[UntilThen]

Well I went to bed totally beat. My ears have been blasted with the most gorgeous tones I've ever heard and on songs that I love and familiar with. Then I woke up and laugh heartily at all the comments. You guys are the best.

True it's not a fair comparison because of the price difference but since my friend so Kindly let me have the WA5-LE for 2 weeks, I thought it would be fun to see how they differ in sound. To my utter surprise, there's more similarities than difference in the sound department between these 2 amps. In the first 2 hours, I thought to myself that the songs that I heard from these amps sound very similar. Big, bold and beautiful.... and the gorgeous details My HD800 came alive. Yggy seems at home in this company. To be honest, I'm really proud of the GOTL at this stage. More listening required......

My friend told me the Takasuki 300b cost $2400 a pair and the drivers are $300 to 400 a pair - NOS.

 

[UntilThen]

Just to be clear, Mullard never manufactured a 6SN7. Mullard sourced their 6SN7GTY from Brimar.

You are right these are no Mullard even though my friend told me so. These very beautiful looking and sounding drivers are Brimars. It's got the numbers 7250 and KBIFE etched on the glass.

 

[TonyNewman]

... My friend told me the Takasuki 300b cost $2400 a pair and the drivers are $300 to 400 a pair - NOS.

Until recently the TA300B were readily available for around $1,200 USD per pair (that's what I paid in late 2016). For some reason the prices have escalated rapidly in the past few months - Woo Audio are selling TA300B for $1,900 USD per pair right now. If you can get them direct from Japan the pricing would probably be significantly better.

I was running my WA5 with TA300B + TA274B + TSRP/NU drivers. About as good as glass gets. It was euphonic and musical - vocals in particular were lovely. As good as it was, I would take my Glenn 300B amp over it any day of the week. Sold the WA5, kept the Glenn. Never heard the OTL amp, so have no idea how that compares to the WA5.

 

[UntilThen]

vocals in particular were lovely.

My thoughts exactly. Vocals are stunning on both amps and the guitar magic of Mark Knopfler.

The price I state are in Aussie dollars so that's about right with those prices you state.

 

[ru4music]

...Then I woke up and laugh heartily at all the comments. You guys are the best.

Of course we are, if you don't believe me then just ask us!

My friend told me the Takasuki 300b cost $2400 a pair and the drivers are $300 to 400 a pair - NOS.

The tube cost you listed is right at my entire price point for my GEL3N, oh to be fair, you need to throw in $80.00 USD for 4 NOS EL3Ns and $10.00 USD for a NOS 5CU4 or 3DG4 rect.

Does the WA5 have the parts upgrade pkg. or is it the stock version?

 

[ru4music]

My thoughts exactly. Vocals are stunning on both amps and the guitar magic of Mark Knopfler.

The price I state are in Aussie dollars so that's about right with those prices you state.

Ok, so if you add in the price for the rectifiers maybe my statement is still true!

 

[TonyNewman]

Apologies - I didn't realise you were quoting AUD.

To expand a bit more - I found the WA5 a one trick pony compared to the Glenn 300B. It did female vocal-centric music exceptionally well, but in every other way the Glenn amp was better. In some areas very significantly better. Not to mention, much better value. Those TA274Bs make the TA300Bs look cheap.

 

[UntilThen]

Ok, so if you add in the price for the rectifiers maybe my statement is still true!

I have no idea how much these hand made Emission Labs 5U4G rectifiers cost but if I have to configure the GOTL again, it would still be with HEXFRED.

 

[ru4music]

Apologies - I didn't realise you were quoting AUD.

To expand a bit more - I found the WA5 a one trick pony compared to the Glenn 300B. It did female vocal-centric music exceptionally well, but in every other way the Glenn amp was better. In some areas very significantly better. Not to mention, much better value. Those TA274Bs make the TA300Bs look cheap.

And I believe you need two rectifiers for the WA5 and one for the typical G300B build, correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[UntilThen]

Those TA274Bs make the TA300Bs look cheap.

Damm those TA274Bs cost AUD$1160 each at A2A.

 

[ru4music]

I have no idea how much these hand made Emission Labs 5U4G rectifiers cost but if I have to configure the GOTL again, it would still be with HEXFRED.

Just under $300 USD ea.

 

[TonyNewman]

And I believe you need two rectifiers for the WA5 and one for the typical G300B build, correct me if I'm wrong.

2xrectifiers. One per channel - Glenn or WA5.

Glenn was using PY500s for the 300B amp (that's what mine used before I converted to hexfred).

 

[UntilThen]

Apologies - I didn't realise you were quoting AUD.

To expand a bit more - I found the WA5 a one trick pony compared to the Glenn 300B. It did female vocal-centric music exceptionally well, but in every other way the Glenn amp was better. In some areas very significantly better. Not to mention, much better value. Those TA274Bs make the TA300Bs look cheap.

I suggest you make a trip to Sydney with your Glenn 300b amp so I can hear it in comparison with these 2 amps.

 

[TonyNewman]

I suggest you make a trip to Sydney with your Glenn 300b amp so I can hear it in comparison with these 2 amps.

It's 24kg 'dry'. Beast of a thing. If I ever have to ship it again (when I return to Oz someday) I will get a packing create built to ship it in.

I used to have an 845 based power amp. That thing was 42kg 'dry'. Lifting that around was not much fun for my middle aged spine.

Something I have said before and want to say again in case potential 300B amp buyers are put off by the cost of the TOTL 300B tubes - there are some very, very fine 300Bs out there that cost a fraction of the top end tubes and deliver 80% to 90% of the magic. The EML plate and mesh tubes are damn fine in their own right. I have no problem using them from time to time. Ditto the EAT 300Bs I have. You don't have to have Taks or vintage WE300Bs to get stunning performance from this amp.

The Taks are better - absolutely - but that is very much the extreme pointy end of diminishing returns. If my Taks were taken away tomorrow and all I had was the EML tubes I would still enjoy the amp and be a happy camper.

 

[2359glenn]

I suggest you make a trip to Sydney with your Glenn 300b amp so I can hear it in comparison with these 2 amps.

Matt I could build you a nice 300B amp! It's 1/2 the price of the WA5 and sounds better
I use HEXFRED rectifiers now with a Amperite time delay tube to delay the B+ voltage in the 300B amp.