SHUGUANG TREASURES CV181 (6SN7), 300B, KT-66 - good as NOS? YES!!

As many know, over the past 15+ years, I have built a formidable collection of prime NOS tubes to feed my two amplifiers. Let's put it this way - I was into tubes in the early part of the tube revival, way ahead of the pack. And I didn't have two newborns to deal with, so I had some cash to burn through. And believe me, I burned through it acquiring tubes - and actually, at some point I started divesting of all the ones I found to be second tier, and actually probably ended up even or a bit ahead dollar wise as by the time I started culling my stash, prices had risen - a lot.

I was one of the very first, and without false modesty I can say still one of a handful of true experts on 6SN7, 6L6, 6V6, 45, 12AU7, 12AX7, 5U4 and other 5 volt rectifiers, and a bunch of others. There are maybe a dozen people in the world who can say they have had, and heard, virtually every 6SN7 produced in North America, Great Britain, Western Europe and elsewhere during the golden age of vacuum tube production. I have had dozens of pairs of metal base Sylvania's - A's and W's, and variants of both. B65's. True Holland made GT's. Ugly shit like 5692's - the best of the bad being Raytheons. Swedish 5692's. Visseaux. Neotron. Early Westinghouse GT's that nobody has ever heard. Rarities like RCA GTY's. Canadian GE GT's from 1953 that are super fine sounding. Dozens of Mullard CV181 variants. National Union, KenRad, Sylvania, RCA (I have here several pairs of the very first version RCA ever built), Tungsols (ever seen a square mouse ear Tungsol? Nope? I've got 'em.)The point of it all is - I know the 6SN7 like nobody's business, and every Russian or Chinese produced 6SN7 has been pure crap. Nowadays, you get tube dealers like Kevin Deal at Upscale extolling the virtues of some of these things trying to tag them as the new NOS, while a decade ago - while they had lots of good NOS to sell, they dismissed them.

I have been curious about the Shuguang Treasures tubes for awhile, though. For some reason, I thought - maybe now is the time to check out if things have moved along. They looked pretty nice in pictures I saw, even though I thought the CV181 designation is hucksterism at the level of selling fake Rolexes. But finally, I dipped into the right pocket seeing a well priced pair from a Chinese seller on Ebay (I figured buying as close to direct from the source is probably a good thing). I was expecting an ok sounding tube, but my expectations weren't too high - after all, I got rid of two dozen pairs of round plate Tungsols a few years back because I felt they were a bit tipped up and skittish on top, and lacked body in the presence range. Shit, I just about created the legendary Sylvania 6SN7GT 'Bad Boys' when I connected onto them with Neville in Australia. Can't be anywhere near those legends, right?

Well, not really. They may very well be just as good. In fact, they might be all around better. Crazy? No, not yet.

First - this tube has absolutely NO bass right out of the box. Like - zip. The bottle sounds nice out of the box - very nice. Right away, you know this is a contender. I has a hugely natural sound - neutral, relaxed, effortless, extended - except that bottom takes about 30 hours to fully develop. Once this tube settles in - all around, I can't say any NOS rivals it for absolute neutrality and natural musicality. It will never have the propulsive bass of a KenRad 1942/43. It's a hell of a lot tighter and more detailed bass, though. It's not the chocolaty sound of my favored 1951 National Union black glass, or the organic color of that tube. On the other hand, it has an absolutely deadly accurate tonality on everything that passes through it, and a much wider color spectrum that any NOS existing. And it throws this uncanny wide, deep stage that literally bounces off the back wall and comes hitting back at you from behind. Amazing.

Some people may find the bass lean. It isn't - it is just very tight and accurate, not at all bloated or smeared. As I switched back to a few NOS like those KenRads, or early grey glass RCA, or even the National Union, the bass was obviously fatter, but that is an inaccuracy of those tubes - they smear a lot of detail. All the bass a good amp needs is on the Shuguangs, without the cholesterol.

To get the prime forward spot in either of my amps is quite a feat and yet, since November, both have had Shuguang Treasures CV181's in place.

Throw out the preconceptions about Chinese tubes like I have had to and try these. Give them about 30 hours. This is the best 6SN7 made since the early 50's - and maybe ever.

By the way, there is a prominent online dealer trying to jack up his margins by making absolute bullshit claims about "grading" and having "premium" versions of this and other Shuguang Treasures tubes. If it makes you feel good and you have the money - and let's face it, a lot of supposed audiophiles hear better when they have spent a lot of money or have been told by someone that they can hand them a lot of extra dough and join some special club - go for it. If you just want the tubes, buy them from a Chinese seller and skip the bullshit. There are no premium or select versions. And honestly, I couldn't imagine the tube sounding any better, because the 4 pairs I have all sound perfect.

So, on I went to both the Shuguang Treasures KT-66 and 300B.

The KT-66 really does look like an original Genalex/GEC tube proportionally and construction wise. I have to be up front here - I've had many British KT-66's, from 1950's grey glass through to late production, and I thought it was a good tube, not a great one. It doesn't come anywhere near a WE350B, not actually near a 1940's Raytheon 6L6G for that matter. The Treasures KT-66 has the same out of box bass shyness the CV181 does. There isn't a modern 6L6 variant that comes close to the Shuguang, and here it's absolute neutrality and stability are the most prominent virtues. I'm still enchanted by them, and so they are still in my Komuro 300B amp. I would say that I prefer the Raytheon early 40's 6L6G, or even a Visseaux straight bottle. But those are clearly colored tubes, particularly the Visseaux. I would say that the Shuguang is the most true.

The 300B is a different story. Here there are a number of strong contemporary contenders. Right up, it tosses the overblown TJ/Full Music/Sophia/whatever punched plate totally to the side. It seems to me a better tube that the several variants of the KR I have around here. It's better than the stock EML 300B, and close but a bit back of the EML 300B-XLS, and back a bit further from the EML mesh 300B. No 300B comes close to the AVVT 300B mesh, I am keeping a few pairs of those for retirement (and if I don't make it, contact my kids about them, they'll need the money). Overall, the Shuguang Treasures 300B is the best value for money out there today. It's a very stable tube electrically, hum is low and stays low, and it has no funny arcing or other behaviors. Many won't notice any difference from superior tubes like the EMLs. It's a very fine tube and deserves to be experienced.

Catching up on Music Matters - Wayne Shorter Night Dreamer, Grachan Moncur Evolution

It's been awhile since I checked in on Music Matters and their Blue Note 45 rpm vinyl series. Two of hottest have been on my table a lot lately - Wayne Shorter's first BN "Night Dreamer" with Tyner, Elvin, Morgan, and Workman. A great early session, it really needs no introduction. Morgan is perhaps the best trumpet foil for Shorter. The Coltrane rhythm section gives a nice Crescent-era vibe to things. Shorter's tunes are great. Although this is perhaps Shorter's most conservative, straight BN record, it is very worthy of the Music Matters treatment, and here (unlike Juju IMO) the team gets the sound nearly perfect - Shorter's dry tone is well reproduced, as is Morgan's hot sound, the cymbal work of Elvin is prominent and well integrated, the piano sound is natural. Without a doubt the best this record has ever sounded, and a sure sell out if it hasn't happened already. So get it.

And while you're at it, lobby Music Matters for Shorter's greatest Blue Note record - "Schizophrenia" which contrary to the cover and title, is a harmonically and compositionally advanced session that is still highly accessible, swings like a mf, and is the one I keep coming back to most often.

How about it, Ron and Joe? Schizophrenia. Bring it back.

On to Grachan Moncur's "Evolution", again with Lee Morgan, and with Jackie McLean's alto, Bobby Hutcherson, Tony Williams and the always reliable Bob Cranshaw. It's clearly a seminal avant-garde date. McLean's tart tone is well reproduced, but I had a slight - very slight - sense that the sound here fell into Hoffman's unfortunate tendency to make things too polite, and also perhaps his unfamiliarity with avant garde black classical music. It ain't the opera here, and it sure as hell isn't going to work as background to an elegant suburban dinner party either. It's hard, tough, warm, vibrant, uncompromising music that DEMANDS the listener's complete absorption. As opposed to, say, a Three Sounds record, or a BN Grant Green, it's an out of body listen, rather than an experience in the body. It's out. It's fantastic. It'll take you places you'll never find again.

Most remarkable about this record is Bobby Hutcherson's vibes. They have a unique combination sonically of a metallic, percussive warmth that no other version of Evolution can get close to.

But then again...the sound of those vibes on Music Matters "Destination Out" by Jackie McLean eclipses even what is on Evolution, but that's a story for another day (soon).

If you haven't got Night Dreamer yet, get it now. If you have the spirit to go to an even more out of the way place, get Evolution too.

STEVE GROSSMAN "Homecoming" new CD from the underappreciated tenor giant!

A new CD from Japan, showing just how badly American labels and music lovers have fallen. Why on earth would a new recording made in NYC from a giant like Steve Grossman only be released in Japan? I have my feelings, but they run along the lines of plastic disposable culture, voyeuristic shallow celebrity-ism, and the conservatism and living in the past of the genteel middle aged jazz buyers that still remain in the USA.

Grossman first cam up in Miles Davis' electric band of the early 70's, replacing Wayne Shorter for all intents and purposes. He was a fiery fusion player who mainly wailed on soprano, often got edited out by Miles and Teo, never really was accepted by Miles, and went on to be in Elvin Jones band in a two horn front line with Dave Liebman. Stints with others followed, but drug problems marred his career (coke mostly as I recall) and he disappeared from the scene, re-emerging some years later in Europe to make a fine string of records where he dropped the soprano and became a tenor player of outstanding technique that abandoned all fusion trappings and favored a straight ahead, highly advanced hard bop style. During his dark period, Grossman's tenor technique took massive steps forward, to the point where he is today among, if not the, best tenor players in the world.

But nobody on this side of the Atlantic knows about it.

So a recording by Steve Grossman in 2010, with a New York band backing him made on his home soil is just a great event, on a par with Dexter Gordon's late 70's homecoming.

And a wonderful record it is.

Grossman expands his sound by adding latin percussion to most tracks, guitar and/or trumpet on a few, along with a strong core trio backing plucked from New York's A-list. The material is largely standards with two Grossman originals. Tunes like Ceora, Una Mas and others are given a latin treatment, with hard straight ahead blowing by Grossman that demonstrate a deep technique, big brawny tone and the type of soloing that gives whoever is up next an energy and and emotional lift that is pure excitement. The lone ballad, an unsentimental take on In A Sentimental Way,shows just how good a straight bopper can be on a ballad if he doesn't try to be a soppy Ben Webster.

Grossman is a giant, yet largely forgotten. Search out this CD (I got mine from HMV Japan) and be rewarded. If I have any reservations at all, it's that Steve Grossman's live NYC appearances last summer were simply red hot, and I hope that some of those were recorded also. In the meantime, this is a very, very welcome return.

BLUES MAGGOS on Sundazed vinyl - the trip of the month!

Sundazed come through with to stone psychedelic classics from the Blues Magoos - what other label would even think of doing the Blues Magoos?

What a treat. Two underground psychedelic garage slabs of pure fun. Electric Comic Book is the best of the two, and sounds better at that, but both are great records, wonderfully remastered, well pressed (United sure has come to be much more reliable) and it seems that Sundazed are getting with the program and starting to use polylined inner more and more. Good job, that.

Psychedelic Lollipop is the earlier record, and a bit less trippy, but really, this band was just a fun garage band that got into the psychedelicness of the times.

I loved the recent Sundazed reissue of the Yardbirds "Little Games" which was a real revelation for me. These two are even better. Highly recommended, particularly Electric Comic Book. It even has the comic book inside!

NEW RELEASE Round Up - BEADY EYE, REM Collapse Into Now vinyl!

New releases on vinyl from Beady Eye (Oasis minus Noel) and R.E.M. to catch up on.

Let's go to Beady Eye first. Two LP set on 180g vinyl that is a pretty nice pressing in a good gatefold, and that cover is pretty cool. I think this is a better record than the last several Oasis LP's and Liam is having a whole lot more fun. Nothing to take too seriously here. A good solid rock record with a great British vibe and attitude.

REM's Collapse Into Now is a surprisingly strong record after the band had been drifting on several prior records. Not a bad song on the record and this could be considered a return to the earlier REM, from a mid life perspective. The playing is at a level only mid career musicians can really achieve, and this is one I can highly recommend (and a good Warners pressing also) - for a change for REM.

TRAFFIC John Barleycorn Must Die 2011 Deluxe Edition:

Just in from Amazon UK (with the usual shitty careless packaging) is the 2011 Deluxe 2 CD set of the classic Traffic record, John Barleycorn Must Die.

Disc one is the original album, sans bonuses, newly remastered. Although the last remastering was roundly criticized on the loser boards, I found it to be pretty good, particularly considering it's no great recording to start with. I have a Japanese SHM-CD of that remastering from a few years ago, and truthfully, while there are differences - principally the much more powerful bass of the new version - overall I prefer the SHM-CD, as I find tonality on the new remaster to be not as true, and nowhere is this more so than in the Fender Rhodes sound on Empty Pages. If you don't have this on CD, feel good to get this. If you do, purchase depends on the attractiveness of the second disc.

The prior remaster had two totally lame, unfinished bonus tracks that highly detracted from the experience and which should never have come out. Thankfully, they are not here, but alternate mixes of Every Mothers Son (no big difference) and Stranger To Himself (the electric guitar pushed back in the mix and an acoustic guitar previously barely audible moved up) show that time after time, the right decisions were made originally. There is also an early version of the title track that is different, charming, rougher, and has an organ part that while interesting was wisely omitted for the released take.

Of more interest is the unreleased Live At The Fillmore record here in what must be pretty much it's entirety and intended release configuration. It's not hard to see why it was not released. Honestly, the band as a trio on stage had multiple challenges to overcome, as any bass had to be provided either by Winwood or Wood on organ bass pedals, through Rhodes bass, or other contrivances. This is a major impediment, and though the performances are spirited, they are a bit rough and thin, and soon after this, Traffic dealt with the issue by expanding their touring lineup. It is an interesting set, though - two cuts, in alternate night performances, were on the prior CD issue. All in all, I like the live set, so I think it's a worthwhile purchase, just don't expect any sonic revelations from the main album.

On a more trivial note, more worthy of the SHTV forum, I thought Universal screwed up the cover by oddly moving the Traffic logo to the top. Take a look and see what I mean - it just looks a bit weird. I'm keeping my SHM-CD though - it has the cover right.

Sonic Youth - Simon Werner A Disparu vinyl LP

Another candidate for record of the year 2011. Sonic Youth return with what will come, over time, to be considered a masterpiece - and it's a soundtrack album, go figure. Simon Werner A Disparu is the soundtrack to a French film. It's all instrumental. It touches back to the Sonic Youth roots in a grungy at times, trippy, experimental vibe, but looks forward too, in it's soundscapes and textures that in some ways place Sonic Youth in the camp of bands like Pelican, Red Sparowes and other instrumental rock sound painters, although nothing here can remotely be considered metallic. There is a lot of melody, an intricacy and sentiment at the heart of this great music. Guitar is often at the fore, although there is piano at times also, and the textures of the rhythm section are hypnotic.

The vinyl, no doubt digitally sourced, is quiet and sounds fantastic. A five doobie experience to be sure. Highly recommended.

WIRE Red Barked Tree on vinyl - great album, junk pressing.

The return of Wire, the great UK underground band, is very welcome and their new "Red Barked Tree" is quickly becoming one of my favorite records of 2011. This is a record that, along with the new Gang Of Four, shows that 1980's acts can return just as vital, or even more so, when they have something new to say and aren't just reuniting for a cash grab or to play the oldies.

Red Barker Tree is a tight, powerful and exciting statement from the reconstituted Wire. Unfortunately, the vinyl qualifies as among the worst pressings in history. Virtually EVERY pressing of this album is defective - and so far, I have tried 5 at home, and looked at over 30 pressings in local record stores - virtually all are defective, ranging from multiple dimples in the vinyl on all, to major scuffing and no fill, even to a sandpaper like texture on a number of second sides. I finally got one that, while it has dimples and a scraping sound through most of side 1's first track that is present on all, doesn't play too badly. But still, this is a case of drop dead great music ill served by some numb brained decision to cut costs by using the worst eastern bloc pressing plant that could be found.

But get this record. It's one of the best rock records of the year, at once a return to and a vital 2011 take on the new wave/post-punk era. You just might want to go for the CD on this one.

NEW vinyl reissue label - CLASSIC REISSUES - Gentle Giant - Harmonium - awesome!!

Go nuts, friends in the USA - there is a new vinyl reissue label on the scene, and it's only for us Canadians.

Of particular interest is the new reissue of Gentle Giant's Acquiring The Taste - in my opinion, along with Three Friends, the best of the GG catalog. And what a reissue this is! It's a Pallas pressing, very well done - flat, clean, dead quiet. The cover is to a very high standard, a great quality job and a well reproduced gatefold - easily better than an original. There is an original Vertigo swirl label - cool touch.

The sound is amazingly good. Immediately I noted the very full, warm bass. There is an uncanny clarity and depth, but still, a warm, vibrant, 'alive' sound. The midrange is warm and full - unlike many contemporary American remasterings, there is no scooping out of the mids to produce that 'audiophile' tinkly sound that appears on the surface to be more clear and detailed, but misses the music by a long shot.

If you can get it sent to you, pay the bucks and do it. It's that good.

Harmonium was a very popular French Canadian proggy/folkish group with a large Quebec following that still exists today. Their first self titled album has been reissued on the Classic Reissues label along with their more proggy and better second, Si On Avait Besoin D'Une Cinquieme Saison. Both sound far better here than originals and are to the same high standard sonically as the Gentle Giant. No doubt these reissues will sell like hotcakes in Quebec and French Ontario. Many thanks to Classic Reissues for getting these back into print.

A great start to what hopefully will be a major new player in the vinyl reissue market. Support them by placing an order now.