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300b lovers

I have been an owner of Don Sachs gear since he began, and he modified all my HK Citation gear before he came out with his own creations.  I bought a Willsenton 300b integrated amp and was smitten with the sound of it, inexpensive as it is.  Don told me that he was designing a 300b amp with the legendary Lynn Olson and lo and behold, I got one of his early pair of pre-production mono-blocks recently, driving Spatial Audio M5 Triode Masters.  

Now with a week on the amp, I am eager to say that these 300b amps are simply sensational, creating a sound that brings the musicians right into my listening room with a palpable presence.  They create the most open vidid presentation to the music -- they are neither warm nor cool, just uncannily true to the source of the music.  They replace his excellent Kootai KT88 which I was dubious about being bettered by anything, but these amps are just outstanding.  Don is nearing production of a successor to his highly regard DS2 preamp, which also will have a  unique circuitry to mate with his 300b monos via XLR connections.  Don explained the sonic benefits of this design and it went over my head, but clearly these designs are well though out.. my ears confirm it. 

I have been an audiophile for nearly 50 years having had a boatload of electronics during that time, but I personally have never heard such a realistic presentation to my music as I am hearing with these 300b monos in my system.  300b tubes lend themselves to realistic music reproduction as my Willsenton 300b integrated amps informed me, but Don's 300b amps are in a entirely different realm.  Of course, 300b amps favor efficient speakers so carefully component matching is paramount.

Don is working out a business arrangement to have his electronics built by an American audio firm so they will soon be more widely available to the public.  Don will be attending the Seattle Audio Show in June in the Spatial Audio room where the speakers will be driven by his 300b monos and his preamp, with digital conversion with the outstanding Lampizator Pacific tube DAC.  I will be there to hear what I expect to be an outstanding sonic presentation.  

To allay any questions about the cost of Don's 300b mono, I do not have an answer. 

 

 

whitestix
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 

@thom_at_galibier_design

I completely understand the example of your wife’s vocal power/control. At one time I played and studied the trumpet. As with any instrument you have much control over the volume you wish to provide. If I wanted to I could blow people out of a decent size room with just that single trumpet. The thing is that horn sounded just beautiful played at moderate and lower levels.

As you mentioned, audio system resolution seems to be the key factor. As this aspect of my system improved over the years I discovered I could immensely enjoy music at lower SPL levels. I’d say a very good parameter for a system is how satisfying is it to listen to at low and moderate volume?

No question however, to each their own choices. I know that some like to listen regularly at SPL of 90db and above. Their ears and enjoyment be served. It just isn’t for me.

Charles

donsachs's avatar
donsachs
294 posts
 

I know that when I have my system "cranked" and I measure the level it is about 81-83 dB.  I rarely listen at that level.  As was stated above, the hallmark of a good system is that it has enough resolution and balance that it can be enjoyed at low to moderate volumes.  There is a minimum level for the bass to pressurize or load the room, but that isn't all that loud in any house I have lived in.  I generally listen at the level where that has happened and not much higher.

thom_at_galibier_design's avatar
thom_at_galibier_design
729 posts
 
@donsachs

I know that when I have my system "cranked" and I measure the level it is about 81-83 dB. I rarely listen at that level. As was stated above, the hallmark of a good system is that it has enough resolution and balance that it can be enjoyed at low to moderate volumes. There is a minimum level for the bass to pressurize or load the room, but that isn’t all that loud in any house I have lived in. I generally listen at the level where that has happened and not much higher.

Funny how our perceptions change as we traverse through time. At 25 years of age, I would have  considered 83dB to be a mere whisper, and now I (like you) consider it to be quite loud, although I don’t think of this as concert levels ... maybe coffee shop concerts, where the performers are implored to turn it down, so everyone can talk over the music ;-)

This brings up a related a rabbit hole into which we can jump - the perceptual difference between hi-fi reproduction and home listening.  Lynn touched on this above.

 

Thom @ Galibier

whitestix OP
719 posts
 

Don and Thom,

Gents, with all due respect, an 81-83 db SPL from my speakers conveys none of the emotional aspect of my music so I prefer it more around 88-90 db, thereabouts.  I want a visceral impact to the sound of my system and 83 db does not provide that.   By this, I mean when I am I doing critical listening.  

I participated in a San Francisco Audio Society listening comparison of the totl Coincidence speakers to Andrew Jones' $200  speakers, maybe Panasonic, I forget now.  We initially did an A/B session between the two pairs of speakers at a modest listening level, maybe 75-80 db, and the gathered listeners were totally flummoxed as to which two pairs of speakers were playing.  I personally could not figure out which pair was playing, try as I might.  Well, as you can anticipate, once the volume was turned up, it was 100% clear which pair was which, plain as day.

My best wishes for those that feel they are getting the full measure of their sound of their speakers at 81-83 db, but in my mind, that volume level in no possible way can portray the palpable sense of music reproduction on either my Spatial Audio speakers or my new Cube Audio Jazzon speakers.  Long term listening at 90db is an issue and am aware of that, and I don't listen to music continuously at 90 db, but I do fairly often for short periods of time, and it energizes me. 

If I were to be satisfied listing to music at 81-83 db, there are lots of inexpensive speakers available that sound just fine.  But with more volume, the better speakers begin to shine, which is why we pay the large sums of money for them.  

wig's avatar
wig
1,270 posts
 

Counting down the days on Don and Lynn 300b debut 😁

I currently do my listening after 8 PM for a few hours and typically my listening sessions never exceed 75 db and I don't feel like I'm missing anything; excellent imaging, sound staging, low level detail, clarity and tight tuneful bass based upon the type of music I typically listen to.

Wig😎

Don Sachs Kootenay KT88 Tube Amp

Radu Tarta 4P1L Transformer Coupled DHT Tube Pre-Amp

Merason Dac 1

ProJect  CD Box RS2 Transport

Liberty Audio X-VOX (PBN) Loudspeakers

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