Reasonably priced 300B Intergrated Recommendations

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Michaelghensley@aol.com

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Reasonably priced 300B Intergrated Recommendations
« on: 25 Jul 2024, 10:18 pm »
Hi, Would like to try 300b Intergrated amp but at a reasonable price used at first. Would welcome recommendations from those that have and love
Thanks

rodge827

Re: Reasonably priced 300B Intergrated Recommendations
« Reply #1 on: 26 Jul 2024, 12:00 am »
Are you looking for SET or PP?

Michaelghensley@aol.com

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Re: Reasonably priced 300B Intergrated Recommendations
« Reply #2 on: 26 Jul 2024, 12:07 am »
Push pull

rodge827

Re: Reasonably priced 300B Intergrated Recommendations
« Reply #3 on: 26 Jul 2024, 12:17 am »
I’ve only had SET 300b amps so I can’t comment on the sound quality. But Antique Sound Labs 1010 is a good bet.

FullRangeMan

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Re: Reasonably priced 300B Intergrated Recommendations
« Reply #4 on: 26 Jul 2024, 12:30 am »
300B tubes are not reasonable priced nor long life.
retube a PP 300B amp could cost alot of cash.

jbetanc

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Re: Reasonably priced 300B Intergrated Recommendations
« Reply #5 on: 26 Jul 2024, 01:28 am »
This is a good bang for your buck, but it also depends on your speakers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dExnR7CJMSo

opnly bafld

Re: Reasonably priced 300B Intergrated Recommendations
« Reply #6 on: 26 Jul 2024, 02:18 am »
This is a good bang for your buck, but it also depends on your speakers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dExnR7CJMSo

Not push pull, see post 4.

mick wolfe

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Re: Reasonably priced 300B Intergrated Recommendations
« Reply #7 on: 26 Jul 2024, 04:51 pm »
 Well executed 300B P-P amps are a bit rare and NOT reasonably priced. Aric Audio makes one that might fit your needs. Makes 18 watts in PSET config as I read it. Around the $9K mark. Fezz Audio (a company I've never heard of) makes a 300B P-P amp for $6K. Makes 15 watts. Other than that, you might be scouring the used market for a VAC, Sun Audio, etc. If you need more power and still want an SET type presentation, a well designed 845 SET amp may be your best bet. Plus it will be at a more reasonable price point.

mick wolfe

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Re: Reasonably priced 300B Intergrated Recommendations
« Reply #8 on: 26 Jul 2024, 05:23 pm »
Oops, in regard to "integrated" P-P  300B's only, the Polish Fezz Lybra  is the only qualifier of those I mentioned. $6K with only a 2 year warranty and a somewhat sketchy "final sale, no return" policy puts it in dicey territory IMHO.

Jon L

Re: Reasonably priced 300B Intergrated Recommendations
« Reply #9 on: 27 Jul 2024, 12:02 am »
Push pull

What speakers?  I used to own Vac Renaissance 30/30 300B p-p amp, which is a great amp but I wouldn't pay even used prices today. I mean, if you don't need much power, go with 300B SET and if you need more power, go with 845 or 805 SET. 

rollo

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Re: Reasonably priced 300B Intergrated Recommendations
« Reply #10 on: 27 Jul 2024, 02:22 pm »
  Audionote Kit. Alan Eaton.


charles

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Re: Reasonably priced 300B Intergrated Recommendations
« Reply #11 on: 27 Jul 2024, 02:32 pm »
300B tubes are not reasonable priced nor long life.

Western Electric 300B tubes are guaranteed for 5 years and are designed to last 40,000 hours... If that isn't long life, I don't what is...

My $0.02,
Pete

mick wolfe

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Re: Reasonably priced 300B Intergrated Recommendations
« Reply #12 on: 27 Jul 2024, 03:45 pm »
What speakers?  I used to own Vac Renaissance 30/30 300B p-p amp, which is a great amp but I wouldn't pay even used prices today. I mean, if you don't need much power, go with 300B SET and if you need more power, go with 845 or 805 SET.

 Exactly  :thumb:

FullRangeMan

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Re: Reasonably priced 300B Intergrated Recommendations
« Reply #13 on: 27 Jul 2024, 04:39 pm »
Western Electric 300B tubes are guaranteed for 5 years and are designed to last 40,000 hours... If that isn't long life, I don't what is...

My $0.02,
Pete
Hi Pete, afew years ago the small letters at WE site at this last WE revival said these 5 years start counting just the day after the tube was proudly produced in the clean GA US factory.

This current WE300B tube has nothing to do with the 300B of the 1940s in sound and hardware, the production manuals left over from that time were not complete in any way, the chemical production processes of that time are today unknown or prohibited by current US legislation because they use products that are toxic to US workers health.

Obviusly this 40,000 hours time life is unrealistic, seems advertising speech to sell the product to the naive US herd audience, it is a so big value it has no chance of being achieved, it is a astronomical figure, a more accurate figure would be 2,000 hours or a few more with soft-start and in a cold area as North US/Canada.

Not even the famous Russian tubes for audio as 6C33, GM70, GU50 get 40K hours and these were built for war equipment as jets, missiles and nukes, there are areas of the 6C33 and GM70 glass that are up to 5mm thick and they both cost only $20 USD/each at GSTubes. The WE300B bottle glass are the standard thick glass 1mm.
As always IMO.
« Last Edit: 27 Jul 2024, 06:26 pm by FullRangeMan »

Rusty Jefferson

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Re: Reasonably priced 300B Intergrated Recommendations
« Reply #14 on: 27 Jul 2024, 05:35 pm »
We've yet to hear back from the OP about their speakers and if they want PP because they need the power. In the low power triode world most prefer SET. I agree with the members who suggested different SET amplifiers if it's about power. I would suggest 211 as you can get a great pair of Chinese tubes for about $150 instead of $1500. Spend the money on the amp build and output transformers rather than tubes.

We also haven't heard what reasonable cost is. There are zero really good sounding and inexpensive tube amplifiers, imo.

stylerb

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Re: Reasonably priced 300B Intergrated Recommendations
« Reply #15 on: 27 Jul 2024, 07:33 pm »
300B tube prices are a bit insane. but i have heard of people getting more than 10 years out of the WEs.

FullRangeMan

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Re: Reasonably priced 300B Intergrated Recommendations
« Reply #16 on: 27 Jul 2024, 09:11 pm »
300B tube prices are a bit insane. but i have heard of people getting more than 10 yeasrs out of the WEs.
They were released just afew years ago 2020, not 10 years.
https://www.westernelectric.com/company-history
2020
After completing updates to machinery, new employee training, and across-the-board quality checks, the first batches of 300B electron tubes are shipped. Despite pandemic setbacks, new hiring and training continues in an effort to fulfill a deep back-log of orders.
« Last Edit: 27 Jul 2024, 10:14 pm by FullRangeMan »

rodge827

Re: Reasonably priced 300B Intergrated Recommendations
« Reply #17 on: 29 Jul 2024, 11:38 am »
OP if your having trouble finding a 300b push pull amp contact Radu Tarta he might be able to build you one. If you’re not familiar with Radu do a search you’ll find some very good info about him.

https://simplepleasuretubeamps.com/

crowells

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Re: Reasonably priced 300B Intergrated Recommendations
« Reply #18 on: 5 Nov 2024, 08:12 pm »
If you can find a Welborne Labs 300B, those are very affordable and have point to point wiring, so upgrades are easy. They sound very good in stock form.

tull skull

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Re: Reasonably priced 300B Intergrated Recommendations
« Reply #19 on: 6 Nov 2024, 04:53 pm »
Are you open to building a kit? I think Elekit has an 300B integrated.