PSVane Horizon Series Vacuum Tubes Review - They Listened to Jack Sparrow!

Thanks to PSVane for sending the Horizon tubes for review!

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Cayin HA-1Amk2:

Timestamps...

00:00, Intro Disclaimer
01:20 Shameless Self Promotion
01:52 Pricing
04:16 Build
05:37 Setting Up the Sound
07:05 Test Gear
08:40 Sound
12:49 Comparison w/ Other Tubes
20:01 Wrap-Up

[ceylonmooney]

first time i heard "wet." warm, liquid, lush...dry, clinical...all this, but wet is a new one for me. this is a really good review. you really paid close attention. its really good.

[scorpven]

The best way to hear tube differences in a stereo system is taking advantage of the 2 channels with each channel populated with different sets and switch back and forth. Easy switching will depend on available equipment options.

[danieleturrin]

A comparison between Apos Ray 12AU7 tubes and the most common 12AU7 tubes like RCA Clear TOP, Genalex Gold Lion, ecc. would be very interesting!!

[michaelwright]

Horizon 12AU7 and the EL34 tubes here, can't say I hear or experience any dryness to the sound, but everything else was spot on. Just a very good all around neutral tube with great tonality and punch. I really have no cons with these, I run the EL34's in my Cayin MT-35 MKII and the Cary SLP-90 clone preamp has the 12AU7's. I am using the Cary clone as a tube buffer with separate amps, and it sounds fantastic, as does the Cayin with the Horizon tubes. Speakers are the Zu DW6 Supremes with the Cayin, and the Cabasse Murano along with a pair of Fyne Audio F500SP with the Cary tube buffer and the D5Pro amplifier. I have been listening to the Zu's and Cayin for a couple of days now, and the best word I can find to describe the sound is kind of corny, but I find the sound rather "dreamy". I'm a Jazz guy, and these tubes check off all of those boxes, especially with the female voice. Yes, "dreamy".

[fletchermunson]

People who do these reviews take a lot of time end effort and get squeezed by YouTube all the time. Whether anyone admits it or not, there may be some kind of compensation. Basically anyone reasonably in "the business" can get an "accommodation price" meaning a discount on what they want to buy. With something like tubes, who needs a used tube returned to China when you are in the business of selling new ones. Regardless of what the poster says or any protestations of impartiality, you are at the mercy of the honesty of the reviewer. There is a big difference in a reviewer accepting an accommodation from a manufacturer and someone reviewing something that is not a good product and promoting it. I like reviewers to be around and make a good reward for their efforts as long as the remain honest in their comments, return bad products and dont review them and I dont care if they get a little something for their effort because that is not what determines honesty, it's the integrity of the reviewer which will become clear over time. As for PSCane Horizon tubes. I have a set in my Unico Research Due integrated and my Rogue RP5 preamp and I like them a lot. Good product in my opinion.

[ceylonmooney]

interesting thing about the ray tubes...some of them are rebranded psvane...the ray select 6SN7 may be one of them.

[cobar]

There are considerable variations in reviewer's presentation of the Horizon series. I do hope they prove to be good in the longer term due to the increasing scarcity of NOS tubes
Great review, thank you

[richiereyn]

I'm guessing that the Horizon series are replacing the Classic series? I have some PSVane Classic 6SN7-C and am very happy with their sound.

[neilbrown-onrm]

I tried the horizon and ray 12au7 and the horizon tubes were far better in my preamp

[SergeySedlovsky]

So where did you guys put the S in the PSVane?

[ReverendDr.Thomas]

Professor, thank you for publishing another wonderful review! 👌

Reverend Dr. Thomas,
✝️ The Vegan Vicar 🌱

[ceylonmooney]

psvane hifi or the regular red print are the entry level

[TriAmpMyFi]

. 1:00 Money is fungible. There is no distinguishing between "channel money" & anything else. It's a construct all would do well to understand.
Acid Jazz, Funk & Brass 🔈🔉🔊

[Gilliboy]

I'm looking for a good preamp to match my TPA3255 class D monoblocs. Is a tube preamp with 12AU7's the way to go or a just solid state class a preamp?

[Coffeeandacigarette]

His son appears to be wearing hifiman arya organic. I chose the he-1000 stealth with Xduoo TA-22. Onto the bussin' review!