Nice. I was thinking, being a SET rather than PSET, it may even have some advantages over the more powerful amps in the line up.
SET amp owners thread
- Thread starter bonzo75
- Start date
I just picked up an Allnic A-6000.
Looking for tube recommendations. I need eight 300Bs so I'm hoping to find some "giant killers" rather than spending over 1,000 euros per pair. Sophia Electric are a safe bet since I like them more than EML 300B xls in my last 300B amp. Any suggestions are most welcome.
They are not as good. You will need KR or Elrog if you want to run it to potential. Sophia will be weaker on complexity handling. KR and Elrog are both neutral and good energy and clean. The Allnic can get a bit too colored on the top if not managed properly, so if you find it colored you will have to get in more neutral valves. Good buy on the amp anyway
Interesting choice...a bit pricey on the tubes though. The Allnic should have pretty good drive because K.S. Park has a good driver circuit and he gets a lot out of a 300B (his one output tube SET makes 12.5 watts from a single 300B...most get about 8 watts). I would look at JJ300B tubes as well. Very robust and powerful sounding tube and quite neutral (not all midrangey and warm). Reasonably priced and better than the Chinese options, IMO. KR and Elrog might be better but probably not for the money outlay.
KR XLS will give more power but only in the appropriate circuit. It is similar to the Ayon 52B (which derived from the Vaic/KR 52B). Ayon (rebadged Vaic once Gerhard Hirt from Austria bought Vaic) now has even more powerful 62B and 82B tubes that are basically 300Bs on steroids. I had the Ayon Crossfire III, which had the 62B output tubes (now owned by Christoph)...it was a very good sounding amp once I rolled the tubes to NOS stuff and an Ayon (made by Emission Labs) rectifier. If you go KR, there won't be any power advantage going with the XLS version...although they might last longer as they won't be working as hard (they have bigger anodes and can handle a lot higher current...they might not respond exactly the same though).
I'll check out the JJ. Thank you. Yes, very pricey on tubes. The 10 year old amp was very nicely priced though.
Allnic says it is 50w with standard 300Bs and 60w with xls but I really don't care about the last 10w. I've always been drawn to what I think is the classic 300B sound. It's why I liked the Sophia meshplates and Royal princess over the EML 300Bxls in my Mastersound amps. I also preferred NOS 45s to the EML 45s in my Thomas Mayer amp (if that is any indication of anything).
I just re-tubed my VAC Renaissance with Shuguang Black Treasures and am quite happy with them. But this amp was voiced for Shuguangs and might not be a typical result. I have an extra pair I dropped in my Pacific today. Not bad at all for a $225 pair of tubes. The KR PX25 are better in absolute terms, but, the cost is much higher. Availability of the BT’s might be an issue however.
I'm following here intently as I’m looking for my next amp. Considering Allnic, Lamm, VAC, and Atma-sphere. Aries Cerat and other European options look appealing, but they are rare here In the US. Daedalus speakers are 96db and a flat 6 ohm load.
I'm following here intently as I’m looking for my next amp. Considering Allnic, Lamm, VAC, and Atma-sphere. Aries Cerat and other European options look appealing, but they are rare here In the US. Daedalus speakers are 96db and a flat 6 ohm load.
JJ is not as good, it has much less control and complexity resolution than KR. It has a sweet midrange that's all so some people like it
Yes, I completely agree with this. Over more than 20 years of continuously having various 300B amplifiers in my amps rotation, I've tried every significant tube. Like overdosing your Manhattan with too much red vermouth so the vermouth steps on the whiskey, most of today's 300B tubes rewards a palate that likes a sweet, sticky midrange with a little bloat in the bass. Now I don't have any argument with someone who chooses that sound, knowing that's what they want and are getting. But if you are seeking more objective sound, with agile articulation, speed and definition in the bass region and a not-euphonic top end so you get music that is harmonically complete, there's really only the KR 300B. Everything else, including the various Sophias, the TJ equivalents, the Shuguangs, Treasures, Psvane, neo Gold Lion, JJ, Takatsuki, EML, WE, WE replicas, etc. sound comparatively colored, all in various attractive ways, but also in ways that are both additive and subtractive to a more neutral musical truth. Easily the most disappointing was the Takatsuki, after all the hype, audiophile worship on various forums, and reviews. A superbly-crafted valve that in the half dozen amps I tried it in, yielded that old-school, oversmooth, edges-sanded, lifeless, boring sound. At twice the price of the KR in the US. One thing I haven't heard is the USA special edition KR 300B that sells for about 50% more than the standard balloon glass tube.
Now you can give me a voicing profile you might want to attain through 300B amp tube selection, and I can probably recommend something specific. But if you want open, honest, broadband sound from a 300B, with bass discipline, shove, spatial projection, energy, definition, snap, top end harmonic completeness yet still deliver the 300B midrange magic. the KR is pretty much in a class of one. For a much cheaper step-down but very competent tube (and I surprise myself when I write this) I'd probably go with the Electroharmonix Gold Grid 300B.
Phil
I agree that takatsuki is disappointing. As usual hyped up because of the high price and people preferring a pushed up soundstage with a beefed up midrange..
The Elrog 300b is very good. Very similar to KR in terms of neutrality, but even more see through in terms of concert hall ambience. It is slightly more mid hall
The Elrog 300b is very good. Very similar to KR in terms of neutrality, but even more see through in terms of concert hall ambience. It is slightly more mid hall
The next task then is to put the Elrog up against the newer KR 300B HP. https://highend-electronics.com/products/kr-audio-300b-hp-tubes
Phil
Nice to see another Daedalus owner.
Ketcham is on here, he like the PX-25 Allnic M311. I’m in the search too but I’d like to stay around 20wpc. Maybe an 845 SET will be in my future.
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