Prefered 300B tubes for Canary Amplifiers


I'm the owner of a Canary 306 300B amplifier. The stock tubes are EH and I'm interested in upgrading to a premium set of 300B tubes. I'm wondering what others have tried and liked and wondered whether the Canarys can accept the XLS designated tubes.
frontier1
Gsm18439 (gary) makes a good point, I 'm unaware of any review or user feedback with PP amplifiers. Any tube can potentially hit or miss with a given amplifier and certainly some will mate better than others. The WE 300b is praised by many but in my own amplifier it was outclassed by the Takatsuki and Sophia RP, they were on a much higher plane(I know people will have varying outcomes). The true value of a product should be determined by the level of results it provides. The better quality 300b will simply allow a superior listening experience and deeper involvement emotionally with the music you love, what more could one ask of their audio system? As gary mentioned,I also got mine a year ago direct from Japan for 1400.00, those days are gone.Would I spent 2000.00 when I need to replace my current b pair? Absolutely! They have been extraordinary at connecting me to the soul and core of the music I enjoy.
Regards,
Bnrlaw,
I don't believe anyone responding here is defensive, why should we be?
This is a open forum with different points of view expressed.Your approach
is a valid and reasonable one, particularly when dealing with multiple pairs
of 300bs to replace (your case 4 pairs).You used the term "stupid
money" others here are giving an alternative perspective, nothing
more or less.This is all relative, some would contend we all spent stupid
money for our amplifiers in the first place (wasting all that money on tube
amps when many SS amps are available for far less money and more
watts!).If I needed 4 pair of 300b tubes, well then the Takatsuki is perhaps
out of range, obviously a personal call.I think we all can come here and
exchange opinions and not be considered defensive for presenting our own
experiences. No one else responding has used a derogatory term "stupid
money" other than you.I think the rest of us are relaxed and just enjoying
this thread.
Regards,
You did however take offense at the phrase "stupid money"
I meant nothing by it.
Anyone who posts here can be accused of spending "stupid money" if they spent anything more than a couple of hundred dollars on a stereo, when taken from the standpoint of a non-audiophile. It is all relative. Obviously, almost none of these purchases are stupid to us if we hear a change and derive enjoyment from it. My point was....I am with you. We are on the same page, though I didn't get the impression that you thought we were.
No worries.
Have fun.
Bnrlaw,
I'm with you, ,sometimes the true meaning of what we're trying to say gets lost with written text.In person and talking face to face this wouldn't be a problem. I just assume most of us who have 300b amps are the types who really connect emotionally with their music and enjoy discussing this with other liked minded people.
Charles,
The price of new production 300B tubes has really escaladed over the last couple of years. I remember when a top China 300B could be has for $200/pair. European 300B, EAT, AVVT, EML, KR Audio have always been around the $700/pr mark. China and now Japan has seen a great appetite for premium 300B tubes and have marketed these tubes primarily to the US marketplace.

I am not going to comment on the value proposition of these new production tubes because price performance is purely subjective. I have listened to Takatsuki and they are indeed a superb tube, but at a price of $2,000/pr, they now make some of the European 300B look like a bargain.

On the plus side, 300B’s last a very longtime; therefore, the sting of price can be offset with the number of years of enjoyment you will get.

Also, from what I have read, 300B in PP configuration run the tubes harder when compared to single ended, therefore, an XLS tube may be better suited for your application. Take a look at the Canary specs to see exactly how the tubes are stressed. Take your time, and see what other Canary owners are using.

I know that before Coincident started marketing their own amplifiers, Coincident used Canary amps with KR 300B.