300B tube recommendation for SET amp?

Hi Onemug,

Which set of trannies did Vu use in your 300b amps? I am guessing that you have his pushpull amp -- I don't recall any single ended amp that he makes with vintage transformers. I am quite familiar with his amps, both the ones with old Chicago and the ones with Acrosound TO-330s. Personally, I like his amps with the new Western 300b. I am sure that NOS Westerns would be even nicer, but that would be really pricey.

By the way, I have one of Vu's pushpull 45 amp (Acrosound TO-330). It is currently not in use (replaced by an Audionote Kageki), but I really like the amp and plan some day to use it as the bass amp in an active bi-amp setup.

Brian of DIY Hi Fi Supply is based in Hong Kong and screens his 300B tubes. I've also bought other tubes from him and have had no reliability issues. Not to say spit doesn't happen, but Brian will not send you untested tubes.

jb

Dogpile,

I am curious if WE 300B's will eventually be in your future? If so, you might want to consider a very inexpensive set of 300B's until you are ready for the WE investment. I have tried KR 300BXLS, KR 842VHD, Sophia Meshplate, and finally, WE's. To my ears, the WE's really are worth the price. Don't make the mistake that I did of spending as much on various makes of 300B's when you could just go for the WE's in the first place.

Jeff

Hi Larryi,
The trannies were the Acrosound, not sure of model #, and the amp was pushpull. Vu's amps have a beautiful sound to them. He told me he does make single ended but the price jumps to 20k or more because it's much harder to make a transformer for SE so they are rarer and much more $. I wish I could of tried the WE in them but I only have 1 pair.
The first time I spoke with Vu, I told him I had Apogee Duetta Sigs and he offered to send me a one of his 2a3 pushpulls. I thought this was a bad idea but I had some other speakers I could try them on also. Well the 2a3/Apogee combo put out some of the nicest music I've ever heard within of course certain spl's.

Jeffreyds-

Yeah, I've condidered the WE route. Many people say the old 40's & 50's vintage is the way to go. Ebay seems to be the only place to pick these up but at $1200 and upwards for a pair!? I don't want to risk buying a bad tube or a fake...alternately, the newer production WE is tempting but I gotta' think about the loved ones this X'Mas season.

I'll place the WE at the top of my X'Mas wish list and see what happens. But for now, I'll just settle for a Russian or Chinese quad set....sigh : (