Rebbi, to me that is ad copy hype. Mark me down as from Missouri, the show me state. I'd have to hear it to believe it! Not likely to happen. I' m all in on Charles' remarks. The DHT 300B is the "Cat's Meow." The EL34 can have a excellent midrange, but not to the extent of a DHT 300B. It's been written here and other places over and over.
I have owned both amp types amongst other types. I truly regret selling my Golden Tube 300B. When that company went out of business I was worried about ongoing support. Now, knowing what I know, with the advent of Shuguang Black Treasure 300B, I should have implemented Arthur Salvatore's (someone to listen too) mods to the Golden Tube 300B for true world class sound at that time. Now, he and his associates believe Charles' and Brownsfan Coincident 300B amp to be the finest sounding overall. |
Hi Tubegroover,
Sorry you lost out. If I saw it (Golden Tube 300B) I'd try to buy. I believe stock it would be fantastic with th DeCapo. It has great iron. Now, if you were to spend about $1,000-1,500 to upgrade capacitors, resistors, etc., plus get the Black Treasure 300Bs, some good 6L7s, you'd really be on to something. You'd be breathing rarified air, within striking distance of Coincident, Wytec Opal, territory. You'd fall a little short, but maybe not by much. |
Charles,
Yes. I was being tongue-in-cheeky. Excellent site most often times; but you must admit some of those responses were hilarious. Had my head spinning. More like the Straw Man talking to the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz. Does the hypotenuse cross behind the silver moon while the Wizard is bloviating behind the curtain...well, maybe my poor attempt at humor. |
In the meantime the Black Treasure 6CA7-Z's are breaking in nicely on the Dynamo. I must reiterate that I can't believe I am listening to a $1,300 amp with no need for preamp. Pavarotti just completed a piece, I'm stunned really; Brownsfan is so right about the bassoon, french horn, and do forth...I'm having so much fun listening to this unit. After the Black Treasure burn in some more I think I will change out the Sylvania 6SL7s for RCA Red Base, then later on change out the Mullard 60s rectfier to the new Gold Lion Brownsfan recommended.
Charles, how is the 378 doing? |
I really do love tube rolling and hearing for myself what happens; so much fun. I think this current combo of tubes is going to be hard to beat. |
Rebbi,
I don't take your question as snarky. I would take the 300 DHT every time in a well designed and implemented amp such as the Coincident Franks. I don't know anything about the Bottlehead, except what I have read.
Charles has really outlined what it takes to be a great 300B. The Transformer being paramount along with good design and implementation of the design. I' m not a reviewer or designer/builder. Charles is a better go-to person on this topic.
I commented earlier on the Golden Tube 300B which was a excellent design with very good transformers. It sounded good, but here's the rub, it was poorly executed because of cheap parts, poor parts, poor build internally. Like most SE40, or 300B, they failed and support was basically non-existent. Yet, if you made the parts changes Arthur Salvatore suggested, you ended up with a world class amp, sounding better than most anything out there. Same went for the Golden Tube SE40, which I
also owned. If I were a builder/designer and a design thief with $$$$ I
would build the Lau Brothers Golden Tube amps with appropriate changes ala Arthur Salvatore and some others who upgrade the GT SE40. So, here is an example of good sounding amps gone wrong.
I trust my ears, that is why I keep mentioning the Dynamo. Israel Blume, to
me, has created a beautiful sounding musical amp at an affordable price (you just have to match appropriate efficient speakers of your choice), but it answers your question about "bargain" SET. I'm happy, doesn't mean this is what you want. I just wish the best for you in your choice and that you will be as happy as I am with my choice. I throw out what is going on with the Dynamo to help. Rebbi, sooner or later you'll find what you are looking for. You asked, we answer. |
Charles1Dad,
Agreed. For giggles down the road, as a wild experiment, since I really will purchase the Franks, perhaps I'll get the Mullard 378 and plop it in the Dynamo to hear what it does in the Dynamo prior to installing it in the Franks...it would be interesting, what an expensive rectifier does, or does not do in the Dynamo? Right now, as currently constituted, I bought this amp for $800, bought NOS RFT Siemens for $200, Shuguang Black Treasure 6CA7-Z for $150. I already had on hand the Sylvania 6SL7 WGT and RCA Red Base, as well as Gold Lion KT 77 and a NOS Phillips rectifier. So, $1,150 for audio nirvana. Now, that is a bargain SET set-up. |
Oh, forgot the NOS Mullard 60s rectifier, $90. |
Hi Rebbi,
I delt with Galen Carol on a number of occasions, he has always been very helpful. In fact, my last purchase from him was a Jolida FX10 for a desk-top system paired with 93db 8ohm Tekton 4.5 monitors. Very good sound. The FX10 put out about 10 Watts.
Also second that Audio Nirvana, looks promising, wonder how it sounds? Seems as though it has hefty transformers, wonder how well made they are? I'm also impressed that they are using Black Treasure 300B, a real plus. Great "bargain" price as well. |
Congrats Rebbi,
You have more courage than me. For some reason I'm a bit snakebit when it comes to building amps from kit. Maybe it's my brothers fault. When we were teenagers I'd come from school and want to spin some tunes only to find the parts of the amp, preamp or turntable taken apart, parts laid out all over his bedroom floor. Something was almost always misplaced. I always had to retreat to my parents system, or go next door to an uncle's house to get a listening session in.
I believe you made an excellent decision, keep us updated on your progress. Stay calm, Go slow, measure twice, solder once...we are now vested in your success. Best, Rob |
Happy Thanksgiving everyone,
Charles, I'll take the Eagles over the Cowboys, agree on the others. My Giants are currently a Sad Sack team, how does that happen so fast?
Rebbi, that is a nice Tube bundle from Parts Connection. I have experience with both Black Treasures (300B, cv181). The price is also very good. |
Rebbi,
Blogging the experience is a great idea. Most of us who followed this thread will likely read the blog with great interest. It might inspire some of us to follow your trail blazing path. Have solder iron, will travel.
Charles, I get lucky with my NFL picks on occasion. |
Rebbi,
That is great. Just bought my 6CA7-Z from Rachel at Grant Fidelity, plus past 300Bs and CV181s. Fabulous to work with them. You will likely like these tubes. Recommended by Israel Blume for his 300B amps amongst others. Again, best of luck with everything, I'm really happy for you, rooting that all works out the way you would like. |
Charles,
The Eagles also have a good OL, although lots of injuries, plus a good running game. Also too bad the QB is injured, but I think the Eagles have the better Defense. |
Rebbi,
Check out Amazon for the Shuguang Black Treasure Tubes. Outstanding pricing. |
Rebbi,
Really enjoy following the blog, even my wife has joined with great interest. She is now thinking, hey, maybe I can build one also. Michal, my wife has been smitten by AN ever since an audio meeting around 2000 in New Jersey, most of the big names in audio reviewers were there, highlighting the 300B, featuring the Komuro, amongst others. |
Hello Rebbi,
Happy Chanukah! The Audio Note packing looks super. I' glad you noted how well thought out the various bags and sub-bags of parts were labeled according to build order. I' looking forward to the build (by you) and reading your thoughts as you go along. All the best. |
Charles, yes, she is something else. Always handy around the house and she doesn't look like Annie the Riveter. SET gal, who has always loved the 300B. I am lucky Jet.
I wonder if Brownsfan has gotten any listening in on the Dynamo. I would love to get his further opinion. I hope Brownsfan is having luck with move. We can all appreciate how tough that usually is. |
I believe it is Dick Olsher's responsibility to utilize different speakers that have a chance to mate well with a given amplifier. Most reviewers would not mate a low-watt SET with grossly incompatible speakers except to note, for example, that one must be careful in speaker matching. Then he, the reviewer, would generally base the review on compatible rigs to let us, the reader compare and contrast. |
Ok, I'm sick in bed today, reading, listening to my Dynamo right now, playing Capitol's Great Gentelmen of Song, Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, Dick Haymes, Sinatra, Martin, Bennett, well you get the idea.
I usually enjoy Dick Osher; but he is way off base here. Something was definitely out of kilter with his set-up. I have the Primaluna and the Coincident beats it out in nearly ever parameter. Consolidating what Charles stated from Olsher, the review is wacky. Believe Tim Smith from 6 Moons and the Enjoy the Music, reviews you can trust that were thorough and used better mached speakers. And I am not impugning Dick Olsher something was wrong.
Remember my comments: the Dynamo was used. It had Gold Lion KT77s, a Phillips 5R4GYS rectifier (not recommended for use by Blume) stock Shuguang 6SL7. The sound was ok with that set-up, my wife did not like the bass, nor did I.
So, being the tube roller that I am since experience has taught me that you
can almost always improve the sound with different tubes, especially NOS (part of the fun of tubes), I rolled. This is what I did: the first thing I did was replace the rectifier tube with a NOS Mullard 5AR4 from 1960s. Wow! Significant improvement. I also had in my tube stash some NOS Military Sylvania 6SL7s. Boom! Another leap forward. Then, I purchased NOS RFT Siemens (Tim Smith, 6 Moons liked these best of EL34s, 6CA7s), "fatter, fuller, better bass". I prefer the Shuguang Black Treasure 6CA7s.
I still have some experimenting to do (going to try the RCA Red Base, a couple of of other rectifiers).
My system as currently constituted sounds remarkable. Purity of tone, natural and organic, the music flows with ease, great textures, big, well defined soundstage (wall-to-wall), deep, coherent, lovely midrange, bass tight and fast, PRat, highs that are never fatiguing (Tekton speakers), rich, full, smooth, neither Yin or Yang, just right to me in my room. This amp will play anything, rock, classical, chamber, Jazz, Louis, Ella, in the room,duke's piano never sounded better.
I'll mention that I was a professional musician and have listened to all types of systems from great to small. This is an amp that most everything tight. Must have sensitive speakers, you will enjoy the music. |
P.S. I used Tekton 4.5s, mostly M-Lore, Lore. No problems. Also used my Infinity Prelude Compositions, 6ohm, 96db. No problem. |
Rebbi,
Thank you for all the info. My wife is a fabulous cook and loves the process of elaborate meals (she does it to relax) so I expect she'll enjoy building the kit after our move and we're settled in.
Brownsfan, glad you get in some hiking as well as listening. I' ve moved a lot in my life, so I know well the drill you are going through. Best of luck, anxious to compare notes at a later date. |
I would guess just about any 8ohm spesker with above 92-3db would be optimal. Not hard for a reviewer to do. Lot's of fine choices in this category. Even Dick himself, has mentioned this type of compatibility in many other reviews if my memory serves... |
Rebbi,
Now you've done it! My wife very much wants to build the AN Kit. She desires to do it by herself. Then, in our new home (late spring), she wants her own private room also. Thank God we'll have the space. I thought I was downsizing somewhat. Oh boy! |
I like that Brownsfan and Schubert are having a interesting discussion about music on this thread while we wait for Rebbi's board. This is useful and enlightening. In fact I'll be buying most of those CDs. Please keep the discussion going... |
Keep us posted on the Dynamo. I owned the RM10 and loved it. Regret selling it. Terrific little amp. Best. |
Rebbi,
Yes, I agree completely. To me you just cannot beat a 300B SET DHT amplifier provided all your ancillary equipment is synergistic.
Really happy you are enjoying the music so much. This what it is all about. And a big thank you for paving the way on building the AN Kit. This has been one of the most enjoyable threads on Audiogon, ever. Best! |
Rebbi,
As is typical of building a new house, stuff happens. We were originally scheduled to move in by the end of May. Apparently that was optimistic and it now looks like it will be end-of-June, hopefully. So, given that, time to get settled in, regain our bearings, I would expect to order the AN sometime in late July. At about that same time I'll likely order the Franks unless I can find them used in the meantime. I really need, must go to some shows, travel to LA and NYC to listen to various speakers to pair with the Franks that I have on my wish list. Luckily I'm often in LA, NYC or Chicago. At any rate, the AN will be paired with our Tekton Lore.
Saki, so glad the BT 6CA7 has worked out for you. They are stellar in my Coincident Dynamo. |
Glad all is well with the Dynamo. Keep us posted as it burns in. Best. |
