Why is the 300B so revered?

[Speedracer]

Absolutely George, I am in room 203 with Wizmax & my 845 valve amp, which is the flavour I prefer.

I have heard 300B amps but would never go that way myself for various reasons, I was just commenting on the title of the OP simply due to reading many dissenters of 300B's online, which is not necessary my view.

 

[Psilonaught]

Among all the reasons others have given the answer might be in your post 'i pulled them out after half a track.......'. they would need considerably longer to function at their best. I had a client who used to compare tubes in that way and of course you can't

just to clarify they had over 200 hours on them already

 

[Juancho]

just to clarify they had over 200 hours on them already

OK but still putting them in after a lay off they'd probably need 30 mins

 

[rabski]

Absolutely George, I am in room 203 with Wizmax & my 845 valve amp, which is the flavour I prefer.

I have heard 300B amps but would never go that way myself for various reasons, I was just commenting on the title of the OP simply due to reading many dissenters of 300B's online, which is not necessary my view.

I'll be a few doors down the corridor from you (room 229) with my 845. No loudness wars though

 

[hearhere]

I'll be a few doors down the corridor from you (room 229) with my 845. No loudness wars though

My experience with SETs over 15 years, led me to favour 845, although I loved the PX-25 for small scale / female voice, etc. In my experience, the 6 watt PX-25 was MUCH nicer than the over-rated 300B. Peter

 

[Juancho]

Having 845s and 805s I love both. My 805 amp uses 300b or 2a3 to drive the 805 and being full SE as opposed to PSE just pips my 845pse amps. But I'd be happy with either on the proverbial desert island with limitless solar power

 

[Non-Smoking Man]

I was prompted to google the 300B valve and its uses/quality and found a discussion on a DIY Forum.

The gist of the discussion was that the 300B valve was not the most linear of valves but there was such a wealth of tried and tested designs, experience and expertise surrounding it that it remains a leading contender in choosing which amp to build around a particular output valve.

I understand that the 300B is especially effective in the midrange and consequently out of the 5 amps I use for my balanced multiway active horn system - Nelson Pass F5 clone, Muse 300 solid state monos, 6L6 PP, EL34 SET and DIY 300B SET - I placed the 300B as the amp on my JBL 1.5" 2435Be driver governing the upper midrange and treble. That choice was theoretical as we dont have to elbow room to chop and change. In any case it was swings and roundabouts as to whether we swapped the other SET for it. The EL34 SET (Megahertz) is on the 2" comp driver below it doing the mids. Both of those comps are wildly sensitive compared to conventional domestic equivalents (110/115 db/watt) and lend themselves to this type of amp (as we all know). Interestingly I've secured a 2a3 SET Parafeed amp for the future and that will get a turn as it too is balanced. (I had the 300Bs and EL34 amp XLR modded by Graeme (Ampregen). Both the SETs are very quiet in operation for such a sensitive system.

I'm not complaining about the sound. Paders was round yesterday and he was complimentary.

I did swap out the cooking 300Bs for a pair of TJ music to great effect. Psvane 300B 'T' are currently the driver valve in my Cary 805c's in the second system. The Carys are later ones which use the 845 as an output valve. The Psvanes had a turn in the 300B amp too - they were good and didnt break the bank @ £250 the pair (Nos).

Its very much horses for courses when it comes to placing the 300B to advantage. I'd be looking at no less than a 94 db speaker in a' normal' non-horn system. (I used the 300B driving my Jantzen TQWTs for quite a while.)

Jack NSM

 

[JamieMcC]

"The gist of the discussion was that the 300B valve was not the most linear of valves but there was such a wealth of tried and tested designs, experience and expertise surrounding it that it remains a leading contender in choosing which amp to build around a particular output valve."

"Its very much horses for courses when it comes to placing the 300B to advantage. I'd be looking at no less than a 94 db speaker in a' normal' non-horn system. (I used the 300B driving my Jantzen TQWTs for quite a while.)"

Jack NSM

Agree very much with what you are saying.

Perhaps the original question should have been

"Why is the 300b so valued by the audiophile community"

Certainly it can provide a pathway to very enjoyable listening for modest investment.

 

[Juancho]

For you techy chaps here is the explanation of how it works. Thinking caps on now.


The MAXiiMUS derives its energy from the permanent flow of electrons from nature. This flow of electrons is caused by the difference in potential between the ionosphere and the earth. The strong Tachyon field in the accumulators inside the MAXiiMUS acts as an antenna which derives electrons from this potential difference and injects them directly into the circuit.

This process enhances the efficiency of the electricity, which in turn leads to less power consumption. Audio/video sets will significantly benefit from this process too!

So the MAXiiMUS improves the efficiency of your electricity. Due to this, your audio/video equipment will sound much better, shortly after it was switched on. Dynamics, attack and resolution will improve significantly.

• Three phase or single phase serial unit
• Raises efficiency of electricity
• Optimises natural energy in homes and buildings
• Harmonises low frequeny and high frequency elektrosmog
• Repolarises underground water lines and other geopathic disturbances
• Very long service life, doesn't need any maintenance
• Environmentally friendly - Zero energy consumption
• Size of energy field created: approximately 35 m / 105 ft.
• Maximum current 3 X 40 A
• Color white (RAL 9016)
• Weight 7 kg / 15 lbs.

"You may laugh out loud, Mr. Bond, but I will smile wryly"

Btw, 'a new world of sound quality' is even funnier if you say it in the style of Jeremy Clarkson. I'd have lolled if you had said it about any component, tbh.

A friend in the trade has compared Roon and LMS at length, and prefers LMS for SQ. I'm not interested in Roon functionality, myself.

I did swap out the cooking 300Bs for a pair of TJ music to great effect. Psvane 300B 'T' are currently the driver valve in my Cary 805c's in the second system. The Carys are later ones which use the 845 as an output valve. The Psvanes had a turn in the 300B amp too - they were good and didnt break the bank @ £250 the pair (Nos).

Its very much horses for courses when it comes to placing the 300B to advantage. I'd be looking at no less than a 94 db speaker in a' normal' non-horn system. (I used the 300B driving my Jantzen TQWTs for quite a while.)

Jack NSM

Agree with much of what you say but just to clarify the 94db figure refers to SE 300b amps. You can happily use 89db with 300bs in pushpull. Also, the TJ Mesh Plates have a lower max dissipation than solid plate 300bs. Around 23watts is max for this valve

 

[Non-Smoking Man]

Yes, agreed a pair of 300Bs in push pull is another matter entirely.

Thankyou David for adjusting my comments to give a fuller perspective.

Jack