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The 300B World

Disclosure:  I am not new to Aric Audio, but I am new to the 300B.

 

I took delivery of my Aric Audio 300B PSET a couple of months ago. Since then, every listening hour has been different than it would have been were I new to both. I want to know who is responsible for what I'm hearing. So, the overriding question every observation is passed through is simply "Was that the 300B or was that the 'Aric Audio Heft'?" Over the years I have purchased a number of different amps and preamps from Aric and have come to identify certain characteristics that can be expected from all of his builds. That's why I keep going back. Examples include the "dead black" background, the solid signal strength delivered by his preamps, the ease with which the soundstage can be mapped, and the raw power resulting from the overbuilt approach he takes in his design work: "The Aric Audio Heft." Knowing what I would get from any Aric Audio amp is instrumental in being able to appreciate the magic of the "show off tube." 

 

I've heard it said that people who go to the 300B never really come back and I've been intrigued by that ever since. It invites critical listening across the broadest spectrum of music one can tolerate. It's here that observations are bagged and tagged, the first being the kind of music I listen to matters much less because I find myself listening differently and hearing so much more. One of my favorites is the leading edge of the lower frequencies and the way every beat reminds me that I'm listening to a 300B. The way I would characterize the sound profile would be to say it's as if the veil has finally been lifted and the distance between the performance and my listening chair closed. You know it immediately even if you can't quite define it yet and it commands your attention.

 

For some reason I'm surprised by how closely the tonal qualities of SET and PSET modes align. Somehow, I thought there would be more of a "sonic cost" for that extra power. I'm still cautious here though because the quad of tubes I'm using for PSET mode are not topflight tubes. So, the final analysis will have to wait until I can level the playing field. In SET mode I'm listening to a pair of Gold Lions, which I consider to be at least among the heavyweights. The question I'm presently grappling with is which tubes come next? I've done my due diligence researching the various offerings and think it will be a quad of Emission Labs XLS 300Bs. Any input around your experience with 300B tubes I would welcome. Yes, I have my wish list that starts with the Western Electrics (which I'm sure I'll own one day) but the guidance I'm seeking here is the step between now and then. What would be a suitable tube to take an already remarkable experience to a whole new level? Conversely, are there tubes that I should simply stay away from? My thanks to all. Happy listening.

128x128pseudonym
sns
3,003 posts
 

My present custom build 300B SET monoblocks are my all time favorite amps. I've been though class A/B, class A SS, push pull tubes with some of KT family, 6550, EL34, 2A4, 845 and 300B SET. What you're hearing is what I call immediacy, SET has performer in room transparency, relatively few parts in these low power tube amps very close to straight wire, signal doesn't have to go through myriad of parts, circuit boards. With top flight power supplies and sympathetic speaker partnering these amps capable of playing any music with authority, I certainly don't avoid any genre of music.

 

As for 300B tubes, all the top flight have their fans, can't really go wrong with Takatsuki, EML, WE, Elrog, Psvane Acme, Audio Note, probably forgetting others. These all play at much higher level than rest, meaning higher resolving, transparency with these. I do see  occasional failures with 300B, but nothing concerning assuming amp doesn't overdo it with plate voltages

jasonbourne52's avatar
jasonbourne52
2,863 posts
 

I say the output trannies are way more important than the output tube types. The best output trannies are still the MIJ Tango’s. Those are in my 2A3 Sanei 260A, along with a Tango choke and power tranny for the power supply.

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islandmandan
1,260 posts
 

I have been using the ELM 300B XLS tubes for many years, and the amp has been modified a bit by Paul Birkeland to accomodate the differnt voltage required by these tubes (for you aficianados, I don't recall what voltage is involved, but Mr. Birkeland knows).

The amp is one that was built by Sonic Frontiers, and  according to Paul, had some pretty nice transformers on it. It was offered as a kit.

He says it is as good as any $5000 300B amp available these days. I enjoy it greatly, although it is not what I listen to most of the time, that being a 3C24 amp designed and built by Paul. It works a treat with my custom built Tannoy HPD 315's.

Anyway, my best to all, and enjoy the music,

Dan

fthompson251's avatar
fthompson251
303 posts
 

I did some research and read some very positive reviews on the Psvane Acme 300B’s. I have a VAC Renaissance 70/70 Signature and was researching tubes for it. What I don’t know is which 300 b’s are "safe" to use in it. I will discuss with Kevin Hayes later this month when I go get my amp from him after the recent upgrades it’s getting. He and Brent didn’t seem to know much about the Psvane ACME. I may just get the Golden Lion as that is what they recommend. As far as the 300B sound, it is the sonic realism that you are there which is the allure.

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,235 posts
 

@fthompson251

I may just get the Golden Lion as that is what they recommend. As far as the 300B sound, it is the sonic realism that you are there which is the allure.

Your VAC Renaissance 70/70 is an excellent and classic amplifier. It requires 4 pair of 300b tubes, so things get expensive in a hurry.

In your situation I would heed the recommendation of Kevin Hayes. My SET amplifier of course only need a single 300b tube per channel. So much more economical and simpler when dealing with the upper tier of 300b tubes.

I am 100% in agreement with you and @sns regarding the superb virtues of this tube. Utterly natural and realistic reach out and touch/breath of life characteristics.

I’ve been using my SET since 2009 and I’m still thrilled with its sonic performance. I’ve been using the splendid EML XLS 300b the past 7 or 8 years with zero issues or complaints.

Charles

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