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Decware Sarah 300B Amp?

Fellow Audio Fanatics - 

 

For the record, I’m set with my current two systems. I’ve got one push-pull tube system in my living room and a class a solid state system in my office. They’ve taken a few years to build. Overall, I’m happy and plan to live with them for a long time… 

 

That said, a long time doesn’t mean “forever.”

 

Which brings me to the Decware Sarah 300B amp I’ve been reading about and listening to audio snippets on. As I’ve made my way through this audio journey, I’m sensing my end-state might be moving towards the direction of an amp like the Decware 300B. From what I gather, it seems to deliver a lush and immersive presentation that feels like it could easily replace my solid state system and give me more enjoyment as I paddle towards retirement. 
 

Has anyone heard this amp? Or provide a point of view on Decware amps in general? 
 

I’m thinking of putting myself on the list, forgetting about it for the three+ years it will take to get one, and purchasing it when it’s available in 2027 (I can’t believe we are so far into this century already). Of course I’d need to get a different pair of speakers, which isn’t that of big deal to me financially. I’d probably sell off my current office system and bring in the Decware 300B and perhaps some Zu speakers. 
 

I welcome your feedback and impressions on Decware! 
 

For reference, my systems are below: 

Main - in the living room 

  • Innuos Zenith 
  • Merason Dac1 
  • Linear Tube Audio Microzotl preamp 
  • Switch between Audio Hungary P200 tube amp with KT150 tubes 
  • And Conrad Johnson classic 120 with EL34 tubes 
  • Puritan 156 
  • Cables: mix of Cardas Clear, LessLoss, Kimber Kable Palladian PK10 / Speaker Cables - Cardas 
  • Speakers: QLN Prestige 3 / Dynaudio Heritage Specials

 

Office - smaller room 

  • Luxman 590axii 
  • Buchardt S400 mkii 
  • Goldnote Streamer 
  • Lessloss cables 

 

128x128bluethinker
oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
3,793 posts
 

Those amps are $$$….  Maybe not a fair comparison.   I’d be pretty disappointed if I waited 3 plus years for an amp and it looked like that Sarah on the inside.  
 

 

trivema's avatar
trivema
83 posts
 

If not willing to wait, check out Cary Audio 300b SEI, great design (Dennis Had), 15 wpc with great build, great folks to work with. Sold CaryDirect now. I thought about going on the Decware list, but daylight wasting and went with a Cary Audio.

Or if you can pick up a Dennis Had inspire 300b SET, 8 wpc superb tonality and sound stage with high sensitivity speakers.  I have both a Cary 300b and Inspire KT88, best hand build amps in same $$ category as Decware without going $$$$ Audio Note out of Japan, not the kits.

oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
3,793 posts
 

I love my 300b but unless you have speakers that are very easy to drive they don’t always make sense.   
 

I am always swapping gear around but I can really only use two pair of speakers with that amp, my Forte IV and Omega Super Alnicos.    My Sonus Faber Concerto were a horrible match.  Lifeless. Ran out of steam fast.   
 

It’s really important that you have or plan on always having high efficiency speakers if you are looking at 300b.  They distort early on so if it’s not living in its sweet spot of one or two watts you are making it work too hard and that will be hard on your ears.   

ghdprentice
6,956 posts
 

For what it is worth. I got the 300B bug a few years ago. After hearing about them for so long. I also had a pretty good headphone system. I had the bright idea that since 300B systems tend to be lower power and that it would be a great match would be on my headphone system. Then if I liked what I heard I could see where to go from there. Wow, that worked really well.

My headphone system got two enormous boosts in sound quality all at once, from the realism of the 300B and a huge boost in power / current. I now listen to my headphone system all the time. It has jumped an order of magnitude in satisfying sound quality. It also, started a complete revamping of my main system to tubes… but not 300B… higher powered ones. So I get the best of both worlds in my main system.

The tube headphone amp I bought was a Woo WA5. It can be a tube headphone amp or an integrated amp powering speakers. Woo amps are simply fantastic and this is my third. I highly recommend it. You might consider a more tangential strategy, it worked for me anyway.

langla4
36 posts
 

I’m a Decware fan boy.  But, waiting that long for any of their equipment is just too much.  I wanted a 300b and ordered a custom made from Min Yang at Tube Audio Labs.  He allowed me to specify transformers, caps and even silver wiring.  It really is a very well built unit but is more expensive than Decware.

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