the Cryotone 12ax7 WCL tubes . Thank you to Steve at ♠ Decware for
bringing CryoTone tubes to my attention . My only issue was the very slow USPS delivery
time ( ♠ 2 weeks + ) to me here in Canada . Otherwise - highly recommended . I received
excellent customer service ♠ from Angie and Don."Drew T.
Item reviewedEL84-WCI just
replaced all four tubes in my Decware Zen Triode with Cryotone’s. I’ve only ♠ been
listening for about 30 minutes, but I’m hooked on the beautiful tone already. I’m very
pleased with the sound.Ronnie ♠ C.
Item reviewed5U4GB-WC"I just received the tubes about
an hour ago. I’ve been listening to some of my favorite tracks. The ♠ combination of the
Cryotone tubes and my Decware Zen Triode is magical."Ronnie C.
Item reviewed6L6GC-WC
silver"Absolutely wonderful sounding tubes! I dropped ♠ these in my Decware Torii Mk3
and, even with no burn-in, they sound fabulous. Nice rich harmonics and texture with
♠ not even the slightest hint of brightness. The amp now throws an enormous soundstage,
and every subtle nuance on each ♠ recording is laid before the listener for him/her to
enjoy. Highly recommended!"Chris P.
Steve DeckertDecwareTonight I decided to do the
long ♠ awaited test of some new tubes that I've been excited about. They were the exact
same tubes that were already ♠ in the amp, but a different brand and were cryo treated by
someone who is beyond passionate about it and ♠ knows the secrets to the ramp recipes for
different materials. It's like the difference between a simple business that freezes
♠ shit and hopes it's better, and an obsessed audiophile who froze it 400 different ways
until he knew the best ♠ possible way so I have been anxious to experience his work.The
same speakers without the coils are twice as smooth ♠ and balanced as they were last
night with the coils and the only change is the tubes in the amp. So it ♠ becomes
obvious when a high resolution speaker that is capable of cutting you to shreds feels
like warm kittens and ♠ the sound is fleshy and well, real -- the edge that we've all
become so used to with this type ♠ of speaker is now a block away from the property with
no chance of getting anywhere near the music. Is ♠ it rolled off, no. Detail is
increased so far that it is actually this detail that creates the glass smooth
♠ absolutely transparent rendering of the music. Like increasing the sample rate from
44K to 4444444444444444K, it just becomes pure analogue.It ♠ is completely shocking how
massive the effect of these tubes are on the quality of sound. Literally it feels like
going ♠ from aR$1K DAC to a 20K vinyl rig. I really can't believe what I'm hearing. So
I put on the ♠ even MORE razor sharp microscopes, the new Lii Audio reference speakers
that are not even broken in yet, no coil, ♠ and not only were they glass smooth with no
trace of an edge, but I had to toe them in ♠ directly at my face to get it right.So you
see, the better your speakers actually are, the harder it will ♠ be to hear good sound
until the sound is actually good. When even high quality tubes like all the stuff
♠ available on the market today from all the Russian Tubes to the exotic high dollar
Chinese tubes, I have them ♠ all, not one of them is in this league.Tonight I am hearing
how good these speakers and my own amplifiers ♠ are for the very first time, no shit. I
have a TORII MK5 fully tubed up with CRYOTONE tubes from ♠ Don Thomas.Now don't panic and
jump all over this guy, there is still more testing to be done but at ♠ the very least we
will be recommend these tubes for our amplifiers and most likely have them on the
site.I'll ♠ be talking more about this as things develop but having looked into cryo
treatment myself (I was going to start ♠ doing it here at Decware) and having come from
the area where it was invented I do know that just ♠ freezing something to -300 is a far
cry from actually figuring out how to ramp the temps into the metals ♠ in layers to get
the best alignments... yet you can legally say you cryo treated it. Really knowing
what your ♠ doing for each alloy might take several days of ramping the temps. That's
going to cost money. That puts a ♠ LOT more pressure on the results to bring about a
massive increase in performance. This is one of those times ♠ when it actually works and
is well worth the cost.This combination of speaker and tubes has taken liquidity to a
♠ new level that exceeds even what I've heard from the 25th Anniversary Zen Triode amp.
But then I've never had ♠ real cryo treated tubes in it yet...So to help you gauge this
a bit better, what I am hearing in ♠ smoothness and lack of glare or edge with superior
detail from these tubes is as big a difference as you ♠ might hear from adding carpet to
your listening room for the first time. It's also like having completely different
speakers. ♠ It just proves that none of us really know what our shit sounds like because
we've not heard it's full ♠ potential yet. And as you well know it only take a little
piss to spoil your tea so anything to ♠ the microscopic level can become the weak link,
even the way the molecules in the metals of a vacuum tube ♠ align can be that weak link.
But only if you have high resolution speakers otherwise it is masked from your ♠ reality
and filtered into heat.
"I've been searching for an alternative to expensive and rare
NOS tubes for my mastering console. ♠ We've been testing these #wathenaudiophile tubes
for about 6 months now and we've officially declared them the winner!After more than ♠ 2
decades chasing NOS tubes (this desk requires 8 tubes in total) and having mixed
results, I finally have a ♠ source of new tubes that are super consistent both tube to
tube and triode to triode. So how do they ♠ sound, well... They sound every bit as deep
and 3 dimensional in the mids as my NOS Amperex tubes, they ♠ have a nice punchy bottom
end and silky top like my NOS Telefunkens, in fact they bring together some of ♠ the most
sonically euphoric parts of my favorite tubes in one. So yeah, I like them......a
lot.The best part, when ♠ I need more I simply order them....no hunting. Many thanks to
Don and his crew at @wathen_audiophile."
"My 1964 Fender Vibroverb ♠ went from being a
cool old amp to an incredible amp. It's now the best amp I own. And I have ♠ a lot of
them... It's a total next level upgrade."John Bohlinger
Wathen Cryotone™ Demoby
Derek Williams6V6-WC
I’m a fan!“You don’t know what ♠ real tube tone sounds like and
feels like until you’ve tried Wathen Audiophile’s Cryotone tubes. No other tube has
been ♠ able to inspire that deeper emotional expression and actually help facilitate that
magical, powerful flow state that we’re all constantly ♠ reaching for as guitar
players.The Cryotone EL34’s, 6V6’s and 6L6’s simply blew my mind. They’ve got an
energy. I don’t ♠ know how else to explain it! I had heard good things about Wathen but I
didn’t know they were this ♠ good. Nothing else compares, not even close. On top of
everything, Don is one of the most genuine people you ♠ will meet in this industry. I’m
beyond grateful to have found Wathen Audiophile, a company that has bridged the gap
♠ between the emotions I feel and the sounds I hear!"Julian Salas
The CryoTone Pro Tube
Conditioner went in seamlessly, inserted into ♠ our signal path between FOH Console and
the Speaker Processor. The CryoTone tubes offered us improved clarity and sparkle on
♠ the top end, while simultaneously improving definition in the entire sound stage and
improving low end response. The systems we ♠ deploy across campuses are all Meyer
speakers, and voiced similarly, but the unit actually made the most of the subwoofers
♠ at our West Campus, which are smaller in size than our other campuses due to some power
constraints. All in ♠ all, I was extremely pleased with the added fidelity across the
entire audio spectrum, and again impressed with the unit’s ♠ ability to make such
sweeping improvements to the entire sonic experience - improvements that are
simultaneously subtle and massive in ♠ their impact for the listening audience.Kevin
HesterTechnical Arts Director
"Been playing professionally in rock bands since 1978.
I've owned a LOT ♠ of tube amps over the years: Mesa, Bogner Ecstasy, Marshall, Peavey,
MusicMan, Fender, Seymour Duncan Convertible...and many others and many ♠ variations of
Marshalls and Mesa's. And of course, I went for the hype when Groove Tubes first came
out. And ♠ yes...they are great tubes. And I've probably used most tubes out there over
the years in search of the elusive ♠ tone. Ruby, JJ's, Sylvania, RCA, Mullard, etc., etc.
But these Cryotone tubes? I have NEVER experienced anything like this. I ♠ currently use
a Mesa Boogie TC-50. And this amp is a monster. But as a guitarist...I'm NEVER
satisfied with my ♠ tone. Always looking for that extra something to give me that edge. I
want that buttery, molten gold mid-punch lead ♠ and crunch sound. I want my guitar to
sing when I'm playing a lead and to be tight, powerful, and ♠ present when I'm playing
rhythm. So I see these Cryotone 12ax7-WCM tubes at this price...and I'm thinking: This
has to ♠ be a scam. But...being a guitarist, I went for it anyway! LOL! I decided to buy
2 of them. One ♠ for the 1st gain stage of the crunch channel. And one for the 1st gain
stage of the lead channel. ♠ I fired up the amp thinking: "I'll probably hear a slight
subtle improvement" Oh hell no! It is a RADICAL ♠ IMPROVEMENT. The crunch channel is
exactly what I was hearing in my head...an AC/DC type rhythm sound with a touch ♠ more
gain. And the lead? WOW! The noise level in the lead channel is now negligible. The
guitar no longer ♠ has a "woo" feedback when the volume is all the way up but I'm not
playing a note. The articulation ♠ of each note is beautiful. And the tone is PERFECT.
Guitar is easily catching sympathetic even ordered harmonics on held ♠ notes and sustains
beautifully. The specs on this tube speak of a boost at 1K. And I would say that ♠ is
exactly what it's doing. This tube, with the right amp...is THE "Brown Sound" that I've
been looking for. I ♠ HIGHLY recommend this." Also, do you guys have a Facebook page? I'd
like to "like" it.Robbie Boyette
"Julz"Julian GarciaHoly Crap.Its insane hearing ♠ a
before and after (especially of something I was currently pleased with). The Wathen
CryoTone tube added much more clarity ♠ and pronounced the high end with such clarity. I
think it redefined sparkle. One thing was super cool that I ♠ didn't see coming, these
are such quiet tubes! My orange isn't really noisy, but it's an old 72 head, and ♠ it
really did some magic. It's unbelievable. I'm about to piss all of my neighbors off.
Even when I turned ♠ the drive pedals on, the response was much tighter and pronounced.
It feels as if before, I was driving a ♠ sports car on donuts honestly, is the best way I
can put it.
…I installed the Wathen CryoTone tube and now ♠ I actually enjoy using that
mic pre. It sounds lightyears better than it did before. It's so much clearer, warmer
♠ and much more articulate.Peter Charell / Trapt
Jason RossI didn't believe the hype is
as drastic until I heard these tubes for ♠ myself in my amp. These really improve all the
things I like in my amp, and minimize everything I don't ♠ want...drastically! Don't look
any further when it comes to replacing tubes or when looking to upgrade your sound. The
products and ♠ the people in this company will pleasantly surprise you!
PUBLISHER’S
NOTE:I met Don at Summer NAMM. He demonstrated some of his ♠ speakers for us and I can
honestly say that I had not heard recorded music sound so clean, warm and ♠ genuine since
listening to theR$100k stereo system my audiophile-freak trust-funded buddy put
together back in the early 70’s before everything ♠ in the audio world went to pot (Don’s
amp and speaker cost a fraction of that). We got to talking ♠ and it was immediately
clear that Don was the audiophile’s audiophile – he talked the talk and clearly walked
the ♠ walk. As we were leaving the booth, he gave us a couple of his guitar amp tubes to
try. We ♠ did try them and minds were blown for a second time. I’ll personally NEVER use
another tube in any of ♠ my amps.I asked Don to contribute an article for this issue of
RIFF and happily he generously complied. Prepare thyself ♠ for mind blowage in following
said article. – Brad Wendkos
Hello all, Billy Decker here.. I just finished up mixing
Sony ♠ recording artist , “Chris Young's” new 2024 release and had the pleasure of using
the Wathen Reference .5’s to aid ♠ in that process….First off I have used the same set of
speakers since I started mixing back in 1998, so ♠ I was a little apprehensive to try
anything. “If it aint broke? Why fix it”….. A friend of mine introduced ♠ Carl, son of
founder Don Thomas. He came walking in to my studio carrying the coolest “wooden”
speakers….. Being an ♠ amateur woodworker myself, I was instantly intrigued? I was
thinking to myself…”please sound as good as they look”.. lolAfter Carl ♠ hooked up their
proprietary amplified that pair’s perfectly with the Wathen Reference.5’s….. We let the
fun begin….. The first thing ♠ I noticed was a speaker that was fun to listen to…. I went
back and forth a/b-ing against my old ♠ standby’s and quickly noticed a very smooth
midrange with “soft muted” highs…..the .5’s are a speaker that “everyday’ers” like
myself ♠ can listen to without fatiguing… I was actually able to listen at much lower
volumes, and still feel like I ♠ could hear my low end correctly…After referencing some
of my favorite records, I then dove into my stuff to see ♠ how that sounded….. I
immediately realized i could now “really”, hear my reverb tails and delays trailing
off…. If my ♠ old speakers were 2d, then the .5’s were 3d…. It was almost as if i could
peer into them…..I convinced ♠ Carl to leave them so I could take them out for a test
spin… It just so happened I was ♠ starting on Chris’ new record the next day….. Well 2
#1’s later, I guess you have your answer?…. I am ♠ not only sold on the Wathens, I can’t
live without them anymore…. They have become my main mixing speakers… Yes ♠ as you can
see in the pictures, I still have my old ones, but they can get really loud and ♠ I’d
rather let the client blow those up rather than the Wathens…hahahahaha……So in summary,
the answer to my question is ♠ yes……they do sound as good as they look!…Billy DeckerMixer
of 11 country billboard #1’sbased out of Nashville TNthe Cabin at ♠ Westwood
"Having
been an audio enthusiast for over 20 years and an audio engineer/ producer for over a
decade I've monitored ♠ on just about every caliber of speaker from Jensens to Genelecs
and everything in between. By now I'm afraid to ♠ say I've become somewhat of a speaker
snob.I recently had the pleasure of using a pair of Wathen Reference .50 speakers
♠ during the making of my band's third album. I had multiple other options during the
recording process including several sets of ♠ high-end studio monitors, but I found
myself going back to the Wathens time and time again to the point of ♠ using them almost
exclusively.The fidelity of the speakers is simply superb. Even at extremely low
volumes EQ decisions are easy ♠ and enjoyable. Crank them up and they sparkle without
being the slightest bit shrill, while projecting just the right amount ♠ of punchFor
serious monitoring the sub woofer is a must. Paired with a sub these have become my
absolute favorite speakers. ♠ They sound as good as they look... and they look
amazing.Big thanks to Don and Carl at Wathen for turning ♠ me on to these bad boys.I
highly recommend these speakers! JB PattersonSinger/ Songwriter/ Producer/ EngineerJB
and the Moonshine Band"
I like the ♠ tubes very much.Every time I use them,I am reminded
of the first time I ever played through a tube amp. ♠ The harmonic character and touch
sensitivity is tremendous.Dennis Shepherd
There I was, walking through NAMM when my
buddy told me that ♠ there were these studio monitors that I just had to check out. My
understanding of the differences between studio monitors ♠ was pretty limited at that
point despite my working in studios and producing for years, but his enthusiasm won me
♠ over. When I sat down and listened to the sound coming through those Wathen Audiophile
Inertia Cubes, I suddenly understood ♠ the difference between “ok speakers” and
professional-grade studio monitors.The best way that I can describe it is this: Imagine
a ♠ graphic EQ on a really good stereo, which usually covers 8 bands of graphic EQ that
you can tweak. Now ♠ imaging that Graphic EQ expanded to 64 bands that you can hear and
tweak. That’s the level of clarity we’re ♠ talking about here.Since getting my own set of
Inertia Cubes - as well as my killer Wathen Audiophile power amplifier ♠ - my mixes have
gotten exponentially better simply because of how much I can now hear that I never
realized ♠ was there. They are my go-to and I wholeheartedly recommend them to any
producer regardless of your experience. And as ♠ a bonus, everyone at Wathen Audiophile
is super helpful and about the friendliest people I’ve ever met. They’ve quickly become
♠ extended family to me!Johnnie FerroMixed Media Girl Photography
"These Wathen CryoTone
tubes really bring out the best of my rig! I ♠ never believed I would hear such a tonal
change but it was like a whole different beast jumping out!" Stephen Lewis
A ♠ good
tube amp can be inspiring. And with the right tubes not only will you hear the
difference but you ♠ will feel the difference. For me Wathen Audiophile CryoTone tubes
are the only way to go. The sweet spot is ♠ huge. I've never sounded more "in
tone".Laurence Bell
“Holy cow, Don! These are amazing and clearly NIGHT AND DAY from
the ♠ Groove Tubes I had been using. The power tubes are incredible and the preamp the
12AX7-WCB in the V1 position ♠ is the best for my ’79 Marshall.Love these! Every guitar
shop should carry these! Michael P”
All I can say is ♠ “OMG”. With all CryoTone tubes
installed, my pre and amp sound FANTASTIC.You’ve saved me. I’ve been so frustrated
with the ♠ sound of my recent pre/amp purchase. I just could not believe this expensive
gear could sound as bad as it ♠ did. It was like a blanket over the sound, thick and
flat. I turned the volume up so high in ♠ my struggle to find the missing detail, that I
might have permanently damaged my hearing.In an attempt to “fix” the ♠ sound, I began to
search for “better” NOS tubes to replace the NOS tubes supplied with the pre and amp.
♠ I was discouraged from the start, by the prices and by my awareness that most of the
NOS tubes I ♠ had tried in the past were expensive disappointments, even though all were
premium-priced, highly-regarded NOS tubes, with accurate and favorable ♠ test results,
from top boutique NOS tube suppliers.Eventually, I came to my senses and remembered how
a previous CryoTone tube ♠ purchase had made my headphone amp sound wonderful. I don’t
know why I had let myself be led astray again ♠ by NOS propaganda, and did not reach out
to you sooner. I could have spared myself a lot of grief.When ♠ the new CryoTone tubes
arrived, I was immediately taken with the beauty of the 12AX7 “Long Plates”. They were
at ♠ least as well-constructed as any highly-praised NOS tubes I have ever seen. When I
installed the full set of CryoTone ♠ tubes, I experienced an immediate revelation.
Everything sounded so rich and clear and correct, with much less noise. Don’s
recommendations ♠ had become prophecy.Now, with the full set of CryoTone tubes broken-in,
I can’t believe just how amazing my system sounds. ♠ Everything sounds completely
“right”. Strings and piano are dynamic without the unrealistic “ringing” of many
European NOS tubes. Snare and ♠ toms are clear and punchy. Bass drums “thump” as they
should, not the “thwack” produced by the NOS tubes I ♠ had tried. The difference between
a stick hit on an open hi-hat and a stick hit on closed hi-hat is ♠ now distinguishable.
Symbols produce an accurate “sizzle”, not a weak “tizz”.Every note and instrument has
exactly the correct balance and ♠ emphasis. The dynamics of the CryoTone tubes paint a
very musical portrait, without being exaggerated or “shouty”. Vocals are crystal ♠ clear
and natural. Chest and palate are equally present in the vocals, unlike the overly
“chesty” rendition by some “warmer” ♠ NOS tubes.The quietness, clarity, and dynamics
provided by the CryoTone tubes has allowed me to significantly reduce the volume while
♠ retaining all the detail and musicality. No more listening fatigue from noisy NOS
tubes and straining to hear missing details.I ♠ could go on and on, as I sit here
enjoying all my favorite music like I’m hearing it for the ♠ first time. All genres:
folk, jazz, bluegrass, rock, electronica, classical, you name it. The CryoTone tubes
reproduce all correctly, something ♠ no NOS tube was ever able to accomplish.I don’t know
how you do it. But I am so glad to ♠ have you providing me with the best sounding tubes
from now on, so I can get back to focusing on ♠ enjoying the music.Gratefully
yours,Ritch Greensboro, NC
The absolute best preamp tube out there!!!I stumbled across
this tube while looking up another preamp ♠ tube on Musicians Friend and decided to give
it a shot. I have a JCM800 2205 with 5 preamp tubes ♠ and have learned that V1 and V5 are
the most important tubes. I decided to buy this one to try ♠ in V1. When I turned the amp
on I could hear and feel the difference immediately. It was exactly as ♠ it was described
and has an incredible smooth feel. I've experimented with many preamp tubes and spent a
small fortune ♠ trying to find the right combination, but this is the one!!! Will be
getting another one for V5!!!By JAMFrom Illinois
After 50 operating ♠ hours, I can tell
that the my audio experience is surely plenty excellent. The scene isperfectly focusing
and every instrument, ♠ if audio recording was great, stay exactly in the right
positionand plane. Female voice is articulated in every detail so ♠ as the male voice are
deep and rich of color.Bass frequency are deep, steady and really full body also when
♠ the frequency touch 35 Hz and under.High frequency are clear and brilliant without
producing any listening fatigue. The stage is ♠ absolutely silentwithout any kind of
noise or 50 Hz vibration noise. These 12AU/7 tubes are really a perfect mix of
♠ moderntechnology and warm sound of rare and more and more expensive rare NOS.Sincerely
yoursbeppe malòItaly
I received the 12DW7-WC tube today. ♠ Wow! The reverb is
swimmingly nice, but the tremolo is SOOOO much more liquid and fluid. Almost like
being intoxicated ♠ in a gooey vibe. All the "edges" have been blunted but with full
clarity. Very nice.Thank you for making the ♠ atmosphere so much more enjoyable.Lou
Vergne
Well, just writing to let you know that I FINALLY get the Wathen CryoTone tubes
♠ two weeks ago. Pre-amps tubes changed and I don't know if my english is good enough to
say what I ♠ felt when I turned my amps on. My Swart AST (with 12AX7-WCB) now has an
incredible mid-range, more definition and more clarity. ♠ The top end is absolutely the
best thing I noticed. It is so great when the reverb or tremolo (or both) ♠ are on.
Another thing is that I noticed a little less headroom if we compares to JJ 12AX7 which
I ♠ was using, for me, at the beginning, was not a good thing but I realized that the
breakup got more ♠ smooth and more dynamic. On other words, it starts to breakup around
three but it does not get completely dirty ♠ until 7. It increased the sweet-spot of my
AST and now it is easier to play with dynamic. It feels like I just ♠ started to
rediscover my amp and try another possibilities, which I realy like and love in the AST
circuitry. With that ♠ said, I put on the preamp of my Morgan Dual 40 a 12AX7-WCM (on the
front of the AC circuitry) ♠ and the CryoTone EF86-WC (on the front of
the top-boost channel) and OH MY GOD. With the WCM on the front of ♠ my AC Channel I
noticed more chime because the increased mid-range. The low end is heavy and tight, I
really liked ♠ in that way. The cleans are stellar and as the 12AX7-WCB I noticed a
little more gain on this one compared ♠ to JJs. But I think the greatest change on my
Dual 40 was the EF86-WC on Top-boost channel. It seems to be ♠ much more alive, the
cleans on this channel are stellar and I noticed much more definition, clarity and
presence compared to ♠ my other tube (I don't know the brand because it has no label on
the tube). The top-boost channel is now my ♠ favorite on this amp so tight, so punchy and
so balanced.The feeling I had was something like you listen your music ♠ after the
mastering process. Everything seems to be more present, more alive. I can say that I am
really happy ♠ with this tubes on V1 of my amps and I think it really put them on another
level. I am ♠ in love with the Wathen CryoTones, especially this EF86-WC and the
12AX7-WCB.By the way, thank you, Angie and Don for ♠ your product and for do what you did
to get this tubes delivered in time. Well, so much time since ♠ we first get in touch but
finally the tubes are here and already doing their jobs.In September I will be in the
♠ US myself and I would love to get some power tubes. (the Dual 40 takes a matched quad
of EL84, ♠ for example)Thank you very much!Best regards,Victor de AlmeidaBrazil
I'm
running 3 different hi-fi systems, all of which incorporate Wathen CryoTones in the
♠ respective tube compliment. Their noise floor is way below anything out there --NOS,
NIB, Vintage, or current production; and it's ♠ consistent across the entire CryoTone
line. I laugh when I hear them called "pricey" because I don't consider the cost
♠ comparison tube to tube. It's far more accurate to consider the Wathen CryoTone price
compared to the cost of trying ♠ tube after tube after tube in an ongoing search for what
Wathen makes available. They actually represent a savings because ♠ they bring that
search to an end.Douglas L. Horn
The CryoTones are working very well. All tubes have
been replaced with ♠ CryoTones. I have them in my Swart ST-Stereo amp(s). 12AX7’s for
preamp and reverb, 12DW7 for tremolo, 6L6’s for power tubes ♠ and 5A4 for rectifier.The
sound is not colored, but firmer. More “there” without any residue, if that makes
sense. The ♠ sound is more focused. Similar to either hearing something directly in
front of you instead of around the corner. I ♠ especially notice the difference in the
hollow body guitars. More of the volume of the guitar is present. The tremolo ♠ is more
present than previous.The sound is definitely firmer. I am able to be more dynamic and
punch it with ♠ more clarity at the old volume settings on the amp and can add a little
more output to the amp ♠ if I want it to grind. But again, the sonic clarity of the
highs and lows are not so much ♠ effected. They are relatively the same. They are just
more clear and present allowing more dynamics and touch sensitivity. It’s ♠ almost
“acoustic” if that makes sense.You have a great product. Thank you for improving
my sound.Lou Vergne
ARE U KIDDIN ME!!! ..OMG...OMG.. I ♠ Just Replaced my beloved
CIFTE 12au7 with One of Yours. NIGHT and DAY Difference. My CIFTE has Now Taken Up
Permanent Residence on ♠ the SHELF!! I will NEVER-EVER Buy ANOTHER TUBE...EVER..UNLESS IT
SAYS...WATHEN... ON THE PACKAGE..INCREDIBLE. I've been an Audiophile for 30 years, What
a WONDERFUL ♠ REVELATION Your CryoTone Tubes Are.. THANKYOU-THANKYOU-THANKYOU..For
developing these..ALL...And I MEAN ALL, My Future Tube Purchases will be From
You..Sincerely Mike G.
