This tube can replace a normal 300B tube, with some restrictions:
- Bias and Plate dissipation must be reduced, to 22 Watt, maximum 28 Watt
- Filament current of minimum 1.4 Ampere can be supplied
- The larger physical size of the tube
The 300B mesh is a "long plate" version, and the plates are 25% longer as with normal 300B we build. The physical size of this tube, inside and outside is the same as the larger 520B tubes we make, so it is much larger than you may expect from a 300B. Check the dimensions at the end of this datasheet. The heat dissipation of the mesh wire is lower than the hard metal that we use for the solid plate tubes. So the maximum plate dissipation of the 300B Mesh for continuous use must be limited to 28 Watt. Peak dissipation is higher, but we do not specify this value. Actually 28Watt is a classical use condition in many Japanese products. However many other amplifiers exceed this number, so it is important to check with your amplifier manufacturer first, if you are not sure about the plate dissipation.
Why Mesh plates? When a tube is given mesh plates, something magic happens to the sound! We believe this is caused by the better damping properties of the mesh material. When using mesh tubes, you will experience a more transparent sound stage, meaning a more realistic stereo reproduction of the original sound recording. With mesh tubes you will enjoy the very best of what small triodes have to offer. Note: mesh means woven metal wire. The Chinese make a tube with punched plates, and for marketing call this "mesh". A punched plate will not have the superior resonance damping properties a wire mesh tube has.