Aric Audio Custom 300b PSET

@earthbound 

Congratulations!

Aric has built you a very fine 300b amplifier. It’s gratifying to read that you are so pleased with it. From your listening impressions I bet Aric chose some high quality parts, particularly output transformers. This level of an amplifier will keep you happy for many years. What 300b tubes are you using? 
Charles

Aric put 4 Gold Lions, 2 Sylvania 6v6gt’s and 2 Hytron 6sn7gt’s in the amp. I asked Aric to suggest some upgrades and we decided on the Jensen Balncing transformers, Clarity cap power supply capacitor, Milflex Copper foil paper in oil and Takman carbon resistors and some other cool things! 
I will possibly get some WE 300b’s in the spring. Reading reviews now. 

@earthbound Congrats on your new amp and glad you're enjoying it so much. And Charles asks a very pertinent question besides the output transformers the 300B's really influence the sound. And tube rolling is a very easy way to upgrade your amp.

Thank you. I definitely want another set of tubes. It would be interesting to hear the sound change but also comforting having a back up set in case of failure. Don’t want to be without music for too long! Reading about the WE’s and Sophia Electrics now. 

Congrats on your amp.  I have an Aric Audio Super 300B SET which has been a revelation.  It has been a little easier to do some tube rolling since there are only two 300B tubes.  In increasing order of preference are JJ 300Bs tied with TJ Full Music Mesh, EML XLS, Kron Balloon, and in first place the WE 300Bs.  The tubes make a big difference that you can clearly hear with the Aric.  There is no brightness that I hear in the amp although the tubes all handle highs and lows slightly differently.  My tastes emphasize dynamics, bass, soundstage, and a dense rich tonality.

I suggest you add EAT (bold, very fleshed out) and Takatsuki (refined, deep soundstage) to your list. You‘ll probably find the Sophias not at the same level as the above.

@earthbound

I have owned my 300b SET mono blocks for over 13 years. I can say that with all sincerity I appreciate them more than ever. There are multitudes of good choices with regard to tube amplifiers. 300b is certainly one of the top options in my opinion. The only drawback with them is the premium tier choices are expensive.

I believe it is impossible to declare one brand/model the best tube. There’s simply too many variables involved. Some are going to sound better in certain specific amplifiers for a host of different reasons. I’ve owned Elrog, Takatsuki and currently using EML XLS. I can without hesitation, recommend any of these three easily.

I have used previous generation Western Electric but not the current production 300b . By all accounts it is superb. I have no reason at all to doubt that assessment. I strongly advocate the expenditure for the high quality/upper tier 300b tubes for those who have good quality amplifiers. This certainly includes you and your situation.

Owning a PSET of course means  you’ll need 2 pairs, for sure not cheap! Worth it? Yes. You will be rewarded with excellent sound quality/performance and extracting the best from your amplifier. Another positive factor is these high level tubes tend to have long life spans. If you ultimately decide to choose the Western Electric 300b terrific! I do not believe you will have any regrets in hindsight.

Aric built you a wonderful custom PSET 300b amplifier. Enjoy it to the fullest extent.

Charles

Your review of Aric sounds a lot like how I describe my Decware.   You lasted 7 months longer than I would have on the waitlist.  I'm not good at waiting.  Bought mine on the secondary market.  I'd love to hear your amp.  

Great review. Very glad you are enjoying it so much.

I'd say likely the highs with this amp are accurate and perhaps  your old amp was lacking and your ears/brain will quickly get used to it.

Jerry

I hope so! I remember the same thing occurring when I got my first tube amp. I listen very critically at the start. It’s not even that it’s a criticism, it’s just very clear and noticeable high end. I think you’re right, the Synthesis was just lacking there and now I have it. This weekend it will be on all day so I should get a good bit of regular listening in. 👍

@earthbound Posting from the white mountains before breakfast!  Hey, thanks for posting about the amp and I'm glad you're enjoying it! Regarding the highs, I would suggest giving the amp about 200 hours to fully flesh out as there will be significant breaking occuring during that time. I think you'll find it settles quite a bit during that time, and of course tube rolling will make a very substantial difference in the sonics! Thanks again for having me build you the amp! Cheers, Aric

Thanks for the reply Aric. I hope your enjoying the White Mountains. I’m sure it will. Like I said earlier, it’s only on some really drum bashing recordings. The amp sounds so good. It has taken my music appreciation to a level I never knew existed. I’m starting to understand the adjectives audiophiles have been referring to! Thanks for the excellent communication, patience and amp Aric. Greatly appreciated. 

Thanks for the post and review. 300B amps really have a special sound. Don’t worry, the treble will calm down. Classic new amp sound.

What I’m finding so fascinating so far is the accuracy, I think is the correct term. To hear the multiple dimensions of a cymbal strike. Not just a monotone treble sound. To hear the differences in each of the drum strikes based on where it’s struck, guessing that’s what I’m hearing. Very enjoyable. Even cleaned up some rough Nina Simone recordings I have that were unlistenable at decent volume before. Fun rediscovering music again after all these years. Thelonius is on now!

Thelonius is on now!

Understood ! I am a huge Thelonious Monk fan. Which recording are you listening to? You mentioned drumming. Listen to Frankie Dunlop’s drumming on “Monks Dream” . He’s so in the groove with Monk and Charlie Rouse.

Your 300b amplifier will really uncover these types of musical nuances and connect you.

Charles

I did a Thelonius Monk Essentials from Apple Music and also Monk and Sonny Rollins. Thanks for the recommendation. I will definitely check out Monks Dream. I love having access to just about everything through streaming. So much great music out there. 

@earthbound

Nice!

Monk’s recorded a lot with two drummers during the early 1960s. Frankie Dunlop and /or Ben Riley. Both are really fine with him. If really familiar with his music, you can appreciate the different drumming styles:approaches they present. Both are really in sync with his music.

Charles

Congratulations.

You're only here once,  and if one has the means, then it's deserved.

Enjoy it. No doubt you're hearing into those Jazz recordings the way they should be heard.

"Even cleaned up some rough Nina Simone recordings I have that were unlistenable at decent volume before."

No doubt vocals must sound great. Happy listening.

Congrats on amps. In researching 300B amps over the years, I consider Aric in top tier.

Yes, 300B amps properly executed are one of best for tonality, harmonic development, no rolled off highs, one note bass. I"m also fan of point to point wiring, both my 845 and 300B amps, linestage and phono pre all point to point. Minimal parts count and point to point construction provide for sound qualities I prefer over other designs. Allied to sympathetic loudspeakers, the level of transparency, resolution and immediacy can make it seem as if performers are in room,

I agree with above posts in recommending top tier 300B tubes, WE, Takatsuki, Elrod, EML, Psvane Acme, Linlai Elite will all extract max potential from 300B amps.

Thanks guys. I will pay attention to the drummers for sure. 
As far as vocals go, thanks for the reminder tablejockey. I remembered Johnny Hartman needed to be put on. Smooth as silk. Lol

Thanks for the tube options sns. Need to order some during the Thanksgiving break for sure. I’d kind of settled on the WE’s, but see there are quite a few nice options out there. The Gold Lions in there now are my only reference. They do sound great. 

I don’t own his 300B. I do own Eric Audio phono preamp, Eric’s Special Line Preamplifier and Eric’s Transcend push-pull Amp. I sit for hours and listen to LPs. I’ve had it like this for a year with the amplifier but I bought the other pieces earlier. I had a friend over who wanted to listen to Pink Floyd, loud. He’s Never heard anything like my system before. He’s sitting all with his jaw hanging open every time he comes over. I’ve never played it that loudly before (Zu Soul Supreme) but I was getting 100db before I turned it down. To his chagrin. It was just on the edge of getting distortion.

It’s amazing isn’t it!

bent

Flat out, Aric makes some top notch gear. 

Sorry Aric not Eric!

Glad to hear your enjoying your Aric equipment. I was seriously considering the push pull as well. I’m sure it really jams! Since I have a push pull already, I wanted to try something different. I have a buddy that has already booked a listening session!

'I remembered Johnny Hartman needed to be put on. Smooth as silk. '

You're not kidding, earthbound.

I have this LP, and it sounds fantastic on my tubed midfi setup.

John Coltrane And Johnny Hartman – John Coltrane And Johnny Hartman (1963, Gatefold, Vinyl) - Discogs

No doubt your setup would bring it up another level.

Funny. That’s the album I listened to. A great one! I like when Coltraine plays with Hartman. It seems to calm him down a bit. Nice and mellow, with a few jams mixed in!

Sorry to report at this time that even this wonderful Aric 300b amp isn’t good enough to make Pink Floyd’s Endless River sound any good. First time I listened to this album and wish I hadn’t. Lol. Recorded decently and sounds great on the system, but the music isnt their best. 

@earthbound I've got to agree! I wasn't aware this album existed until now- so I decided to take a listen. I think I nodded off a few times and so I skipped a few tracks and the same thing happened! Lol. Best, Aric

I didn’t know it existed either and see that there is another album from a few years ago. I’ve decided to go through some of my favorites from their first album to their last. Yesterday I did the Beatles Please Please Me and Rush Rush. The remastered Beatles sounded so good through the new amp. Was really impressed. The Stones and Robert Johnson tonight! Everyone have an enjoyable and safe holiday. 

Enjoy !!!   There is nothing quite like unboxing something special like that.   
 

Happy Listening!!!

Some nice cuts and taste in music there! I'm usually all over the place, but have been on a Woods Brothers kick for the last couple of days. Next day it might be Indie/Alt or maybe some classis Metal I used to listen to in the 80's. I hope you continue to enjoy the amp and have a great Thanksgiving! 

I love using these forums to discover new music that people recommend. Listened to The Wood Brothers-Way Not to Lose. Time to Stand Still really stood out to me on the first listen. Cool album with a couple of gems on it. Goes from a more narrow sound  stage on some singer centered tracks to very expansive on others. Enjoyed it 👍

Learned something new today, SET mode on the amp certainly has enough power to fill the room more than adequately! Going to listen in SET for a week before going back. Definitely less bass punch. Trying to listen to the midrange/vocals more closely. I do like that the amp meters are lower, which I’m assuming means it’s working less hard and will heat up less=nice advantage. I figure after a week or so, when I switch back, other pros and cons will become more apparent. Good times!😀

@earthbound Hope you enjoyed some good grub! You got it- in SET vs PSET mode there is half the current passing through the output transformers producing 9 watts per channel instead of 18, so the amp will definitely run cooler! Also, I'm not sure if you did, but I would move the speaker connections to the 4 ohm taps when running in SET mode as the impedance ratio is changed with only one power tube per channel. I find this mode very useful if a premium (expensive) pair of power tubes are used and you don't want to purchase a quad (yet). For most music, SET is all I need with my speakers, but if you really want to drive some current to your speakers, then PSET allows the amp to punch above it's power/weight. 

I am certainly in the market for tubes. It is quite a relief that I really don’t feel the need for 4. When I want to rock out, I will use the 4 Gold Lions. When I want sane listening levels, where I sit in front, then the “better” tubes will be used. Having read so many reviews, it will be the WE’s or Tataksuki’s. Aric do you have any suggestions for the other tubes? I want a spare pair anyway. Is there an upgrade to the 6v6 and 6sn7 tubes you like or stick with what I have? 

Having owned an Aric Transcend and three different Decware amps over the years I can say you made the right choice. I think Aric’s use of better components makes it a step up. The Decware had what I can only describe as noisy transformers. The Aric brought another level of clarity.

@earthbound For the other tubes, I really like the Sylvania 6V6GT black plate / smoked glass that are in there now, I find them to be completely grain-less and overall nicely detailed and neutral. I’ve tried using some RCA and GE grey and black plates and thought they sounded a bit coarse in the midrange. Another extremely high quality 6V6GT equivalent that several customers have reported they loved, are the Bendix 5992s- supposedly the holy grail of 6V6s! I've not listened to these myself though. For the input gain stage, the 6SN7s included are Hytron black plates, which are a nicely balanced, non-offensive tube. There are better out there however, they are nice. I really like the Sylvania "Bad Boy" 6SN7GTs with either 2 or 3 hole plates. They are extremely detailed and neutral without exhibiting any harshness and are probably my favorites in the amp. Another great sounding tube are the Linlai Elite 6SN7s. They’re new production, and I’ve purchased 6 pairs of them with excellent consistency and reliability across the board. Probably a bit less detailed than the Bad Boys, but very nuanced and add a nice subtle "flavor" to the mix. For 300Bs, I’ve used Emission Labs 300BXLS with excellent results, and excellent reliability plus they come with a 5 year warranty from the manufacturer. I hope this helps! Aric

You absolutely made the right choice.   There is a difference between a no compromise custom build and a boiler plate mass produced design.  

If i am paying $$$ for a custom amp I want the principle owner / designer to build it.    That amp will give you many hours of enjoyment every night you sit in front of it it.   

Plus it's eye candy too so it'll make you smile even when it's off because your buddies don't own anything like it .   

Thanks for the replies guys. Aric thanks for the tube alternatives. The Emissions Lab have come up in reviews as an excellent choice as well. I did a 5 hour SET session last night. I’m a lucky man!

@aricaudio For 300Bs, I’ve used Emission Labs 300BXLS with excellent results, and excellent reliability plus they come with a 5 year warranty from the manufacturer. I hope this helps! Aric

Yes, the EML XLS is a splendid 300b option. I’ve had them in my mono block SET for about 7 or 8 years with very frequent usage. They have excellent sound quality and exceptional reliability. It’s a very robustly built workhorse type of 300b.

I have owned the Takatsuki and it’s also excellent sounding. I did not experience quite the same reliability with them. However, Takatsuki graciously replaced the failed tube without issue.In my opinion, sonically you cannot choose wrong with either. The EML XLS is just a bigger/heavier/thicker glass/more solidly built tube having owned them both.

I have no listening or ownership experience with the current production Western Electric 300b. It does offer a 5 year warranty same as EML.

Charles

@oddiofyl 

I haven’t heard a Decware amplifier but I do acknowledge that they have a very loyal group of customers. Rightly so I would imagine. I do agree with you that the Aric Audio amplifier is an excellent choice and for the reasons you stated. I’m glad that @earthbound is enjoying it.

Charles

Thanks Charles. You were one of my Emission Lab references from prior posts! It’s reassuring to have experienced 300ber’s sharing their experiences. These tubes, due to price, are not as easy to tube roll. I’d prefer to get it right the first time. The 5 year warranty is certainly a huge benefit and attractive option. 

@earthbound 

The only downside with commitment to the 300b is its cost when compared with most other power tube alternatives. You’ll definitely pay for the premium tier options. As far as I am concerned, they are worth it. As you have discovered, a high-quality 300b SET is just fantastic for music reproduction.

I have consistently advised that if you have a very good quality SET amplifier, buy the best tubes you can afford. They are just worth it. You  want to hear your amplifier perform at its best. The good thing is, the higher quality tubes tend to have long life spans. EML and vintage W. E. 300b are the poster child for this.

Charles

Unfortunately I have no first hand comparison of 300b but I think the Western Electric 300b was worth the money.  They sound phenomenal in my amp.   I bought a spare pair because I wanted to be sure I had a new pair on hand down the road

Word of mouth feedback from owners of the current Western Electric 300b has been positive, 

Chatles

@charles1dad +1 I have three customers that can attest to that as well. One of them became a dealer after buying his first pair. He firmly believes in the sonics and quality of the WEs. 

@aricaudio

I believe that with the upper tier 300bs

Elrog,EML,KR, Takatsuki.Western Electric, one could not go wrong. I left out the Higher level Chinese 300b because I am not sure that reliability has yet been established. Inevitably some top tier brands will match with certain amplifiers better than others.
Charles

A relatively inexpensive quad I have running in a 300B Push Pull (I’ve also tried them in the PSET albeit briefly) are the Linlai 7300Bs. Sort of a KT150ish looking egg shape (which you’ll likely either love or hate), and a titanium coated plate structure. I paid $660 for a quad, and have about 100 hours on them, and they’re fantastic for the money this far in. They're very balanced and detailed without any bloat, raggedness or roll-off on either end. Somewhat "fast and detailed" sounding, without being analytical or sterile. So far I have not had any Linlai tubes fail on me- 6SN7s, 2A3s, 845s, 5U4GBs (and too soon to tell, but so far the 300Bs as well). YMMV, but so far they’ve all biased up consistently with no ticks, pops, or any other noises. Very consistent in sonics across tubes. My early impressions are very positive with Linlai’s tubes thus far.

In an amp like the PSET 300b it is worth the money. , I think    We're not talking a $3000 amp here.    Yeah it stings,  but they are reported to last a long time .   

I pulled the trigger today. I purchased 2 Sylvania 6v6’s, 2 Linlai 6sn7’s and 2 Western Electric 300b’s. The 300b’s will be used in SET mode and I’ll use the Gold Lions in PSET. The other tubes are back ups for the amp, which already has the Sylvania’s but the Linlai would be different. Look forward to hearing the difference between the Gold Lions and WE’s. WE also promised, due to the price, that a naked lady jumps out from behind the amp!

@earthbound 

👍 Congratulations with the new tubes. I hope that the Western Electric 300bs serve you very well. It’s really nice that your amplifier allows SET mode when desired.

Charles