Has anybody here tried the $600 Dared 300B SET amps?

Dozer · « **on:** 13 Dec 2004, 03:40 pm »

On Audio Asylum, there was a lot of commotion last year over suspected shilling by Dared - so it was hard to identify actual product feedback wheterh positive or negative. Only one objective report of a unit with mangled guts.. that's all.

For $600 SET, there must be lots of people who have taken the plunge and I would think they should be moddable little giant killers, but my on line searches just turn up either glowing feedback from questionable sources, or vicious attaches from equally questionable sources.

Anybody here try 'em?

Cross my heart and hope to die - I'm not a shill for Dared. Mine are shipping out today and I'm just having pangs of buyers remorse after reading the drama on Audio Asylum from last year.

jswallac · « **Reply #1 on:** 13 Dec 2004, 04:16 pm »

I do not have any experience with the SET amp, but I did own one of their SL2000 preamps. I only owned it for a few weeks before I sold it. The only things I can say positive is that it is attractive. It is also very cheap, but unfortunately in more ways than one. I think you really do get what you pay for with Dared, at least I did. The preamp just seemed to muddy up the whole system. I guess I should have expected this. What I really wanted it for is the remote volume capability. But how good could this thing be? An entire preamp with remote for about $300 new when just a remote option on a good preamp cost that much. I have to seriously question some of those glowing reviews I read. Hopefully your experience will be better.

Dozer · « **Reply #2 on:** 13 Dec 2004, 04:23 pm »

Thanks. Even one of the guys ragging on Dared said it's harder to make a good cheap preamp than a good cheap power amp... but I guess we'll see.

Then some other guy said something about frying a $300 tweeter with a cheap amp.... cringe

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #3 on:** 13 Dec 2004, 05:11 pm »

Dozer,

A buddy of mine fried his old (more expensive) SET and bought the Dared monoblocks...he's very pleased with them (about a month now).

He runs Avantgarde Uno's with them.

doug s. · « **Reply #4 on:** 13 Dec 2004, 08:18 pm »

dozer, an email audio buddy of mine replaced his rogue 99 preamp w/the li'l $300 dared preamp, & he sez the dared is better. and, this is a guy who *loved* his rogue. i used to tease him about it all the time, as i never really cared for my magnum 99...

doug s.

Dozer · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 Dec 2004, 12:25 am »

I'm not a true bonafide audiophile I don't think. I do like to try different gear and I've had the following amps: Sansui AU519, McCormack DNA 0.5, Parasound 2200mkII, Continuum Stage+, Continuum Unison 3.1 integrated, a Chiro three channel thing, Le Amps, Audio Note P2 PP, Audio Note Soro integrated, and maybe some I don't remember. Could I put those amps in order by quality in any kind of credible way? Probably not really - I had them all at different times and right now I'm totally in a tube phase and I feel like I've sworn off SS forever. But anyway I just want to say I'm not a "reviewer" like some of the guys on this board and others are. Nobody should read much into my opinion.

But I can testify that this guy Joe really delivers what he advertises anyway - I bought on Sunday, received two hours ago (the following Friday). Beautiful looking piece of gear, hefty - doesn't seem cheap to me! There is not the slightest hint of hum from the power transformer - there is nothing to complain about, frown about, or worry about so far!

I'm playing the amp in my bedroom with some Allison AL-105 (cheap speakers 90db eff). I'm using a kit built Consonace Basie preamp (which was once for sale but isn't now because I love all these glowing bottles!), and a Cal Icon MkII CD player.

I have to say that this amp is awesome, and I'm trying to make sure I keep an open mind so I don't just engage in wishful thinking. But since I got turned onto tube amps I've needed to try 300B set and I'm glad I tried this little Chinese amp!

I'd say I have "liquid mids" and "microdynamics" just galore in here! All those subtle drum strokes and fingers on the bass strings (Diana Krall "Love Notes" is on right now - first was Petty greatest hits).

I can't wait to try the amp with my Audio Note ANE-SPE (good speakers 93db eff).

Anyway - just thought I'd close the loop on this. They definitely aren't some kind of frightening out-and-out ripoff like the threads on audioasylum implied. Do they compete with $20K monoblocks? Well, I am just never going to know that first hand that's for sure

beat · « **Reply #6 on:** 18 Dec 2004, 04:04 pm »

Thanks for the timely report Dozer,
I was looking into the dared PP 6l6 amps for a friend of mine. He wants to put together a "real world" reference in his recording studio for the lobby area. Sure, If it was real "real world" he would want some denon ht reciever or something of that nature out there. He just wants something toobey and good looking but only wants to throw 1000$ at it tops for now for the whole system. He saw my old organ amps with a face lift of aluminum plates (which are also pp 6l6) and he wants those but I knew we could find him something comparable and flashy that is new. Anyway Dozer, From what you said about having decent sound with 90db speaks, Do you feel the 300b might have enough power for a mid sized room? I may consider the se instead of the pp!
thanks,
beat

doug s. · « **Reply #7 on:** 18 Dec 2004, 04:05 pm »

Quote from: Dozer

I'm not a true bonafide audiophile I don't think. I do like to try different gear and I've had the following amps: Sansui AU519, McCormack DNA 0.5, Parasound 2200mkII, Continuum Stage+, Continuum Unison 3.1 integrated, a Chiro three channel thing, Le Amps, Audio Note P2 PP, Audio Note Soro integrated, and maybe some I don't remember. Could I put those amps in order by quality in any kind of credible way? Probably not really - I had them all at different times and right now I'm totally in a tube phase a ...

not a true bonafide audiophile, ya don't think? then ya follow that statement w/all that audiophile geekness???

yust cuz yure on a budget does *not* mean yure not an audiophile. the first step to the cure is to admit ya have a problem!

enjoy the new amps!

doug s.

Dozer · « **Reply #8 on:** 18 Dec 2004, 06:15 pm »

Beat: I don't know if I could go out on that limb about whether there would be sufficient SPL in a medium sized room. I just don't know. These 300b's are spec'd for 7 watts. I had an 18 watt Soro integrated which was more than plenty for a pretty spacious room with my Audio Note (93db) speakers. But when I heard these 300b's in my little room I was inspired to give the big room to my wife, sell my AN gear, and sort of retreat into my small room with the 300b's and AN speakers. If the lobby is like a big resonant chamber I bet it would sound awesome though... it is surprising what even a boombox in the corner can do in a room with the right acoustics - and this 300b amp is very sweet sounding. But anyway - I don't know what kind of SPL this "can" produce. maybe I'll measure the 1 meter SPL later on.

Doug: that's a funny comment thanks. I guess I mean... well... I'm going to sell "better" stuff, keep "less killer" stuff - just to be more practical. I just took down a $10K system in my living room to replace it with a Denon 2802. I'm going to just chill in my little office/study with a $600 tube amp and expensive Audio Note speakers. I should have to turn in my audiophile card. And every time I've tried to A/B gear I've become completely frustrated at the obvious biases and given up. So I guess I said that disclaimer so nobody thinks I did a "shootout" or that this amp will sound as good as a high end 300b monoblock. Intuitively I think it probably won't right?

Hantra · « **Reply #9 on:** 18 Dec 2004, 06:20 pm »

I heard the Dared monoblock amps, but I don't think they were 300B. I think these were 2A3 or 6L6. Can't remember. I do remember being very impressed though. For the money, that stuff is probably not going to be beaten unless you need more power.

Dozer · « **Reply #10 on:** 18 Dec 2004, 07:48 pm »

I got some pics up at AudioAsylum and apparently there are some design issues where one guy is predicting some failures in this unit. I don't know the guy's credentials.. but if any engineer wants to take a look and chime in I'm interested in whether this thing is really doomed. If so, then I want to warn others off. But who knows - it sounds good and doesn't seem to me that it runs hot at all.

http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/set/messages/36135.html

calsaint · « **Reply #11 on:** 19 Dec 2004, 01:21 am »

don't know much about the amps in question, but Thorsten is someone you'd want to listen to.

Dozer · « **Reply #12 on:** 19 Dec 2004, 07:44 pm »

He's cool - has given me some good advice. I still don't think this is a bad deal - it still sounds great. But I can enhance the reliability apparently by doing a little of this and a little of that.

But to say the least, Dared is not any too popular over on Audio Asylum - that's for sure.

Christof · « **Reply #13 on:** 19 Dec 2004, 08:29 pm »

I have a pair of Dared VP20 monos and a pair of Dared 350B monos, I run 6L6 tubes in both and really enjoy them with a pair of Abby clones I built using Fostex Fe166e drivers. The build quality on both seems fair for the price, they are fun to look at and both pairs are very quiet. I also use a Dared SL2000A preamp in this system. I use this as my office system in a 10 x 15' room and there is plenty of headroom. Though I don't go this route, they can be used w/o a pre since the amps have stepped attinuators. Naturally there is room for improvements on these amps as there is with anything in this price point. Someone savy in the mod dept would have no problem tweaking these into shape. Other than the ALPS upgrade mine are stock and overall they are keepers, I do have a preference for the 350B's over the VP-20 but not by much, they both really make my Abby clones come alive. I should also note that in my experience Joe ? in Chicago, the gentleman who retails these amps via Agon, provides good customer service.