Western Electric made the best 300B's. 300B tubes are still being produced on the old Kansas City production line by Westrex and licensed under the Western Electric name. The new WE production tubes are expensive, maybe more so than NOS tubes. I would prefer the NOS tubes.
Tube upgrade/rolling question
I just got and hooked up my first the 300B SET amp. It sounds very very good, the difference in comparison to my current SS McIntosh is not very big, but it's definitely there. I would describe it - it's in the presence of the music.
I beleave this amp can sound even better with better tubes.
Right now it has 2x made in China 300B tubes; 2x 6K7 tubes: and a 5Z3PAT. I need you input - what tubes can I use to make this amp sound even better?
All of your inputs a greatly appreciated.
:)
I beleave this amp can sound even better with better tubes.
Right now it has 2x made in China 300B tubes; 2x 6K7 tubes: and a 5Z3PAT. I need you input - what tubes can I use to make this amp sound even better?
All of your inputs a greatly appreciated.
:)
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- 8 posts total
Here is the review from Stereophile I was thinking of. It was a follow up from an article titled "In Search of the Perfect 300B". The conclusion of that article, as in pretty much ever one I've ever read, was that the Western Electric is the cream of the crop. However, if you read the follow-up link above, you'll see where the reviewer in this case thought the brand new Svetlana's came very close to the WE's, more so than any other 300B they tested. For whatever that may be worth / YMMV / I have no direct experience with the new Svets. Zoya - I'm sure the JJ's will improve over the stock Chinese tubes. Don't forget they do take a while to burn-in. Give them a few hundred hours of play time before making a judgment. From the same review I mention, here is what the reviewer had to say about the JJ: JJ Electronics 300B: $199/pair. As tall as the KR, but not quite as heavy. Gold wire is used for the grid, and the grid supports are supplied with cooling fins (unusual in a 300B). Worked well in both amps. Very good bassreal pressure therebut with a trace of "hollow" coloration in the midbass when used in the AudioNote. Very involving, even euphonicalmost as if trying to make things nicer than real. Quite open, but a very thin veil was noticeable that resulted in a subtle soft-focus effect. Good dynamics, reasonably fine detail, threw a remarkably wide stage with the AudioNote. Lost some control in complex music. Rhythm okay, but rather speedy and not totally relaxed. Marco |
- 8 posts total

