6l6 vs 300b - a few questions

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peckjed

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6l6 vs 300b - a few questions
« on: 22 Nov 2018, 12:03 am »
Hey everyone. Currently I have a 20w Dennis Had Inspire that utilizes 4 6l6, 6SN7 (or 6SL7) and 5U4 rectifier and a few voltage regulator tubes in a parallel SEP fasion. The rest of my system consists of a Red Wine Audio Isabella preamp/DAC and Red Wine Audio Phono. I recently sold my Omega SAM HO speakers on a quest for some Audio Notes (that I’m still searching for). While I’m at it I was considering switching over to the Audio Note Interstage 300b mono blocks that use a 6SH7 driver and 5U4 rectifierthats parallel triode SE. I’ve always been curious about 300b but not entirely sure about the Sonics. I am essentially looking for something a bit airier and additional top end with that same rich mid range. Do you guys this switching to the 300b would accomplish this?

FullRangeMan

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Re: 6l6 vs 300b - a few questions
« Reply #1 on: 22 Nov 2018, 12:17 am »
I dont know what are your personal taste in your room, but I think you most stick with single ended triode with cheap tubes as EL34, KT88 KT90 as avaliable in the Inspire line which delivery 5/10W.

300B is just a hi priced fairy tale that will give you lots of expenses and short life, you need a 100dB speaker to pair with a small SET amp:
http://www.decware.com/newsite/SE34I.htm

Tom Bombadil

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Re: 6l6 vs 300b - a few questions
« Reply #2 on: 22 Nov 2018, 12:33 am »
Is that his amp which is restricted to just 6L6?  I know he designed one for just 6V6 tubes.  If it can also run EL34-type tubes then you might try Gold Lion KT77 tubes which do produce more air and high end detail. 

peckjed

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Re: 6l6 vs 300b - a few questions
« Reply #3 on: 22 Nov 2018, 12:57 am »
Is that his amp which is restricted to just 6L6?  I know he designed one for just 6V6 tubes.  If it can also run EL34-type tubes then you might try Gold Lion KT77 tubes which do produce more air and high end detail.

It can definitely use el34’s type tubes. I may give KT77 a shot soon.

peckjed

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Re: 6l6 vs 300b - a few questions
« Reply #4 on: 22 Nov 2018, 12:58 am »
I dont know what are your personal taste in your room, but I think you most stick with single ended triode with cheap tubes as EL34, KT88 KT90 as avaliable in the Inspire line which delivery 5/10W.

300B is just a hi priced fairy tale that will give you lots of expenses and short life, you need a 100dB speaker to pair with a small SET amp:
http://www.decware.com/newsite/SE34I.htm

The 300B amp I was looking at is 18 watts, so I wouldn’t need a terribly sensitive speaker, but good sensitivity would be ideal.

I tried a few decware amps and wasn’t crazy about the sound, unfortunately.

JakeJ

Re: 6l6 vs 300b - a few questions
« Reply #5 on: 22 Nov 2018, 01:17 am »
These?
http://www.ankaudiokits.com/Interstage-Quad-C-Core-300B-Power-Tube-Amplifier.html

Quite the task.  I would have to take the the cost of re-tubing into consideration but you may not have that limitation.  If not then I say go for it!

peckjed

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Re: 6l6 vs 300b - a few questions
« Reply #6 on: 22 Nov 2018, 01:33 am »
These?
http://www.ankaudiokits.com/Interstage-Quad-C-Core-300B-Power-Tube-Amplifier.html

Quite the task.  I would have to take the the cost of re-tubing into consideration but you may not have that limitation.  If not then I say go for it!

The normal versions of those, but yes. Re-tubing shouldn’t be terrible if I’m sticking with JJ. Anything NOS woild be outrageous. But NOS of other power tubes can also get pretty pricey (albeit not quite 300b pricey).

JakeJ

Re: 6l6 vs 300b - a few questions
« Reply #7 on: 22 Nov 2018, 01:54 am »
Normal version?
http://www.ankaudiokits.com/e-shop3/ank-audio-kits-product-range/single-ended-set-300b-amplifiers/interstage-monoblock-pse-300b.html

I didn't find a 300B monoblock with interstage transformers over on Audio Note UK.

Yeah, NOS would be, I stumbled across a pair of WE engraved base from the late thirties and the price is....





Are you sitting down?











$20,000

Yup, twenty thousand bucks for two tubes!  Ha!  Not from me.  About the best I could muster would be matched pairs of Genelex Golden Lion at a bit over $300 ($600+ for two mono amps).  Black Treasures are $100 more.

FullRangeMan

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Re: 6l6 vs 300b - a few questions
« Reply #8 on: 22 Nov 2018, 02:04 am »
This boutique AN PP 300B amp is about the price the Lampizator GM70 SE monoblocks which GM70 tubes cost $21 each and last about 3K hours w/softstart.
http://www.gstube.com/catalog/?key=gm70&submit=Find

rodge827

Re: 6l6 vs 300b - a few questions
« Reply #9 on: 22 Nov 2018, 06:25 pm »
While I’m at it I was considering switching over to the Audio Note Interstage 300b mono blocks that use a 6SH7 driver and 5U4 rectifierthats parallel triode SE. I’ve always been curious about 300b but not entirely sure about the Sonics. I am essentially looking for something a bit airier and additional top end with that same rich mid range. Do you guys this switching to the 300b would accomplish this?

I have the ANK SE 8w Interstage mono blocks and can vouch for their sound quality. If you can do it, single ended will give you the best performance for 300b tubes. Going with parallel or a push pull design reduces a lot of the "airy magic" attributed to 300b's. A good transformer coupled preamp (ANK L3 or L4) with excellent detail retrieval will further enhance what a SET 300b can do. Mine are paired with an ANK L4 and Charney Maestro 100db horns with excellent results.

Chris 

Kw6

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Re: 6l6 vs 300b - a few questions
« Reply #10 on: 3 Dec 2022, 04:24 pm »
I have the ANK SE 8w Interstage mono blocks and can vouch for their sound quality. If you can do it, single ended will give you the best performance for 300b tubes. Going with parallel or a push pull design reduces a lot of the "airy magic" attributed to 300b's. A good transformer coupled preamp (ANK L3 or L4) with excellent detail retrieval will further enhance what a SET 300b can do. Mine are paired with an ANK L4 and Charney Maestro 100db horns with excellent results.

Chris

Hey Chris any hum or his through your sensitive speakers with ANK?

rodge827

Re: 6l6 vs 300b - a few questions
« Reply #11 on: 3 Dec 2022, 04:30 pm »
  I have to put my ear to the driver to hear a very slight hiss.

Kw6

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Re: 6l6 vs 300b - a few questions
« Reply #12 on: 5 Dec 2022, 07:42 am »
Thanks Chris! I like ANK but wonder if hard to build. Thinking it overI have decided to go for 300b set or KT66 set. Any suggestions.I like the Greece 300b mono Tsakiridis.
 

Kw6

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Re: 6l6 vs 300b - a few questions
« Reply #13 on: 5 Dec 2022, 07:44 am »
Also thinking about Quad classic II KT66 monos. Prefer something no more than $3k USD.

FullRangeMan

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Re: 6l6 vs 300b - a few questions
« Reply #14 on: 6 Dec 2022, 01:09 am »
Thanks Chris! I like ANK but wonder if hard to build. Thinking it overI have decided to go for 300b set or KT66 set. Any suggestions.I like the Greece 300b mono Tsakiridis.
Not difficult made that choice, KT66 are a audiophile tube, very linear, transparent sound and cheap, can be substitute with EL34,6550,6L6,KT77,88,90.
the KT66 is everything the 300B is not.
300B is not even linear, hype.

Jaytor

Re: 6l6 vs 300b - a few questions
« Reply #15 on: 6 Dec 2022, 04:41 pm »
I built a pair of the ANK parallel 300B SET interstage monoblocks with C-core transformers, although I made a lot of changes to the design - mostly around the power supplies, and built my own custom chassis (a bit bigger to make room for the additional circuitry I added). I have a fairly comprehensive build thread here - https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/ank-300b-interstage-monoblocks.1112018/#post-27958720

The build instructions are quite good and comprehensive. If you are comfortable soldering and with reading instruction manuals, I think the ANK design is relatively straightforward to build.

I don't have a lot of experience with other tube amps, but I have a number of other DIY and commercial amps (including a pair of Pass XA60.8 monoblocks), and the 300B amp is pretty exceptional. My main system uses powered woofers, so I use the 300B amps from 170Hz up. My current speakers are 98db/w sensitivity (GR-Research Line Force), but I was using the amps with 92db/w speakers (GR-Research NX-Otica) and the amps played plenty loud.

I am using Western Electric reissue 300B tubes - not the ones that came with the kit. I used the kit tubes briefly before I bought the WE tubes, and the amp sounded quite good, but the WE tubes are a definite step up - particularly with vocals which are absolutely stunning.



datman

Re: 6l6 vs 300b - a few questions
« Reply #16 on: 7 Dec 2022, 06:03 am »
If your amp will run 6L6's you might want to try the 6F6. Dennis built an amp for me that uses the 6X6 family of tubes. Having tried them all, the 6F6 is by far the most satisfying for me. They are not hard to find and not ridiculously expensive.

As of yesterday I am using this amp beyond successfully with a pair of Charney Audio Companion speakers with AER BD3 drivers.

rodge827

Re: 6l6 vs 300b - a few questions
« Reply #17 on: 7 Dec 2022, 11:56 am »
As of yesterday I am using this amp beyond successfully with a pair of Charney Audio Companion speakers with AER BD3 drivers.

Welcome to the club!
I upgraded to the Companion with the Voxativ AF2.6 driver. My room is smallish and the 8” driver would be too big for it.

Kw6

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Re: 6l6 vs 300b - a few questions
« Reply #18 on: 19 Dec 2022, 03:05 am »
I built a pair of the ANK parallel 300B SET interstage monoblocks with C-core transformers, although I made a lot of changes to the design - mostly around the power supplies, and built my own custom chassis (a bit bigger to make room for the additional circuitry I added). I have a fairly comprehensive build thread here - https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/ank-300b-interstage-monoblocks.1112018/#post-27958720

The build instructions are quite good and comprehensive. If you are comfortable soldering and with reading instruction manuals, I think the ANK design is relatively straightforward to build.

I don't have a lot of experience with other tube amps, but I have a number of other DIY and commercial amps (including a pair of Pass XA60.8 monoblocks), and the 300B amp is pretty exceptional. My main system uses powered woofers, so I use the 300B amps from 170Hz up. My current speakers are 98db/w sensitivity (GR-Research Line Force), but I was using the amps with 92db/w speakers (GR-Research NX-Otica) and the amps played plenty loud.

I am using Western Electric reissue 300B tubes - not the ones that came with the kit. I used the kit tubes briefly before I bought the WE tubes, and the amp sounded quite good, but the WE tubes are a definite step up - particularly with vocals which are absolutely stunning.



Those mono blocks look nice!

Kw6

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Re: 6l6 vs 300b - a few questions
« Reply #19 on: 19 Dec 2022, 03:09 am »
Not difficult made that choice, KT66 are a audiophile tube, very linear, transparent sound and cheap, can be substitute with EL34,6550,6L6,KT77,88,90.
the KT66 is everything the 300B is not.
300B is not even linear, hype.

That I didn't know Fullrangeman! I thought 300b was most linear tube for audio but limited in power like 2A3 !