EL34 in triode vs 300B/845 SET

Suggest you reach out to @aricaudio and see if he can be of help. All the best.

@hifinubee thank you for the kind words.

As a suggestion, you may want to seek out a Consonance Cyber 10 Signature.  It's an integrated amplifier, using 2A3 triode output tubes in push-pull configuration, and a Mullard long tail pair driver stage.  Not a huge number exist, as the amplifier looks all wrong on paper.  It's a product I had to work harder than any other to sell, as everyone (including myself) dismisses it out of hand without even a listen, but I believed in it that much after hearing it and living with it.  I imported enough of them that they come up here and there on Audiogon, USA Audio Mart, and eBay.  Typical pricing ranges from $500 - $900.  It's a deceptively wonderful amplifier, and in my experience, one of their best products across board.  I realize most find it hard to believe, but at just 11 watts per channel, it can drive the typical loudspeaker with authority, excellent low-end output, and a seductively sweet tone.  They also produced a more or less identical, more expensive version using the 300B tube producing 22 watts per channel, called the Cyber 100S Signature. It lacked the seat of the pants power, bass response, and magic of the 2A3 amplifier. The Cyber 10 Signature 2A3 ran just about stride for stride in terms of loudness, power, and oomph with the 35 watt EL34 / 40 watt KT88 Cyber 100 Signature amps

As others have said, you need to choose which component to keep—-the 300B SET or the B&W—-and then move from there.  I would just add that if you keep the speakers you don’t have to go to a Levinson behemoth.  You can stay with tubes with the B&Ws, you just need to try a higher-powered push-pull Tube amp.  A p-p 300B amp like a VAC might be an ideal way to get (nearly) the best of both worlds.  But I would also recommend p-p EL-34 amps.

thanks trelja and salectric

@trelja, I've also actually been eyeing Consonance Cyber880A with 2A3x8 in pp.  But doesn't going to pp design automatically cancel out the crystal clear clarify signature of SET?  I have no experience with triode tube in pp, can you share your experience?  I read that there's a newer 2A3C tube that's a tuned down 300B with lower 2.5V plate watt but still makes 8watt.  Do you know if 2A3C can be drop in replacement for 2A3?

@salectric, I've also contemplating El34x8 pp as meaning next step up.  Do you know what's the sonic difference between a 300B in parallel SET PSET and pp?  300B makes about similar 18-22watt in these configuration.  PSET is very rare vs PP is much easier to find.

thanks both

@hifinubee it looks like you’ve picked the B&W loudspeakers over the Dared 300B amplifier?

The Shuguang 2A3C may be my favorite current production non-exotic output tube. For just a few dollars, we transitioned from the 2A3B to 2A3C with the Consonance Cyber 10 Signature, and it proved an instant upgrade. Again, I recommend you seek out one of those integrated amplifiers. The tube worked anywhere I’ve used it without issue, and provided excellent sound. I have seen it not physically fit into some amplifiers because of its noticeably larger glass envelope / bulb.  As much as I love the 2A3, it doesn't offer enough power to make a usable SET amplifier in the way a 300B does.  Run it in push-pull configuration, and it can drive the typical loudspeaker, and I believe definitely leaps over the 300B.

The Cyber 880A would have no trouble driving your B&Ws, and certainly offers good sound. As you said, you’re getting away from the SET sound with it. Not only does it use a push-pull output stage, but the Mullard long-tail pair driver moves at least two steps up in complexity from the typical SET, and as I’ve said, most often, the simpler the amplifier, the more immediate the sound. That’s a huge part of the SET magic, the simplest output tubes used in the simplest output stage, and normally driven by a very simple circuit.

The other issue I have with this amplifier is now you’re talking serious money, and more than double your target price. Of course, if you can find a used one, that might fit. I don’t think higher priced Chinese amplifiers make sense from the standpoint of economics or logic today. The market seems to agree, as I don’t see anyone moving anything in this realm beyond the midrange price point. Since I no longer represent the brand in North America, customers have no support, service, safety net, etc., and so the brand pretty much disappeared from this market outside of re-badging their solid state amps and CD players as Hegel. The current Consonance importer operates more or less as an order taker, and the factory in China drop ships directly to the customer. The customer gets to pay substantially more for the simple task of a middleman invoicing the purchase. It’s lose - lose, and a poor way to do business on all levels in my mind