300b amps

[morerajendra5678]

Since this thread is about Tannoys, 300Bs and Single Ended Triode .... Tannoys undoubtedly needs around 20 Watts to shine properly. If someone has keenly observed, no one in this thread has said (or experienced ) that even Parallel 300B was more than enough for the Tannoys.
Yes you have high powered SET amplifiers but then many are sceptical about using high voltage stuff in home entertainment.
I have been told by old timers that many have used EL156 amplifiers in Single Ended Triode mode (even Parallel EL156 in Single Ended Triode) configuration for Tannoys.
Undoubtedly Tannoys need headroom for proper dynamics.
Parallel EL156 in Single Ended Triode gives around 50 Watt. This is enough to control Tannoys.

I have personally never heard any EL156 amplifier in any configuration.

 

[Dr.Bass]

Since this thread is about Tannoys, 300Bs and Single Ended Triode .... Tannoys undoubtedly needs around 20 Watts to shine properly. If someone has keenly observed, no one in this thread has said (or experienced ) that even Parallel 300B was more than enough for the Tannoys.
Yes you have high powered SET amplifiers but then many are sceptical about using high voltage stuff in home entertainment.
I have been told by old timers that many have used EL156 amplifiers in Single Ended Triode mode (even Parallel EL156 in Single Ended Triode) configuration for Tannoys.
Undoubtedly Tannoys need headroom for proper dynamics.
Parallel EL156 in Single Ended Triode gives around 50 Watt. This is enough to control Tannoys.

I have personally never heard any EL156 amplifier in any configuration.

The situation is a little more complicated
The guys who are using 300B with a Tannoy are very happy knowing fully well that Tannoy can do more scale with more power. We don't see many migrating away from 300B to a powerful amp. We all have tried powerful amp but once the 300B amp has been used and settled with, the powerful amps seem to lack something vital in comparison to a 300B. The guys who have never used a well matched 300B amp with Tannoy or have used it seldom in a quick comparison say more power is better. Theory vs Practice, Mind vs Heart, Power vs Beauty, Excitement vs Emotion, so many things on the plate to consider

 

[square_wave]

This has been a fascinating thread!

The question of "To 300B or not to 300B" for a Tannoy comes from different angles. Tannoy as a speaker can sound very authoritative if powered well. At the same time they can sound very nuanced and soulful. To get both is the problem. Those we talk about "Tannoy needs power" prefer to sacrifice some microdynamic nuance and magic for macro presence. Those who seek low power and SETs are talking about the delicious mids and nuances at the cost of losing the ultimate authoritative sound.

I have been using 300B SET with Turnberry for the last 10 years. Tried both single tube and parallel SET. Parallel gives an additional degree freedom to go louder. Single tubes have a little more purity. But in all, a high powered amp (either 845 or solid state) gives Tannoy the feeling of unlimited dynamics which a 300B SET wont. 300B is for your personal satisfaction of intimate listening. It controls the Tannoys drivers without sounding loose but it may not give the slam of a big amp. After comparing both varieties of amps, I don't mind losing some slam for that ultimate emotional connection to music I get from a good 300B SET. I seem to discover new music because of this combo. A more efficient speaker would be the ideal step forward

Often, 845 vacuum tube-based amplifiers are often seen as a compromise between the delicacy and musicality of 300B tubes and the power output of solid-state amplifiers. This makes 845 amps a kind of bridge or middle ground in tube amplifier design—more robust than 300B amps in terms of bandwidth and power while maintaining the desirable tube sound character. Do you think that is the case ?

 

[reignofchaos]

Often, 845 vacuum tube-based amplifiers are often seen as a compromise between the delicacy and musicality of 300B tubes and the power output of solid-state amplifiers. This makes 845 amps a kind of bridge or middle ground in tube amplifier design—more robust than 300B amps in terms of bandwidth and power while maintaining the desirable tube sound character. Do you think that is the case ?

Have tried a 6SL7->300B->845 amp and didn't enjoy it as much as a 45->300b amp

 

[prem]

If you want a big, voluptuous sound, you don’t need 300 B. You need 300 DD

 

[morerajendra5678]

The situation is a little more complicated
The guys who are using 300B with a Tannoy are very happy knowing fully well that Tannoy can do more scale with more power. We don't see many migrating away from 300B to a powerful amp. We all have tried powerful amp but once the 300B amp has been used and settled with, the powerful amps seem to lack something vital in comparison to a 300B. The guys who have never used a well matched 300B amp with Tannoy or have used it seldom in a quick comparison say more power is better. Theory vs Practice, Mind vs Heart, Power vs Beauty, Excitement vs Emotion, so many things on the plate to consider

Yes there is a fascination for 300B amplifier among audiophiles (Senior and hardcore Audiophiles). I am very much new into this hobby. But I have heard stories from others on how they maintained 3 to 4 different amplifiers. 300B was must have for many. Even other hardcore ones had both 300B and Parallel 300B amplifiers. Even EL34 has that kind of tag.
This was also due to limited availability of high power amplifier with tubes like 845, GM70, 805, 211 and 833A.
Additional some even had albums selected for each amplifier and amplifier rotation was there based on mood.
These are few stuff which I have heard from my father and his friend circle.

Have tried a 6SL7->300B->845 amp and didn't enjoy it as much as a 45->300b amp

This is just my opinion
If you are with open minded and prepared to venture beyond 300B tubes, combination of warm speakers + High power SET amplifier (Harbeth+ Parallel GM70 ) will do more justice to wide varieties of music than high efficiency+ 300B amplifier.
One cannot just limit everything to vocal based songs or Gazals or Old Bollywood era in selecting amplifier.
For albums released in last 10 years, Harbeth+GM70 does not less justice than any 300B would do.
As I have already stated this is just my personal opinion and might not be applicable for others.

 

[Beast_of_burden]

ROC - what’s the sound you are after? Ken Micallef summed up the AN Meishu’s sound thus:

There's no sense of diaphanous treble breathing a halo of iridescence around instruments or voices. I didn't miss it: It may not do air; instead it does flesh.

At the risk of going down a rabbit hole, this is also how I would describe the difference between the 300B and 2A3, IME. Maybe the 300B can do air in certain amps, have heard only two and neither did the air. 2A3 amps are really good at this diaphanous thing. Some SS amps too. It’s a matter of preference and both flavours can be the definition of the absolute.

At the moment I have a good 300B amp, but deciding between the Elekit TU 8900VK 2A3 and Sun Audio SV2A3. The 8900 has an iron clad reputation for being quiet, presently at the top of my list.

Please keep posting updates on your journey.

 

[reignofchaos]

ROC - what’s the sound you are after? Ken Micallef summed up the AN Meishu’s sound thus:

There's no sense of diaphanous treble breathing a halo of iridescence around instruments or voices. I didn't miss it: It may not do air; instead it does flesh.

At the risk of going down a rabbit hole, this is also how I would describe the difference between the 300B and 2A3, IME. Maybe the 300B can do air in certain amps, have heard only two and neither did the air. 2A3 amps are really good at this diaphanous thing. Some SS amps too. It’s a matter of preference and both flavours can be the definition of the absolute.

At the moment I have a good 300B amp, but deciding between the Elekit TU 8900VK 2A3 and Sun Audio SV2A3. The 8900 has an iron clad reputation for being quiet, presently at the top of my list.

Please keep posting updates on your journey.

Have heard AN 2a3 monos and the meishu integrated in the same room with the same speaker. I prefer the tonal density of the 300b
.

2a3 is nice but you need 100dB+ speakers to get dynamics out of those amps. Anything less is a compromise.

 

[morerajendra5678]

ROC - what’s the sound you are after? Ken Micallef summed up the AN Meishu’s sound thus:

There's no sense of diaphanous treble breathing a halo of iridescence around instruments or voices. I didn't miss it: It may not do air; instead it does flesh.

At the risk of going down a rabbit hole, this is also how I would describe the difference between the 300B and 2A3, IME. Maybe the 300B can do air in certain amps, have heard only two and neither did the air. 2A3 amps are really good at this diaphanous thing. Some SS amps too. It’s a matter of preference and both flavours can be the definition of the absolute.

At the moment I have a good 300B amp, but deciding between the Elekit TU 8900VK 2A3 and Sun Audio SV2A3. The 8900 has an iron clad reputation for being quiet, presently at the top of my list.

Please keep posting updates on your journey.

Some tend to like 45 tubes more than 2A3 tubes. It is always subjective and depends on system where the amp will be used and the kind of music that will be played in that system.
Will you have the same opinion about 300B and 2A3 tube amplifiers after listening to Arijit Singh Song with complex music?
I have heard 2A3 tube based amps. But I have never heard Arijit Singh song with complex music on a 2A3 tube based amps. Currently I don't have access to any 2A3 based amplifier. So sceptical about how it would be.