2A3 Tube Opinions


Looking to add a pair of 2A3's for my amps that are full/meaty leaning towards the vintage sound.  Currently running EML Solid Plates and love them, but looking for more weight to the sound.  Thanks for any advice.
arthursmuck

Arthur,

There are a lot of different 300B amps out there that sound better, to me, than the Sophia, but, decent amps are somewhat costly because they employ quite expensive output transformers.

Among the most common low-powered triode tube types--the 300B, 2a3, and the 45, I personally like the sound of the 45.  The 45 has tighter and more punchy bass than the 300B (by comparison, the 300B tends to be flabby and a bit overblown in the upper bass, lower midrange), and is not as lean sounding as the 2a3 (sort of in the middle between the two others); the downside being it delivers even less power than the 2a3.

It sounds like you are looking for a range of different sounds from your collection of amps.  A pushpull EL34 amp would certainly be a good candidate.  If the chosen amp can run other tubes in that family of tubes, I personally like 6L6 tubes for the sound even though they do not put out as much power.  There are some other rare tube types that sound fantastic in pushpull amps, like the 349, 271 and the extremely rare 252.

Another completely different area to explore are output transformerless amps.  This type of amp tends to be extremely lively and dynamic sounding. 

Hi Larryi,
In general terms I understand that the 45 tube has a tighter or more  controlled bass reproduction than the 300b.  I've also have discovered that there's a spectrum of bass performance across different brands of these tubes. I can confirm this having the opportunity to hear 11 brands of the 300b in my amplifiers. 

Furthermore the bass quality of a 300b SET amplifier varies quite noticeably depending on make and model.  There are a multitude of choices in regards to this genre of amplifiers  (as I am certain that you know this). I've always respected your opinions and listening perspectives.  Concerning the Sophia Electric 300b amplifier I haven't heard it but via word of mouth and reviews it's said to be very good sounding (They offer various levels of this amplifier based on output transformer selection).  It apparently is an exceptional  match it seems with Arthur's Tannoys. As is always the case in these matters YMMV.
Charles, 
... contemplating either vintage Mac 225 or something from the EL34 family, as a change of pace.
If you may be considering a vintage EL34-based amp I doubt that you could do better than a pair of Marantz 2 monoblocks.  Although of course they appear for sale only rarely, and are quite expensive.  I owned a pair during the 1990s, and they handily bested the legendary and considerably more expensive Marantz 9 monoblocks I also owned around the same time (although it's possible that condition might have been a factor in that).

I've never heard a Mac 225, but I suspect it would also be a fine choice.  As you are no doubt aware it is considered by many to be the best sounding amp McIntosh has ever produced.  Perhaps not coincidentally, I believe it was the only consumer-oriented separate (non-integrated) power amp McIntosh produced using the 7591 output tube.

Good luck.  Regards,
-- Al
  
Thanks Al - I will check out the 2.  And well aware of the 225, looking forward
to hearing it in my room soon, if it's as good as I think it will be, then the 225 will be home.  :-)