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Thread: Audion Silver Night 300B

  1. #1
    Join Date: Aug 2010

    Location: Bergerac, France

    Posts: 567
    I'm Francois.

    Cool Audion Silver Night 300B

    Good evening all,

    I recently acquired a vintage Audion Silver Night 300B single ended power amplifier.
    Being from 1996 or thereabouts, the unit has the old style design and fascia and was manufactured in the UK, not in France as they are nowadays as I believe the ownership of Audion has changed hands circa 2002...
    It has some lovely looking wood cheeks and a brass top plate. I personally think it looks quite gorgeous although the 300B don't glow as impressively as the mighty 845!...



    But how did it sound?
    Well, at first switch on, a problem became very quickly apparent.
    A nasty crackling noise was heard coming out of all speakers, regardless of volume... ouch!

    After a quick inspection, the culprit was found. A couple of resistors in the PSU were on their way out.



    Not to worry, a quick phone call to Peter at Deco Audio in Aylesbury, and the poor thing was on it's way to a proper fix.
    Speedy recovery, and today, I took the amplifier back home with a brand new couple of resistors. Great service form the James and Peter, big thumbs up! In case anyone needs their equipment fixed around West London. I highly recommend them.

    So, it was high time to see what the deal was about 300B valves. I have lived very happily with an integrated 845 Single Ended for nearly 3 years now. And I have never looked back in the world of Solid state. Apart maybe from Rob's (Puffin from this parish) rather quite special Nelson Pass First Watt DIY power amplifier (if I remember correctly).



    I have a new set of Golden Lion 300B in place, and after a proper warming up, It's time to start listening.
    Here I have to make a confession because when I picked up the Silver Night, was very surprised at the lightness of the unit. And we all know that good output transformers play a critical role in the sound quality of an amplifier. I was worried. The whole thing felt too flimsy. In comparison the 845 is a nearly 40 kilos affair... Ouch!

    Well, I couldn't be more happily surprised once the music starting coming out of the speakers. At 8 o'clock on the volume, the bass was floor shaking like I have never hard before. The instruments were floating in a eerie way between and above the speakers. Voices had a presence and a realism that the 845 was very rarely providing. I understand that the fact that there is no Preamplification circuit in between source and output does contribute to the immediacy and naturalness of the sound. But again, I am not an expert...

    All in all, I am very happy, and it proves one thing, that the simplicity and quality of a circuit design is really to key to great sound quality. It looks like the Audion will be a keeper!

    Onto more music!
    Francois, Bergerac, France
    Source component/s:
    Musical Fidelity M1 Dac, Allo Digi One, Sony SCD-XE800, AVID Ingenium Twin arm, Audio Note Arm One, Groovemaster II 12in, Audio Note IQ3 MM, Denon DL103R MC, Croft Basic 25, TQ Iridium Phonostage, Puresound T10 Stepup Transformer, Zavfino majestic tonearm cable
    Amplification:
    Audio Note OTO PP, Dussun V6i
    Loudspeakers:
    Triangle Comete ES, Klispch RP600M
    Cables/stands:
    Quadraspire, Belden 9497

  2. #2
    Join Date: Aug 2012

    Location: Sunny Portsmouth

    Posts: 9,165
    I'm TheMostHonestPersonYouWillMeet.

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    Yes Francois I think the 300b does have a certain 'something', their mid-range is a thing of beauty and your Fostex 206's are probably absolutely perfect for them too...

    I've had 300b amps in my possession and loved them and I also had a pair of 6' voigt pipes (homemade) with Fostex 206's as well

    Ultimately I sent the 300b Meishu back to Audio Note as I 'just' preferred the Oto (using EL84's drivers) to be a bit better balanced across the whole range.. don't get me wrong I miss the 300b's for a 'certain' sound but I found I couldn't pass up the Oto

    Have fun... I know you will
    Bev


    Mark Levinson N°390s CD Through:Atlas Elektra XLR's To: Mark Levinson N°383 To: Magneplanar .7's

  3. #3
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,624
    I'm Geoff.

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    2A3 amps also tend to sound superb (I've actually preferred them to the 300B amps I've heard).

    The 6V6 sounds lovely too. I've got 6V6 and EL34 amps and both sound gorgeous (as well as my Class A solid state).
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  4. #4
    Join Date: Aug 2012

    Location: Sunny Portsmouth

    Posts: 9,165
    I'm TheMostHonestPersonYouWillMeet.

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    Quote Originally Posted by walpurgis View Post
    2A3 amps also tend to sound superb (I've actually preferred them to the 300B amps I've heard).

    The 6V6 sounds lovely too. I've got 6V6 and EL34 amps and both sound gorgeous (as well as my Class A solid state).
    The 2A3 is the one valve that I'd like hear at some point, I believe it isn't quite so 'rose-tinted' as a 300b can be, is that right ? Geoff you obviously have far too many amps..

    I ONLY have one amp these days...
    Bev


    Mark Levinson N°390s CD Through:Atlas Elektra XLR's To: Mark Levinson N°383 To: Magneplanar .7's

  5. #5
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,624
    I'm Geoff.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ninanina View Post
    The 2A3 is the one valve that I'd like hear at some point, I believe it isn't quite so 'rose-tinted' as a 300b can be, is that right ?
    Hard to say really Bev. Not all 300B amps are 'soft and sweet' as is popularly perceived. My 6V6 amp is 'rosier' sounding than any other amp I've ever heard. Not necessarily accurate, but it sounds gorgeous (even if does have only 4 watts per channel).
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  6. #6
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Deleted

    Posts: 6,585
    I'm Deleted.

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    The Audion Silver Night is a terrific sounding amp - but they do have a reputation for stressing their internal components.
    Account Deleted

  7. #7
    Join Date: Aug 2012

    Location: Sunny Portsmouth

    Posts: 9,165
    I'm TheMostHonestPersonYouWillMeet.

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    By the way Francois I happen to think that 'Max Headroom' was one of the funniest things I've ever seen on tv... loved him to b..b..be.. bits !
    Bev


    Mark Levinson N°390s CD Through:Atlas Elektra XLR's To: Mark Levinson N°383 To: Magneplanar .7's

  8. #8
    Join Date: Aug 2010

    Location: Torquay, Devon.

    Posts: 5,684
    I'm Shane.

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    I'm not ashamed to say this. But I do love tube amps, that has a soft, smooth and rounded sound.

    S.

  9. #9
    Join Date: Aug 2010

    Location: Bergerac, France

    Posts: 567
    I'm Francois.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ninanina View Post
    Yes Francois I think the 300b does have a certain 'something', their mid-range is a thing of beauty and your Fostex 206's are probably absolutely perfect for them too...

    I've had 300b amps in my possession and loved them and I also had a pair of 6' voigt pipes (homemade) with Fostex 206's as well

    Ultimately I sent the 300b Meishu back to Audio Note as I 'just' preferred the Oto (using EL84's drivers) to be a bit better balanced across the whole range.. don't get me wrong I miss the 300b's for a 'certain' sound but I found I couldn't pass up the Oto

    Have fun... I know you will
    Thanks Nina! its funny you mention the Meishu because I have been in touch with Audio Note regarding cartridges and tonearms, and they asked me about the rest of the system. When I said I was using a Silver Night, they actually very kindly offer to demo the Meishu in my system. What superb customer service! Quite rare in those days.
    More to the point, I do completely see your point between EL84 and 300B, a while ago I had one of those early Icon Audio 40 driving some Triangle Antals, and that was Fun! It did things that the 845 never succeeded at achieving, like solid bass...
    The funny thing with valves is that I have never found them too soft or woolly, quite the opposite. They are dynamic, vivid without ever becoming fatiguing. They seem to do it right for my old ears! But it obviously depends so much on personal taste.
    For me jumping from SS amps to valve was a turning point. I never looked back!
    Francois, Bergerac, France
    Source component/s:
    Musical Fidelity M1 Dac, Allo Digi One, Sony SCD-XE800, AVID Ingenium Twin arm, Audio Note Arm One, Groovemaster II 12in, Audio Note IQ3 MM, Denon DL103R MC, Croft Basic 25, TQ Iridium Phonostage, Puresound T10 Stepup Transformer, Zavfino majestic tonearm cable
    Amplification:
    Audio Note OTO PP, Dussun V6i
    Loudspeakers:
    Triangle Comete ES, Klispch RP600M
    Cables/stands:
    Quadraspire, Belden 9497

  10. #10
    Join Date: Aug 2010

    Location: Bergerac, France

    Posts: 567
    I'm Francois.

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    Quote Originally Posted by YNWaN View Post
    The Audion Silver Night is a terrific sounding amp - but they do have a reputation for stressing their internal components.
    Well, yes quite right. This guy did burn 2 resistors in the course of 18 years career. I wonder if there is anything that could be done to remedy this?
    Is is the design? or the original choice of components?
    Francois, Bergerac, France
    Source component/s:
    Musical Fidelity M1 Dac, Allo Digi One, Sony SCD-XE800, AVID Ingenium Twin arm, Audio Note Arm One, Groovemaster II 12in, Audio Note IQ3 MM, Denon DL103R MC, Croft Basic 25, TQ Iridium Phonostage, Puresound T10 Stepup Transformer, Zavfino majestic tonearm cable
    Amplification:
    Audio Note OTO PP, Dussun V6i
    Loudspeakers:
    Triangle Comete ES, Klispch RP600M
    Cables/stands:
    Quadraspire, Belden 9497

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