Not so long ago, I have decided to try the all tube set up. It was a slow and step by step journey, where I used the 'usual' ss names, like small and big Krells, than Pathos hybrid and than all Burmester set up (which is the ss that I like the most) always with Souns Faber speakers (not really tube friendly)
Than I decided to try small monitors from Franco Serblin, which have low sensitivity, but rather stable impendance of 7,9 ohm at lowest point.
Currently I am using paralell single ended amp in A class (tetrode) and premap from Unison Research with power of 30w.
I am thinking of trying some bigger set (like Cary 805) or perhaps Vac push pull with 300b tube.
Does anyone have experinece with 300b in pp configuration in comparation with se?
Is it possible to maintain that 'famous' sound of 300b in pp? |
So much great intel here. Thank you all! I really appreciate the views, thoughts and opinions. This is what it's all about.
Among the reasons I think every audiophile should try a 300B SET, is that it really allows you to hear recordings for what they are/were supposed to be. I can go back through my musical ancestry and find albums I loved but now (or recent in PP or SS) thought weren't that well done, and now I can hear them with virgin ears. It's such a blessing.
At times it becomes spooky. I think that I could die here streaming albums and songs forever. I recently went back and listened to all the 45 records I bought as a kid in the late 1970s and early 1980s. I did this entirely through Tidal HiFi with all tube DAC. The 300B took me back to my youth--to hear those songs anew. If I do it with my PP or SS setups the songs get lost as pure nostalgia, nothing more, nothing less.
The 300B with all tube inputs (vinyl or digital) is so refreshing. It's like so much is washed away, leaving pure signal. That's the best I can do. |
I’ll be the friendly dissenter as I do not accept the premise that 99% of speakers available are incompatible with a 300b SET amplifier. That ’may be true for the 1 watt 45 tube . A friend uses 3.5 watt 2A3 SET mono blocks and the list of speakers he has found to pair with his amplifier is surprisingly impressive. Wilson,Magico, Vandersteen and Maggie’s? No. However there are ample choices that are suitable. Many are from high quality but small/lesser known companies. The 300b SET isn’t an universal amplifier for any and all aplications. Nor is it as narrowly limited as some suggest.
Charles |
While I definitely agree with "300B talents are limited to a small set of speakers as it cannot drive 99% of the speakers out there," I also find the constraints useful. No different from designing a house from scratch with no limitations other than budget and size. For me, anyway, there are enough speakers that occupy that 1%. The only issue is that most good high efficiency speakers are expensive. |
The Audio Gods do make you work for it! Also, so well said to say that "you don't get much but what you do get is ...GREAT!" |
-i would definitely agree with "subjectivity" and "to each his own". I find the 300b has a few limitations but by no means debilitating. In regard to speaker selection the sensitivity and probably more so the load impedance curves are necessary considerations. . In my experience there are a good number of viable candidates. One can find them with the proper (and motivated) search.
Charles |
"The Audio Gods are" subjective - to each his own. 300B talents are limited to a small set of speakers as it cannot drive 99% of the speakers out there.
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Hi Gary,
You raised a point I forgot to mention, you re right, there is no shortage of 300b tubes available. Through a combination of buying and getting generous loans of tubes I've heard 10 or 11 different 300bs in my SET amplifier. Also there is no shortage of good quality 300b amplifiers currently available. The SET circuits are quite simple the major keys for sucess are output transformer and power supply quality.
Charles |
I like the constraints imposed by the 300b gods. Otherwise, the number of options in terms of speakers and amplifiers and the possible combinations becomes overwhelming.
I started with high efficiency speakers with built-in subwoofers (Zu Definitions. . . now in their 4th iteration). Then I went through lower power SET amplifiers (45, 2a3) before settling on a good 300b SET (Ancient Audio). Finally, as suggested, I tried different 300b tubes (Shuguang, Psvane, Sophia) before settling on Takatsuki.
Even this limited journey took years. But I am content and have made no changes in the last 8-9 years with no plans to tinker in the future.
Actually, I am impressed by the number of available 300b tubes with new versions every year.
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Hi jbhiller,
Thanks for posting your happy 300b experiences. As you can see from the replies you aren’t alone. As noted, no amplifier type, design or topology is without some inherent compromise or shortcoming. In the end we choose what suits us best. "Instrumenty" I know just what you mean 😊. There are for certain very fine sounding solid state and push pull tube amplifiers and I have owned some myself.
When I acquired my Coincident Frankenstein 300b mono blocks and powered them up it took about 10 seconds to realize this was the sound I’d been yearning for. Things only improved as the amplifier burned_in. This was 9 1/2 years ago and my admiration and happiness has only grown. It does many things well but reproduction of human vocals and instruments was the best I’ve heard. Just so pure, connecting and realistic. It has been an absolute joy and now going on 10 years of ownership these amplifiers are a permanent fixture in my system.Needless to say all 300b SET amplifiers aren’t created equally. However if one gets a well implemented good quality amp you’ll be rewarded with music reproduced with strong emotional involvement, excellent tonality, beautiful nuance and realism. This is my listening experience.
Charles |
300B sound is golden but God make sure you truly work for it.
Great things come in small quantity ... 300B is like that ...you don't get a lot, but whatever you get, is divine that cannot be matched.
Hope this helps. |
You’re all preaching to the choir here.
After years and and years of owning many fine amps I’ve settled on my upgraded Aric Audio 300B SET. There’s a purity to the sound of a well implemented SET that can’t be matched in my estimation. Obviously proper speaker matching is essential and with the right speakers the sound is magical.
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Listen however and to whatever puts you in that zone:)Aric is a very nice "mad scientist" and does custom builds too. I enjoy reading about the smaller companies,visiting their websites,blogs, and FB pages.
Sorry to get off topic!Hopefully some more 300B will chime in:)
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I use my SET 300B to drive my 94db Tannoy HPD 315 custom built speakers, and really love the sound, so I get what you are saying. For everyday listening and video sound (multi-channel), a 500 Wpc Class D amp and two subwoofers.
When using the 300B, it is driven by a Transcendent Sounds Grounded Grid preamp (tubed), and no subs (I'm too lazy go to the trouble of switching the cables over to use the subs).
Although I love the sound as it is, I've been bitten by the 845 tube bug, and I'm planning on moving in that direction. That should help in the power situation, and I understand in many other areas of sound quality. Besides, I love Big Tubes!
Regards,
Dan
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I'm going to check out Aric Audio--for curiosity's sake!
Yes, and I'll say I'm probably breaking some SET gospel rules by using the REL in the system. I have it set so low it seamlessly integrates and provides staging, depth and relaxes things nicely. |
More "instrumenty" .I like it:)I understand perfectly what you mean.Before I bought my current(and last) amp I was torn between going with an SET or Push Pull.I ended up with one that can be switched from ultralinear to push pull built by Aric Audio.Perfect for those of us that can't make a decision:)
I'm definitely cursed to never to be happy with solid-state again.My entire system is tubed also.
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