• WARNING: Tube/Valve amplifiers use potentially LETHAL HIGH VOLTAGES.
    Building, troubleshooting and testing of these amplifiers should only be
    performed by someone who is thoroughly familiar with
    the safety precautions around high voltages.

Can anyone suggest the "best" 300B SE sound quality schematic for a beginner like me?

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anyone suggest me the "best" 300B SE sound quality Schematic fro beginner like me ?

hi all,
I would like to make an Amp, using 300B SE, I read mostly the beginner, newbie, 300B, SE but gives me many option and confuse which one is best.
I'm looking for the known Schematic that sound quality is the best, well at least I will build one of the best Schematic, I just don;t want to build some ok SQ or worse.
I know I will spend alotta money here for OT and Tubes.

can anyone suggest me something ?
how about the simple Schematic for "best" sound quality ?

guys help me out here.... I just want to build 300B SE and I Will not regret it !
I think I need guru here.
is there some online lecture of building Tube Amp ?:bawling:

Regards
Cal:D
 
Hi calico

Have you already read the permanent thread about safety when dealing with tubes?

I understand you are confused with the myriad of schematics available on the net - the fact there are so much maybe explains that it is not possible to assign one as being the best. It all depends on budget, available parts, music preferences, psychoacoustics, etc.

What are the speakers you will drive with this amp? What kind of music to you listen to? Do you already have some components, tubes or iron? What is your budget? Those are some questions that can help to give some better orientation on what is 'best' for you.

Erik
 
calico88,

One that will work at his best... {at the end of the page}
http://www.tubecad.com/2006/05/blog0064.htm

In french, very good ones...
http://www.ptsoundlab.com/tubes/amplis/300b/audionote/audionote.htm

Same as the second one:
http://www.angela.com/catalog/how-to/300B.SE.html

Next depending of your source, a preamp could be usefull :)

We need to know about your speakers ? a
Your living room size?
And more what type of Vinyl or CD you'll use?
Also what kind of music you like?

PS: The amplifier should be better than the lesser part of your system.

Alain.
 
Thank guys,
I already consider the danger, high voltage is killing but I will do what the savety should be.
my music is Jazz, I have speaker with 90dB sensitivity, local made, or I will make another one with the higher sensity.
I'm reading the schematic you guys give me above and trying to understand which one I prefer.
may be I will use both for asking the local seller about the availability of the component
I wonder how much it cost to build the walton audio schematic mk2 ?
well my budget is under US600, I think I can get local OT and Power Transformer, and china tubes.

what do you think I shoould do and choose guys ?

regards
cal
 
hi cal,

i've built the last two in the previous link posted, and I would say I'm not a fan of the 6SN7 driving a 300B, which I find overly coloured and slow.

My 300B is using 5842/417A driver cap coupled to 300B with grid choke.

I cannot comment on the Aikido driver for 300B.

You may want to build your 300B in parallel with Kofi Annan who's 300B topic is filled with valuable information.
 
Arnoldc,
thank for the reply, why you can't comment on Aikido driver for 300B ?
is this mean good or so so or the best ?

kofi annan ?
parallel ? I though getting the parallel tube match is difficult and expensive ?

I think anglela project is cheaper than walton audio, but they are they are the identical schematic.

I wonder how much those two cost.

cal
 
Hi cal,

re: Aikido- because I haven't built them yet.

re: Kofi Annan - he has a 300B building thread here which you might find informative. Sorry I wasn't clear when I said parallel, I meant you may want to build it too. I'm not sure how he's progressing though. - http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=70557

re: cost- will depend so much on the parts. try James for the OPT (I would prefer 5K), then Hammond for power transformer and choke for a start. See what's left...
 
I have built an Aikido driver for a 2A3 amp, using a 12AX7 voltage gain section into a 6H30/6CG7/6N1P follower (take your pick), and it works amazingly well. The 6H30 gives the best sound as the follower. The result is clear, dynamic, and musically involving. I have tried Mu-follower, SRPP, direct coupled choke loaded 6C45pi, current source loaded 6C45Pi (and ECC99), Pentode, etc., but I think the Aikido driver about the best I have tried. I have to qualify this statement since I have been experimenting with these amps for over 6 years, so it is difficult to have the aural memory of earlier drivers. However, I do have to say that I am *very* pleased with how these are sounding, and, outside of tube rolling, am reluctant to make any additional changes.
 
DHT driver

For best possible sound, disregarding complexity, I would suggest a DHT driver such as the 46 (or 71A, 45, 10), preferrably transformer coupled. Input stage can be DHT also, but this then starts to get really complicated, so you could just use something like a 6SN7/76/56/37/27.

this one suits my preferences Not eally a beginners project though.

Something like this will sound very good. I'm building similar at present, but with 50s rather than 300B
 
I have used it as a driver, but with it's low anode voltage I couldn't get enough swing for my needs.

When I used it, I think I noticed a little something in the upper mids. Don't know if this is the microphonics the spec sheet talks about (or something I did). Apart from that, it sounded great.
 
lndm said:
I have used it as a driver, but with it's low anode voltage I couldn't get enough swing for my needs.

When I used it, I think I noticed a little something in the upper mids. Don't know if this is the microphonics the spec sheet talks about (or something I did). Apart from that, it sounded great.

Probably microphonics, these DH tubes can be pigs! Did you use it as triode or pentode? I'm guessing triode because looking at the curves, in pentode mode, it should have adequate swing (looks like 100V each way or so with an op. point of Va=180V, Vg=-18V)? What were you driving?

In general though, a directly heated driver does something very, very special, and I would never go back. I tried a 10 vs 843 which on paper have very similar characteristics, except the 843 is IHT, and the 10 wiped the floor with it.

Have you tried 46 as driver? Wonderful tone...


Cheers,
Pete
 
i_should_coco said:
I'm guessing triode
Spot on. I figured the pentode wouldn't drive as well. Maybe I should have tried it.
What were you driving?
SE KT66. I like a good cutoff swing to keep the odd harmonics away around grid current range.
Have you tried 46 as driver? Wonderful tone...
I don't have one. I have a 1B5 which looks great on paper. I also have a 42 and a 59.
 
lndm said:

Spot on. I figured the pentode wouldn't drive as well. Maybe I should have tried it.

SE KT66. I like a good cutoff swing to keep the odd harmonics away around grid current range.

I don't have one. I have a 1B5 which looks great on paper. I also have a 42 and a 59.


Hmm...just looked at the 1B5 - the 35k Ra looks a bit high for my tastes, miller capacitance might start ot becom an issue depeding on the tube you're trying to drive, but who knows!

I suspect the 42 will work very well in triode - a bit like a 6V6, 59 too. All things being equal though, the DHT driver does it for me :) If you can get some 46, they're well worth a pop as they're pretty cheap.

Cheers,
Pete
 
calico88 said:
I should coco,
that's def. not for beginner.

thx anyway.


Indeed...

The problem with asking for a "good sounding" design, is that sound quality is so subjective - what one person loves, another will hate, so it's difficult to suggest a universal design, otherwise there wouldn't be any point in experimenting. There is no "best", only shades of grey.

I would suggest building a breadboard and experimenting with coupling methods, high-gM vs low gM tube, drivers etc., etc. Then you will figure out what you like and don't like and be able to make a more informed choice. I know that's probably not answering your original question, but it is the way to get what you want.

Cheers,
Pete
 
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