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help me sort out the sounds (45, 2A3, 300B)

Posted by jcb2005 (A) on March 21, 2007 at 14:13:03

I'm new to SET amps. I've used push pulls and BAT bridged amps, and now I am trying out at home a pair of Wright WPA 3.5s and a pair of Wright Mono7s. As I am sure you know, the 3.5s are 2A3-based, and the Mono7s are 300B.

I've always wanted to try SET, and the recent purchase of Zu Druids has set me on my way.

I got the 3.5s first and immediately fell in love with the clear midrange. Early on, while playing loudly, however, the bottom end just seemed disorganized. I now think that the amps still had a ways to go before being truly broken in, but at the time I became convinced that the 2A3 just wasn't enough power for my room. So, next came the Mono7s, with double the power. Immediately I noticed an increase in the lower frequencies over the 3.5s, and probably something added on top. But, again early in the listening, these 300B amps were far from as clear as the 3.5s in the crucial midrange. The Mono 7s are smooth, smooth, smooth, and seem well balanced, flat from their top to bottom, but not as sharp or "see-through" as the 3.5s. Maybe they will continue to open up and improve in the midrange. (Wright told me that the 3.5s will always be better in the midrange, though.)

These are my first impressions, and I really don't think they stray very far (if at all) from the general feeling of folks on this forum with respect to the basic difference between 2A3 and 300B.

So, here are my questions:

Is the 300B giving me more bass because it has more power?
How can I get the (relative) extension of the Mono 7s and the clarity of the 3.5s in one tube?
Would a 45 tube fit this bill, even with the least amount of power of the three?

In addition to the Wrights, I am open to considering the Welbourne DRD 45 or 300B (or maybe the upgraded versions).

Thanks!

Jeffrey

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