300B vs. KT88 SET?

Hey Bemopti123 - thanks for the compliment. I actually moved that system to my workspace where I listen to it now. Mostly for WAF per my system description. A more modest, KT88 based sytem is currently in my home where that one was. The LaScalas now have much more space to breath! Hey, how do you like your Voight-Pipes? I've been thinking of trying a pair of those at some point. Terry Cain lives only a few hours from me and I keep threatening to go out and visit him in the stick and listen to his speakers. I have a feeling they may hook me! Good input on the differences too (thread subject). Zoya - 98db is just fine for SET in most rooms, though I've never heard your speakers so cannot comment beyond that general observation. 300B tubes are direct heated and are therefore prone to some low level noise when at idle. With my LaScala's (104 db) you can hear it, though I never found it annoying. Less so with speakers af less efficency. KT88's are not direct heated tubes, at least I'm pretty sure they're not (someone correct me here if I'm wrong), so that idle noise does not exist there (if it does it is not likely the KT88 tubes). As far as the 300B's once they are playing music, I find the background to be quite black. This is with my system in my room, to my ears. The idle noise has never been an issue when music is playing, even at low level....at least for me it has not.

Marco

Noise, be it from tube heating via high sensitivity speaker or in my case, due to what is called "battery" noise, it unavoidable, unless you have one of those new fangled digital amps. I have a pair of Voigt pipes, just the cabinets left. I made them about 3 years ago, and for whatever is worth, they sounded pretty good to me, until I got a pair of Zhorns, at which point, I decided to cannibalize the Fostex drivers from them, and now, I am rocking. If you were close to me, I would have lend them to you permanently! Well, that is not the case, for it seems that you live in the West coast. Jax2, what also fascinates me is the Voigt pipe, as it is described in TWL's system. It seems to me that he was able to overcome some of the most common complaints of their design, chiefly the lack of low frequencies. He is a mad tweeker and experimenter, so things might be different for most of us. Anyway, you can build yourself a pair of Voigts for about $450, drivers included. Affordable. That is the story. I would love to hear your job rig.

PAUL K

If you find yourself in Seattle Paul, just send me an email and you can come by and hear either rig. Always happy to stand around and kick tires, er, wires, and share music. Tom also suggested I try voight pipes. You can find my email link on my website. Thank you for the offer which I'd happily take you up on were I closer. I'm actually from NYC and got eight years off for good behavior in Vermont, where my folks still live. I don't think I'll ever move from Seattle though. Been loving it out here for over ten years now.

Marco

Marco, GREAT pictures - I hope you don't mind me looking there. Photography is my other hobby, Would you offer your professional opinion on some of mine http://public.fotki.com/brightonpic/my_favorite_shots/.
Back to the main topic - I really appreciate all of you sharing your knowledge - it trully helps.

Zoya,

I think, based on what you have written and your speakers, you'd be happiest with a 300B amp. But remember, all 300B amps are not equal. It's very important to get a properly designed one with proper circuitry and transformers.

After having 7 different tube amps over the last 17 years , I settled on an AirTight 300B with Tamura transformers and point-to-point wiring. The sound is superb and I get musicality, slam, dynamics, extended high frequencies, space, soundstaging, transparency, detail, delicacy, etc. However, my speakers are 87db (but don't drop below 6.5 ohms) so I don't get the best bass performance. That is why I use a good subwoofer - an REL.

Your speakers look like they'd work great with 8-10 wts and I think you'd be completely happy with a 300B SET. I think you really should go signle ended triode (which is what the 300B is) instead of push/pull (which is what the KT88 is). Remember, the simplest way of doing something is usually the best.

I have heard the Wright Sound 300B are supposed to be quite good and very afordable. And, just to give you and idea about how long 300B tubes last (they are quite expensive), my AirTight tubes are 3 1/2 years old with lots of use and the tubes spec out just fine. I expect to get another 3-4 years out of them without a problem. I have heard that 300Bs can give 15-20,000 hours of use!

I have owned 4 push/pull tube amps and 3 SETs, I will not be going back to push/pull any time soon. By the way, My AirTight is built like a tank and I expect it to last 20-30 more years at least, but I'll probably sell it before then!