Which 300b amplifier: Nagra 300p, Luxman MQ-300, Wavac EC-300B, Air Tight ATM-300R, Shindo Cortese 300b

[essrand]

I am looking to upgrade (and simultaneously downsize) from Coincident Frankenstein Mk2 300b SET monoblock amps to one of these stereo amplifiers.

These are the four candidates so far: Nagra 300p, Luxman MQ-300, Wavac EC-300B, Air Tight ATM-300R, Shindo Cortese 300b

My preamp/dac is Bricasti M12 and my speakers are Devore O/96.

I am not looking/interested in any other 300b amps at this point.

If anyone has compared one or more of these amps do chime in.

Where I live I can probably demo the Nagra and the Air Tight but nothing else.

Thoughts?

 

[pcosta]

I would take a Nagra over the Air Tight, but the Nagra is a push pull amp not SET like some of the others.

 

[bazelio]

Best to buy one of the products you can audition first. If you're looking for a more authoritative sound, you'll probably end up with the push pull amp.

 

[bonzo75]

I am looking to upgrade (and simultaneously downsize) from Coincident Frankenstein Mk2 300b SET monoblock amps to one of these stereo amplifiers.

These are the four candidates so far: Nagra 300p, Luxman MQ-300, Wavac EC-300B, Air Tight ATM-300R, Shindo Cortese 300b

My preamp/dac is Bricasti M12 and my speakers are Devore O/96.

I am not looking/interested in any other 300b amps at this point.

If anyone has compared one or more of these amps do chime in.

Where I live I can probably demo the Nagra and the Air Tight but nothing else.

Thoughts?

Hi I have heard the airtight 300b 10w, silvercore 833c 20w, jadis integrated 100w, Kondo el34 (forget model name) and airtight el34 34 watts on the devore 096. Best was the NAF 2a3 integrated, compared directly with the jadis, silvercore in that same room. I like those two amps but on other speakers. The second best I heard would be the airtight 300b which I heard in another room, compared to the el34.

Devore responds well to the lower powered amps, and the nuances in 2a3 are much higher especially for classical. If your tastes are other music you might prefer something else

 

[KeithR]

As a Devore owner, I think the speaker's weakness is in the bass articulation department. I think 300B will be tough to match well, but the Air Tight seems to have awesome tformers and stands a chance. (see the Stereophile review).

If that doesn't work, there are several push/pull options that sound really good (the ARC Ref 75SE being one).

 

[bonzo75]

Jadis push pull and Riveira hybrid (which in Gian's friend's system sounds great on his Wilson grand slam) did not up the NAF. The O 96 might be different on that front. The nuance of the NAF 2a3 is more influential on the sound. The sound is clean and transparent and backward layered like SS but with positive valve decay and tone. Great drive. On another speaker the NAF dynamic range was clearly restricted compared to the jadis but on the O96 it was great

 

[Folsom]

I would want to hear the Luxman from that list.

 

[essrand]

As a Devore owner, I think the speaker's weakness is in the bass articulation department. I think 300B will be tough to match well, but the Air Tight seems to have awesome tformers and stands a chance. (see the Stereophile review).

If that doesn't work, there are several push/pull options that sound really good (the ARC Ref 75SE being one).

Do you own the O/96s?

 

[essrand]

Hi I have heard the airtight 300b 10w, silvercore 833c 20w, jadis integrated 100w, Kondo el34 (forget model name) and airtight el34 34 watts on the devore 096. Best was the NAF 2a3 integrated, compared directly with the jadis, silvercore in that same room. I like those two amps but on other speakers. The second best I heard would be the airtight 300b which I heard in another room, compared to the el34.

Devore responds well to the lower powered amps, and the nuances in 2a3 are much higher especially for classical. If your tastes are other music you might prefer something else

I did think about the Kondo Overture integrated but no longer, since I have just purchased the M12 dac/preamp.

Can you tell me a bit more about the Kondo with O/96?

 

[jfrech]

I've only heard the Nagra. It's a special sounding amp...

 

[jasbirnandra]

Have you ever tried the Canary audio 300B

 

[KeithR]

Do you own the O/96s?

Sorry- missed this. I own Gibbon Xs but have experience with the Os at my dealer. The Os have looser bass than the Xs and a snappy amp will help imo.

 

[bonzo75]

I did think about the Kondo Overture integrated but no longer, since I have just purchased the M12 dac/preamp.

Can you tell me a bit more about the Kondo with O/96?

I missed too. The Kondo was quite poor with the O. Made it sound too forward like a box. I offer Os best as transparent, layered behind, with a flow. The NAF 2a3 does this best. You need to switch to better 2a3 valves, I tried with KR, but the elrog night be good too

 

[morricab]

I think of that group, I would be inclined to go with the Wavac EC300b amp. I heard the bigger HE805 once and it was crazy good. The basic circuit is the same as HE805 but with different output tubes (300b vs. 805) and a more upscale chassis and maybe passive parts .

 

[essrand]

I missed too. The Kondo was quite poor with the O. Made it sound too forward like a box. I offer Os best as transparent, layered behind, with a flow. The NAF 2a3 does this best. You need to switch to better 2a3 valves, I tried with KR, but the elrog night be good too

Interesting, I would have thought Kondo would have worked really well with the Os, glad I did not put an offer on a used Overture on audiogon.

 

[essrand]

Sorry- missed this. I own Gibbon Xs but have experience with the Os at my dealer. The Os have looser bass than the Xs and a snappy amp will help imo.

Which of the above that I have mentioned would you consider snappier?
Nagra?

 

[bonzo75]

Which of the above that I have mentioned would you consider snappier?
Nagra?

Nagra is not snappy, though never tried it on devore.

 

[perart1]

Any reason why you you must have a 300B with the Devores. you might want to consider running them with a good 211

 

[KeithR]

Which of the above that I have mentioned would you consider snappier?
Nagra?

I would preferably go with a low powered push pull amp for sure. How is the bass with your existing Coincidents?

 

[morricab]

Nagra is not snappy, though never tried it on devore.

What speakers have you heard the Nagra on? Not saying you are wrong about it but seems quite an absolute statement about its snappiness. If you heard my JJ amp you would probably conclude the same thing with most speakers but put it on the right speakers and it has punch and dynamics. Many (but not all) SET are this way. Some SETs sound very powerful with a wide range of speakers.