Chinese 300b

[Ninanina]

Has anyone tried any of the Chinese 300b amps? Such as Bewitch, Yaqin etc. I'm interested in a SET 300b amp and was wondering what the Chinese amps are like

A long time ago I imported a Ming Da amp, I cant remember the model, not a 300b, and to be honest it was pretty good I thought at the time

:)

[Gazjam]

I had a Dared 300B for a short time and it sounded very good.
Great quality build too.

Being a single ended amp it never had a lot of grunt for my "normal" efficiency speakers so it went back.
Lovely mid and top though. :)

[Haselsh1]

Back in 2006 I bought a Yarland Pro200SE which was a 300B SET amp. The sound was amazing and truly single ended but the amplifier only lasted around two years before the problems started. Voltages all over the place and blue flashes in the 300B's on startup. It cost me around £350 but ended up with a scrap value of 65 quid. I would seriously leave well alone unless you have money to throw away or you buy a variac.

[Haselsh1]

Lovely mid and top though. :)

Don't get me wrong the midrange is classic SET in that it is so fluid and clear and transparent.There is precious little sparkle in the treble and high treble is virtually non existent and I always refer to the bass as 'elastic band bass' but that midrange just has to be experienced at least once.

;)

[Ninanina]

I had a Dared 300B for a short time and it sounded very good.
Great quality build too.

Being a single ended amp it never had a lot of grunt for my "normal" efficiency speakers so it went back.
Lovely mid and top though. :)

Hi Gary
Can you tell me which Dared it was? current integrated is MP-30B and the mono-blocks are VP-300B, I think !

[Sovereign]

I have heard a Yaqin MC100b I know it's not the same but it is Chinese and VERY good

[electric beach]

I have heard a Yaqin MC100b I know it's not the same but it is Chinese and VERY good

I've got a VERY, VERY good one! :lol:

http://theartofsound.net/forum/picture.php?albumid=81&pictureid=477

[Ali Tait]

Don't get me wrong the midrange is classic SET in that it is so fluid and clear and transparent.There is precious little sparkle in the treble and high treble is virtually non existent and I always refer to the bass as 'elastic band bass' but that midrange just has to be experienced at least once.

;)

You need the right speakers to hear SE at it's best IMHO.

[Mr Kipling]

There is the cost of replacements to take into account. They are not cheap.

[Haselsh1]

You need the right speakers to hear SE at it's best IMHO.

I used Klipsch KG3.5 speakers at the time

[Ali Tait]

I wonder what the impedance curve looks like around bass frequencies?

[southall-1998]

I'd love to hear a good 300B amp someday!!

[walpurgis]

I used Klipsch KG3.5 speakers at the time

How did you find the Klipsch speakers. I remember not being too impressed with the smaller Klipsches I've heard. The Klipschorn is another ball game entirely.

[Gazjam]

Hi Gary
Can you tell me which Dared it was? current integrated is MP-30B and the mono-blocks are VP-300B, I think !

It was the VP 300B, quasi monoblock 300b Set amp.
Had it on demo, price was £499 I think.

Info and review here
http://www.audioreview.com/cat/amplification/integrated-amplifiers/dared/vp-300b/prd_333628_2717crx.aspx

[Ali Tait]

Trouble is, to really hear an amp like this at it's full potential, you need top quality output trannies, which cost as much or more than the retail price of that Dared. IMHO.

[walpurgis]

I dunno about the Chinese 300B amps, but some of the 2A3 jobbies look interesting and sensibly priced.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bowei-2A3C-Hi-End-Class-A-Tube-Integrated-Amplifier-/251195408744?pt=US_Home_Audio_Amplifiers_Preamps&hash=item3a7c69c168

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RAPHAELITE-Sinovt-EF86-2A3-SE-Vacuum-Tube-Amplifier-New-/360381810001?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item53e86e0551

I have the 6V6 baby brother to the Raphaelite amp and it sounds amazing!

[Ali Tait]

2a3 is a really nice valve.

[Haselsh1]

How did you find the Klipsch speakers. I remember not being too impressed with the smaller Klipsches I've heard. The Klipschorn is another ball game entirely.

The Klipsch loudspeakers were OK but nothing stunning. They matched the 300B SET very well and had a nice dynamic to them but were a bit rough around the edges. I remember hearing 'Dear John' by Eddie Reader and thinking that this was probably the best I would ever hear that track, I was correct in that thought. To this date I have never heard it sound better even taking into account Croft pre/powers.

[Haselsh1]

Don't forget that the KG3.5's were not at all 'small' Klipsch's, they were in fact floorstanders.

[walpurgis]

Don't forget that the KG3.5's were not at all 'small' Klipsch's, they were in fact floorstanders.

I've not heard the KG3.5. Horn tweeters & mids are tricky to integrate into a system without running into time delay/phasing problems. Klipsch seem to do better than some (so do Triangle).

[Ninanina]

I've not heard the KG3.5. Horn tweeters & mids are tricky to integrate into a system without running into time delay/phasing problems. Klipsch seem to do better than some (so do Triangle).

I've still got my KG3's, and I've heard a pair of 3.5's, they are all very good but the Heritage range; Heresy, Cornwall, La Scala & the mighty Klipschorn are just better and, of course, more expensive. I have the Heresy's but my dream system would have a pair of La Scala's or the lovely Klipschorn, but unfortunately I neither have the room or the funds !! :(:(

[Andrew B]

These 845 mono looks look incredible

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VALVE-MONOBLOCKS-845-SINGLE-ENDED-AWESOME-/190849243981?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiF i_Amplifiers&hash=item2c6f805b4d

[walpurgis]

These 845 mono looks look incredible

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VALVE-MONOBLOCKS-845-SINGLE-ENDED-AWESOME-/190849243981?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiF i_Amplifiers&hash=item2c6f805b4d

They should be good. Ming Da turn out gear that is far above the average Chinese audio for quality. Icon Audio source their electronics from them.

[JimR]

I had a home demo of a Cayin 300B SET three years ago. Didn't buy it because the Almarro worked better with my big Tannoys. But I nearly did. Build quality and sound were excellent. Miles better than than the up-market UK tranny job I was using at the time. Take Chinese valve amps seriously!

[chelsea]

I save up a bit more cash and go for something like the puresound 2A3

[Ali Tait]

Aye, but that then limits your speaker choices.

[chelsea]

Why,are they much less power than the 300b in general?

[Ali Tait]

Aye, in SE you get about 8 watts or so from 300b, only 2 or 3 from 2a3.

[chelsea]

Ah,the puresound is 18wpc.

[Ali Tait]

They may claim that, but I daresay there will be a lot of distortion at that output, and the amp will no longer be in class A. Not to say it's not a very good amp mind!

[walpurgis]

Aye, in SE you get about 8 watts or so from 300b, only 2 or 3 from 2a3.

My recently purchased Raphaelite 6V6 valve integrated from China has only 4 watts, but drives my big Tannoys to decent volumes without audibly straining and sounds absolutely gorgeous. The 6V6 valve is not seen in amps sold in the UK, but it's very popular in the States, mainly for projects and guitar amps.