@charles1dad Yes, it was a very tough decision but I cannot lift the damn thing anymore and re tubing it is nearly $2000. I want to simplify my retired life a bit. I just picked it up from VAC and it is fresh as a daisy for the new owner. New tubes with about 100 hours on them.
300b lovers
I have been an owner of Don Sachs gear since he began, and he modified all my HK Citation gear before he came out with his own creations. I bought a Willsenton 300b integrated amp and was smitten with the sound of it, inexpensive as it is. Don told me that he was designing a 300b amp with the legendary Lynn Olson and lo and behold, I got one of his early pair of pre-production mono-blocks recently, driving Spatial Audio M5 Triode Masters.
Now with a week on the amp, I am eager to say that these 300b amps are simply sensational, creating a sound that brings the musicians right into my listening room with a palpable presence. They create the most open vidid presentation to the music -- they are neither warm nor cool, just uncannily true to the source of the music. They replace his excellent Kootai KT88 which I was dubious about being bettered by anything, but these amps are just outstanding. Don is nearing production of a successor to his highly regard DS2 preamp, which also will have a unique circuitry to mate with his 300b monos via XLR connections. Don explained the sonic benefits of this design and it went over my head, but clearly these designs are well though out.. my ears confirm it.
I have been an audiophile for nearly 50 years having had a boatload of electronics during that time, but I personally have never heard such a realistic presentation to my music as I am hearing with these 300b monos in my system. 300b tubes lend themselves to realistic music reproduction as my Willsenton 300b integrated amps informed me, but Don's 300b amps are in a entirely different realm. Of course, 300b amps favor efficient speakers so carefully component matching is paramount.
Don is working out a business arrangement to have his electronics built by an American audio firm so they will soon be more widely available to the public. Don will be attending the Seattle Audio Show in June in the Spatial Audio room where the speakers will be driven by his 300b monos and his preamp, with digital conversion with the outstanding Lampizator Pacific tube DAC. I will be there to hear what I expect to be an outstanding sonic presentation.
To allay any questions about the cost of Don's 300b mono, I do not have an answer.
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Did anyone who went to the Texas audio show hear the 300B amps in the Classic Audio Loudspeaker room? They were powering a set of field coil speakers. I believe they were prototypes of Atmasphere 300b amps.
https://www.facebook.com/story.php/?story_fbid=861906829281196&id=100063856610499&_rdr |
@lynn_olson @donsachs I’ve been in touch with David Whitt about the pre amp, he said they are shipping the first build cycle in May of this year. He also stated that there is a 6 week build cycle. It seems you are still making changes to it at the moment, at least from what I gathered in this thread? Would it be wise to hold off a bit for a couple months until you determine the final product? I am not in a hurry, but searching for my end game preamp and want te best version of it. |
Hi. It is a very subtle change that I find inaudible, but on paper it is slightly better. The xlr inputs now go directly to the Attenuator and the rca go through a 1:1 transformer to convert to xlr. The previous version ran all inputs through the 1:1 transformer. Honestly, the Cinemag 1:1 transformer is so good that it has something like .25 degree phase shift at 20 Hz. You cannot see it on the oscilloscope and it is sonically transparent. So running the xlr through it was not an issue, but I figured out how to go direct in for the xlr. Again, I changed my preamp and I really cannot tell much difference on the xlr between input transformer coupled and direct. I doubt I could reliably tell in a blind test. The transformer is that good. So if you are using predominantly rca inputs to the preamp there is no change. If you are using the xlr inputs, then there is a change on paper, but you would be hard pressed to hear the difference. |
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