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Western Electric 300B

208.46.240.4
Posted on September 6, 2015 at 15:54:20
FlyCast
Audiophile

Posts: 65
Location: New Haven
Joined: September 5, 2015
 What happened to the current production Western Electric 300B? Last I heard they were supposed to be moving factories, and I recall one of the big tube dealers (Tube Depot?) was even taking preorders for them. Now I can't find any more information.

 

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RE: Western Electric 300B, posted on September 6, 2015 at 16:04:38
Tre'
Industry Professional

Posts: 17294
Location: So. Cal.
Joined: February 9, 2002
 They never started production again.

I was told the owner is more interested in his other ventures.

Tre'
Have Fun and Enjoy the Music
"Still Working the Problem"

 

RE: Western Electric 300B, posted on September 7, 2015 at 06:04:09
FlyCast
Audiophile

Posts: 65
Location: New Haven
Joined: September 5, 2015
 That is a shame. I'm now on my backup pair of WE 300B, granted I got 9 years of heavy use out of my previous pair.

 

My Charlie Whitener Western Electric 300B's are at least that old..., posted on September 7, 2015 at 06:49:33
Ivan303
Audiophile

Posts: 48887
Location: Cadiere d'azur FRANCE - Santa Fe, NM
Joined: February 26, 2001
 And about the time I built my 300B mono-blocks there were NOS WE 300b still obtainable for what would now appear as 'reasonable' prices.

Silly me!

But I'd be interested in anyone's thoughts as to a suitable replacement when mine finally bite the dust.

About mid 2000's, shortly after Charlie closed the Kansas City plant, one of mine went noisy. I managed to chase Charlie down and got him on the phone to whine about it. He shipped a 'loaner' tube with a cracked base along with the promise of a new replacement which never came to pass. 10 years later the cracked base tube is still playing away happily as am I!






First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass

 

RE: My Charlie Whitener Western Electric 300B's are at least that old..., posted on September 7, 2015 at 07:32:21
FlyCast
Audiophile

Posts: 65
Location: New Haven
Joined: September 5, 2015
 I did a comparison over 10 years ago, but damned if I can remember much of it. Just that I liked the 2000s production WE so I bought 2 pairs.

I think I will give an EML a shot. I really want to stay as close to WE sound as possible.

 

RE: My Charlie Whitener Western Electric 300B's are at least that old..., posted on September 7, 2015 at 18:13:19
Garg0yle
Audiophile

Posts: 859
Joined: December 1, 2014
 OK, I'll bite.

What is "WE sound"?
△This message will self destruct in 10 seconds△

 

Takatsuki TA-300B..., posted on September 7, 2015 at 23:42:26
91derlust
Audiophile

Posts: 1101
Joined: December 25, 2014
 would likely be closer to WE in sonics than EML, me thinks.

Regards,
91
"Confusion of goals and perfection of means seems to characterise our age." Albert Einstein

 

RE: Takatsuki TA-300B..., posted on September 8, 2015 at 01:36:07
slrvp
Audiophile

Posts: 52
Location: south east
Joined: March 23, 2008
 Where can you buy the Tatasukis? I've looked around the net and can't seemed to find them.

 

On the plus side...., posted on September 8, 2015 at 06:22:01
Ivan303
Audiophile

Posts: 48887
Location: Cadiere d'azur FRANCE - Santa Fe, NM
Joined: February 26, 2001
 I suppose it's better to not be able to find them for sale BEFORE you purchase the tubes than AFTER. :-)


First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass

 

RE: My Charlie Whitener Western Electric 300B's are at least that old..., posted on September 8, 2015 at 06:48:54
FlyCast
Audiophile

Posts: 65
Location: New Haven
Joined: September 5, 2015
 This might be tough for me to answer since I've lived with them for so long. To me they are wonderfully natural, that is about the only way I could describe it. I also use a FirstWatt F1 amp for a change of pace and in comparison it doesn't quite have "it" in the presence. Otherwise it too is a stellar amp.

BTW my 300B SET is not like anything commercially offered. It is huge 4 box design, 2-stage, Shinkoh/Riken/Mundorf gold/silver oil ,Tango Hirata interstage and nickel OPT.

 

Also much less microphonic than just about every other 300B I have tried..., posted on September 8, 2015 at 07:28:15
Ivan303
Audiophile

Posts: 48887
Location: Cadiere d'azur FRANCE - Santa Fe, NM
Joined: February 26, 2001
 I have a new pair of KRON 300B's that are so microphonic that I can not stand to have them in the amps for even a few minutes and the amps are positioned BEHIND the horn speaker and they STILL pick up the sound of the speakers and re-amplify it.




First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass

 

RE: Takatsuki TA-300B..., posted on September 8, 2015 at 12:54:43
gsm18439
Audiophile

Posts: 10
Location: Washington, DC
Joined: May 13, 2007
 I got my Takatsukis from Amtrans in Japan. The email that I used was

audio@amtrans.co.jp

 

RE: Takatsuki TA-300B..., posted on September 8, 2015 at 14:11:56
slrvp
Audiophile

Posts: 52
Location: south east
Joined: March 23, 2008
 Gsm........thanks

 

RE: Also much less microphonic than just about every other 300B I have tried..., posted on September 11, 2015 at 12:18:08
Ed Sawyer
Audiophile

Posts: 2595
Joined: November 3, 2000
 Try to hunt down some AVVT if you can. I think they are better than EML in some ways, especially the mesh versions. Also, they made a ton of interesting higher-power variants. (302b, 320b, etc). Very quiet/low hum.

Or re-do the filaments and switch to 50s!

 

RE: Also much less microphonic than just about every other 300B I have tried..., posted on September 11, 2015 at 13:21:18
megasat16
Audiophile

Posts: 207
Location: SoCal
Joined: April 15, 2015
 Hi Ed,

50s definitely caught interest in me lately. I know it's like asking how does a food taste but if you care to explain, how do the 50 sound compared to the 300B?

Regards,
James
.
.
.Thou shall not stand where I type for I carry a bottle of Certified Audiophile Air and a Pure Silver Whip.

 

RE: Also much less microphonic than just about every other 300B I have tried..., posted on September 12, 2015 at 06:38:08
FlyCast
Audiophile

Posts: 65
Location: New Haven
Joined: September 5, 2015
 Hi Ed

I take it AVVT is no longer made? Unfortunately 50 wouldn't be enough power for my Lowthers with wide dynamic classical.

 

RE: Also much less microphonic than just about every other 300B I have tried..., posted on September 12, 2015 at 08:56:49
Ed Sawyer
Audiophile

Posts: 2595
Joined: November 3, 2000
 Indeed, AVVT pre-dated EML, though EML has picked up some of the same techniques and methods/materials. The best AVVT tubes were made in the 1999-2002 timeframe or so. They are still around, as new old stock. jacmusic.com may have some to sell also, and definitely has a bunch of info on them on his site.

Bummer re: 50s, those are an interesting tube. There's a couple modern versions too (EML, Shuguang)

-Ed

 

RE: Also much less microphonic than just about every other 300B I have tried..., posted on September 12, 2015 at 08:58:28
Ed Sawyer
Audiophile

Posts: 2595
Joined: November 3, 2000
 50s are pretty cool, I have only used the old-stock ones but there are new versions as well (EML, Shuguang, possibly others). It's hard to describe the differences but I found the 50s a bit cleaner in some cases, but with just as much authority and drive. At least as much bass too (more than WE 300B I think, from the ones I had which were 2000 vintage).

 

Thanks Ed!, posted on September 12, 2015 at 17:33:52
megasat16
Audiophile

Posts: 207
Location: SoCal
Joined: April 15, 2015
 Thanks Ed for the comparison between 50 and 300B. I will try 50 in the near future. The WE300B are ridiculously expensive. Although 50s are not cheap by all means, it is in much cheaper compared to the WE 300B.

Regards,
James
.
.
.Thou shall not stand where I type for I carry a bottle of Certified Audiophile Air and a Pure Silver Whip.

 

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