I wasn't going to weigh in on this topic because I have not directly compared vintage WE 300B to current production, but I have heard both in one of several more or less identical SE amplifiers I used to build commercially or my own personal variant. Given the fact that no one so far seems to have had both current and vintage WE in their possession I decided to post anyway.
I had the opportunity to evaluate a pair of fairly high hour 1955 vintage WE 300B a few months ago, (early 2007) I didn't buy them because in my amplifier the difference between them and the JJ 300B (2001 vintage - newer may be different) was subtle with the biggest difference being in the lowest couple of octaves. The bass seemed subjectively tighter, the midrange a little more liquid, the highs a little less extended than the JJ.
I have also compared relatively recent production WE 300B to the same pair of JJ 300B. The same conclusions would hold except that my recollection of the HF performance of the WE300B was fairly comparable.
If money were no object I would probably go for current production WE300B, they are superior to anything else I have tried, although the JJ have provided excellent sonics (very close to WE) and have been extremely reliable.
The TJ mesh globe looks interesting but I have not heard it in my amp. I heard it in another amp and it was extremely good.
See this review page for some comments on relatively recent 300B production http://www.enjoythemusic.com/channel/ch300b/ Note that the date on this review is 1999 - there is a link to a somewhat newer review on the page.
The JJ incidentally in my experience far outclass the old SV300B III and its predecessors in both sound and reliability.
My power amp uses fully tube regulated B+ at 400V, fixed bias at 60 - 80mA quiescent current (adjustable) and 3K primary. i.e. Not your typical 300B SE amp.
I had the opportunity to evaluate a pair of fairly high hour 1955 vintage WE 300B a few months ago, (early 2007) I didn't buy them because in my amplifier the difference between them and the JJ 300B (2001 vintage - newer may be different) was subtle with the biggest difference being in the lowest couple of octaves. The bass seemed subjectively tighter, the midrange a little more liquid, the highs a little less extended than the JJ.
I have also compared relatively recent production WE 300B to the same pair of JJ 300B. The same conclusions would hold except that my recollection of the HF performance of the WE300B was fairly comparable.
If money were no object I would probably go for current production WE300B, they are superior to anything else I have tried, although the JJ have provided excellent sonics (very close to WE) and have been extremely reliable.
The TJ mesh globe looks interesting but I have not heard it in my amp. I heard it in another amp and it was extremely good.
See this review page for some comments on relatively recent 300B production http://www.enjoythemusic.com/channel/ch300b/ Note that the date on this review is 1999 - there is a link to a somewhat newer review on the page.
The JJ incidentally in my experience far outclass the old SV300B III and its predecessors in both sound and reliability.
My power amp uses fully tube regulated B+ at 400V, fixed bias at 60 - 80mA quiescent current (adjustable) and 3K primary. i.e. Not your typical 300B SE amp.
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