SET amp owners thread

[the sound of Tao]

When I used this amp in my system, throwing in some NOS RCA 805s prevented me from selling it. I also tried Amperex 805s, which weren't as good as the RCAs, but better than the stock tubes, and the upgraded 805s from Psvane. For 300bs, I tried EML XLS, KR 300Bs, Elrog 300bs among others. Psvane Acme 300bs were my favorites.

Sometimes I wished Elrog would venture into a TM moly 805… would look pretty good beside the WE300Bs

I’ll defo look out for some NOS RCA 805s… sounds like it would be a good thing to try out… many thanks for the tip, much appreciated.

 

[jeff1225]

Pvanne. Not felt the need to try anything different yet. That will come I suspect, but I'm still learning what my Vosnee Romanee can do. When I have a handle on that, I may try a few then.
Interesting point you made about the O.96's. I tried them as well, really enjoyed them and would have been quite happy with them. I went another direction but the O's are pretty special.

I just received a pair of Elrog 300B's and cannot recommend them more. They are expensive, but the quality and sound is beyond anything I've heard.

 

[bonzo75]

I just received a pair of Elrog 300B's and cannot recommend them more. They are expensive, but the quality and sound is beyond anything I've heard.

Elrog > KR and both quite better than Psvane or Takatsuki, and EML mesh. Both are more transparent to recordings. Takatsuki better for meatier midrange. The new WE reissues seem good but haven't done a proper compare to Elrog and KR. I think transparency works better if you have a good analog source with good pressings, otherwise you will need meatier midrange to color the recording.

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

I´ve got Takatsukis, WE300 1998s and LV/Kron (my 3rd pair)
Taks are a little more on the hires track with more hf extension......WEs are slightly mellower and the LVs are somewhere in between, but with more grunt...in my amps....
I used tp have Elrogs, but they´re not your 300B by the 300B std specs

 

[bonzo75]

I´ve got Takatsukis, WE300 1998s and LV/Kron (my 3rd pair)
Taks are a little more on the hires track with more hf extension......WEs are slightly mellower and the LVs are somewhere in between, but with more grunt...in my amps....
I used tp have Elrogs, but they´re not your 300B by the 300B std specs

Have you done the compare again after you changed transformers? Will be interesting to see if it holds the same

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

yes all done after new year...went from WEs to Taks...after 300hours I went to LVs and burned in....conclusion stands

 

[bonzo75]

yes all done after new year...went from WEs to Taks...after 300hours I went to LVs and burned in....conclusion stands

Should have called me to listen in 3 mins would have told you to move away from Taks.

regards,

Younger ears

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

I have to emphasize that it´s amp/system dependant and I can easily make the system sound like Taks , even with WE 300Bs

 

[bonzo75]

I have to emphasize that it´s amp/system dependant and I can easily make the system sound like Taks , even with WE 300Bs

thing is…when you change recordings, which valves let you more see through into the recording? I understand it will be about dependent from a voltage point might be set for certain 300b and not for others as some differ…

But from rest of system perspective, I am not trying to use a valve to address some attribute, in which case someone might prefer a denser sound to a leaner sound. I don’t want the valve sound staying a constant, and Elrog and KR allow recording to show more through

 

[Fishfood]

I just received a pair of Elrog 300B's and cannot recommend them more. They are expensive, but the quality and sound is beyond anything I've heard.

Did you have to adjust anything to make them compatible? They are not traditional 300Bs, right?

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

in that case the Taks are the most "transparent" but the system will be on the brink of analytical

 

[bonzo75]

in that case the Taks are the most "transparent" but the system will be on the brink of analytical

weren’t that way when we tried them in Alieno, they were usually more meaty and forward staging. The recti was similar in Lampi

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

just told you...amp dependant...iron, resistors, wiring and operating points...all matters
also last time I did same experiment/comparison, result was the same....a few years ago.....

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

weren’t that way when we tried them in Alieno, they were usually more meaty and forward staging. The recti was similar in Lampi

fw staging might just be "analytical" due to shifting focus on hf end of frequency spectrum

 

[jeff1225]

Did you have to adjust anything to make them compatible? They are not traditional 300Bs, right?

The Elrogs are traditional. The EM Labs Mesh are not traditional and you have to adjust the plate voltage if you use them.

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

The Elrogs are traditional. The EM Labs Mesh are not traditional and you have to adjust the plate voltage if you use them.

Quote from Stereonet 2021:
Elrog’s ER300B is best described as a ‘300B compatible’ vacuum tube. It deviates from the original Western Electric specifications, noticeably in the use of thoriated tungsten for the filament and a maximum plate voltage of 600V. In contrast, the Western Electric datasheet specifies a maximum plate voltage of 450V. The ER300B has slightly higher plate resistance and transconductance, although I must say that I never had any issues with the ER300B in any 300B circuit that I tried it in. However, the ER300B is taller than a 300B tube, so please measure before you buy.

 

[jeff1225]

Quote from Stereonet 2021:
Elrog’s ER300B is best described as a ‘300B compatible’ vacuum tube. It deviates from the original Western Electric specifications, noticeably in the use of thoriated tungsten for the filament and a maximum plate voltage of 600V. In contrast, the Western Electric datasheet specifies a maximum plate voltage of 450V. The ER300B has slightly higher plate resistance and transconductance, although I must say that I never had any issues with the ER300B in any 300B circuit that I tried it in. However, the ER300B is taller than a 300B tube, so please measure before you buy.

Yes you are correct, I should have been more clear. I was attempting to say they work fine in a traditional amp and nothing has to be changed to accommodate them.

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

of the above 300Bs I think the Elrog and Tak have some sonic similarities...at least as far as my impression was some years back

 

[AudioHR]

Very helpful info thanks AudioHR… gives a great sense of them. I’ve always liked the Devore 0/96 and trialled them out for some time once (especially elegant and beautiful looking design as well) but a more immediate and spirited version of that would fit the balance of what I find lifelike as well. 102db sensitivity would be very useful as well! Be nice maybe with a 300B drives 300B amp

I very much like the upgraded parts spec in the Eighteen Reference… am using similar kinds of spec in my OB horn and was thinking of going to the Mundorf Feron foil coil in the next crossover for the radian 951 beryllium compression drivers in my current new build at any rate... would be nice to have a 18 inch Coherent Radian coaxial version of my OB horns … though I best stay the course with what I’m working on… I’m fairly slow (or perhaps slack ) and also just a touch audio attention deficit at any rate… and these look all too tempting!!!

Eighteen Reference Drivers

• 18 " co-axial
• 3 " high frequency dom with wave guide Reference : Neodynum-Beryllium
• 150kHz Piezo Super Tweeter

Crossover Coil & Cap
Reference : MUN/JUP/Duelund TriCap

with Mundorf Feron Foil Coil

Sounds like you have some great things going with your OB horns! I have thought of exploring open baffles, maybe down the road

 

[AudioHR]

Pvanne. Not felt the need to try anything different yet. That will come I suspect, but I'm still learning what my Vosnee Romanee can do. When I have a handle on that, I may try a few then.
Interesting point you made about the O.96's. I tried them as well, really enjoyed them and would have been quite happy with them. I went another direction but the O's are pretty special.

I am somewhat the same with my relatively new Shindo gear, trying to get a handle on it before I change anything.

One observation I would make is that my analog sound has improved drastically since I have been using the Monbrison. I have always had a preference for vinyl but the difference is now quite remarkable. The strength or at least a strength of the Shindo design seems to be in its phono stage.

What did you end up buying for speakers?