New SET Amp

Hi Pawlowski6132,

The Cary SEI 300B was also my first in-home experience with SET's. It is instantaneously lush, rich, velvety smooth - enough to make most anyone drunk with SET envy. But, after a few weeks, I started to find the sound too lush and rich, almost exaggeratedly so. And the low frequencies tended to be flabby and underpowered with both my 90dB/4 ohm & 97dB/8ohm speakers.

Then, I got chance to hear some other great 300B amps which confirmed my impressions about the Cary's "signature sound". My current Welborne DRD 300B monoblocks are far more transparent, revealing, tonally accurate, and dynamic. The Cary seems bloated and slow in comparison. Cy Brennan's were another revelation about how 300B amps should sound. Both these amps better the Cary's peformance in all respects, especially it's low frequency response.

The good news is that there are several American made amps that offer better performance(depending on your preferences) below the price of what you can get for the Cary. A used set of Welborne DRD 300B monoblocks will run you ~$1,100 w/ TJ Meshplate tubes.

Sorry Pawlowski6132,

For some reason, I misread the thread and thought you had the 101dB Zu speakers (acutally Warrenh). Now, I realize that you've gone to a headphone system.

I have an Art Audio PX-25 amp (no volume control) and it is the greatest amp I have ever encountered. In my system, it is powerful, rich, textured, detailed, agile. Tonality and timbre are where it truly seperates itself from any other amp I've heard. Wood instruments have body and resonance. Cymbals have shimmer and decay. Percussion has snap. Whatever is asked of it gets delivered and it never runs out of steam.

But, I think it might be serious overkill for a headphone system unless you are looking to seriously push the envelope. Art Audio's are 70 lb. stainless steel beasts built to have the current capability of SET's on steroids.

In your situation, I would seriously look into an amp using a 45 tube or 2A3. Fantastic tonality in the 2 wpc range, yet still more than enough, I'd think. There is a used Fi 2A3/45 stereo amp(6Moons review) for sale right now at $1k that has "Sale Pending", you should seriously contact the seller to see if it is still available. If not, they sell for ~$2,650 brand new.

For background info, here is Enjoy The Music's 2004 review of it's predecessor amp Fi X 2A3/45 by Ian White. I've traded quite a few emails and posts on Audio Asylum with Ian over the years on a range of audio related topics. He fervently believes that Don Garber's amps cut directly to the soul of the music in a way no other amp comes close. I think he described them as an "emotional experience".

Here's a 2004 6Moons review of his Fi 2A3 monoblocks.
TNT Audio's 2002 review of his Fi X 2A3 stereo amp.

Don does business the old fashioned way, by phone and email strictly. Give him a call 718-625-7353 or dgfi@earthlink.net

Thanks for that link, I would have never thought Headgear could need that much current. Learn something new every week around here.

Since I have zero experience with headphones, take my suggestions with a big grain of salt. But, if you found the Cary somewhat satisfactory in the current/drive department, then an Art Audio will knock your socks off.

Consider the Art Audio Carissa which uses an 845 transmitting tube to deliver 16 wpc of rich, luscious, and powerful sound. Guanranteed to trump the Cary 300SEI in every respect. It sells for $4k new, but used amps pop up around here every month in the $1.7k-$2k range.

6Moons review

Positive Feedback review

Enjoy The Music Review