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DIY 300b SET monoblock

Hello,

My father is an experienced amatuer radio operator who has a large, self restored radio collection of both solid state and tube. In addition he is an electrical engineer of 40+years.

He has offered to build me a tube amp and preamp if I can do most of the research for parts and schematics.

I am wondering if anyone has an experience in this and can suggest a very good set of plans that sound great. I believe that the plans can either be a simple design that a beginer could handle or something for someone who has ALOT of experience, depending on which final product is better. Preferably, 300b would be good, but other tube types are acceptable.

The same goes for a preamp.

Thanks_
someguy
jadem6's avatar
jadem6
1,074 posts
 
Mr. dark and morbid, you told me, but I still don't understand. "I'm not a smart man." Oh, Morbius...

... never mind.

That would be an interesting experiment, the Plinius and SET. I'm not right now in a position to add a set of interconnects and speaker cables, but I love the idea. I did not however feel I was lacking with the eight watt Cary's, at least where I would use them. I would use them on acoustic, female and intimate recordings. Rock and classical would be the Plinius. I'm going to do some research, I may contact you off thread if I decide I could afford your amp.

Thanks for all the great discussion.

jd
darkmoebius
900 posts
 
Jadem6...bi-amping with SET and the Plinius would allow you to enjoy the benefits of single-ended midrange/highs for all music instead of just small scale acoustic and vocals. Rock and classical would still be just as dynamic and powerful with the added benfit of greater space, air, and tonality.

I run a very similar setup with my Cain & Cain I-Bens being sriven by the DRD 300B's or the Art Audio PX-25 that I own and my dual passives subwoofers being powered by an IcePower 500ASP module or 250wpc Hafler DH-500 SS amp. Due the lone 6.5" single-driver (super tweeter >12kHz), the six foot I-Bens provide extremely tuneful, but not powerful bass. Their stated frequency response is 45Hz-36kHz w/ super tweeter, but in my room the lower rolloff point is closer to the >70Hz range. My dual subwoofers do the dirty work from ~80Hz don.

That seems to be somewhat identical to your Dunlavys in a bi-amping situation. In Robert Deutsch's 1999 Stereophile review(1/2 down page) of your speakers, they set the biamping crossover point at 70Hz:

"The biwiring terminals allowed me to investigate the crossover between the twin woofers and midrange units. Set at 70Hz, with the expected first-order slopes, it allows the woofers basically to act as subwoofers."

I thik that setup will blow your mind on all types of music. It could end up being a near perfect situation. And while I know your Kubala Sun cables are some of the best currently available, in this situation you could easily get by with less expensive cables on the woofers and Plinius. At elast for tsting purposes and the short term.

"I may contact you off thread if I decide I could afford your amp."

Ooops, I hope I didn't give ou the impression that my amps were for sale - they're not.

But, there is a set for sale here on Audiogon right now for $1,100 with some important upgrades that mine do not have. The amps don't come with 300B output tubes, so would to buy some TJ Meshplate 300Bs for ~$275.

Feel free to send my an email via Audiogon if you have anymore questions.
studio1
99 posts
 
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Click this link and read: http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0801/thorsten1/billie.htm
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