I have a dozen 300 B single-ended amps. The Sun Audio SV-300BE sounded superb with the Takatsuki 300B, old stock WE300B, and the first batch re-issue of the WE300B tube and its variants ( Cetron ). The Chinese and the European variants ( Sophia mesh Royal princess, Pvsanne WE300B, EH, KR, and Emission Lab 300B XLS ) don’t have that magical tone.
I use the Tungsol round plate black glass 6SN7 and RCA 5U4G variants, which sounds wonderful.
The previous owner already modified this amp. The Coupling capacitors were upgraded to Theta Audiocap and the gain control was by-passed.
I don’t have the Sun Valley 300B so I can’t comment on it. Based on the ones I have heard from YouTube channels, the sound is a little more flat and less three-dimensional versus the Sun Audio sv300BE I have. I feel that OPT of the Sun Audio has a better lower bass frequency response.
Off-topic,
My other favorite 300B circuits are the WE91B circuit-based Japanese DIY with a single WE310a. It has enough drive ( at least to my ears .) I have two sets of these wonderful-sounding monoblocks ( 3.5K and 5K primary Tango FW-50 OPT .)
Other favorite DIY amps:
three stage 6922, 6v6 triode strapped 300B SET with Tamura F2007 OPT
The CAD-300 SEI factory upgraded version that I replaced with coupling capacitors to the Audyn copper max with bypass cap. This enhances the lower frequency response and gives a better sound stage and musicality than the original Mundorf MCap EVO SilverGold Oil Capacitors.
Sun Valley vs Sun Audio 300b
Any thoughts on how they sound?
Sun Audio is extremely simple circuit with no NF and Tamura.
Sun Valley is more complicated circuit w/GNF and Hashimoto.
I don’t mind building either, but hard to find anything out there comparing how they sound. Each has sales reps in US that want to push their own.
Sometimes simpler is better, other times stability is better.
thanks in advance!
