[ColSaulTigh]

Time to visit the Legends in The Reference 6SN7 Thread. Do read up the different posts in that thread, you will see the different thoughts on it

I love the MELZ 1578 (I define it as a well balanced tube with a light sparkle and nice perceived soundstage), but I typically don't recommend it because its not easy to get, especially now, and they might have quality issues. If I remember correctly @ColSaulTigh and the other tube veterans did post examples on how to fix some pin issues though

Ken Rad black glass vt-231 was pretty bass centric with the gold lions on the susvara, IMO. Would love to try it with more traditional sounding 300bs in the future, I didn't quite enjoy it with the elrogs

I have the video snippets filmed, I just need to edit them together to put up a video on how to reflow solder into the pins for Melz tubes. It's not hard, just takes some patience. Stay tuned.

 

[bdjul]

Do you guys know if I can use 6sn7 gtb tube on ha-300 mk1, will transformers be okay? Thank you!

 

[jamato8]

Do you guys know if I can use 6sn7 gtb tube on ha-300 mk1, will transformers be okay? Thank you!

All 6SN7 tubes have the same specs for current draw.

 

[Erwinatm]

All 6SN7 tubes have the same specs for current draw.

How about ECC33? Is it safe for HA300?

 

[msq123]

Anyone here has experience with 2A3 based amp and how it compares to Cayin 300b? From what I understand 300b sounds impressive with lot of authority and basically put on a great show whereas 2A3 is more true and for the lack of better word real.

I am looking to explore 2A3 to go with my Cayin and think they both could complement each other. Doing my research I have shortlisted to DNA stratus or Stellaris but asking here in a more general sense how 2A3 sounds vs 300b. Any impressions or advice will be greatly helpful. Thanks

 

[Erwinatm]

Anyone here has experience with 2A3 based amp and how it compares to Cayin 300b? From what I understand 300b sounds impressive with lot of authority and basically put on a great show whereas 2A3 is more true and for the lack of better word real.

I am looking to explore 2A3 to go with my Cayin and think they both could complement each other. Doing my research I have shortlisted to DNA stratus or Stellaris but asking here in a more general sense how 2A3 sounds vs 300b. Any impressions or advice will be greatly helpful. Thanks

I never heard 2A3 headphones amp before. For speakers, 2A3 has smaller output around 3-3.5 watts @8 ohm while 300B around 8-9 Watts. In general, 2A3 has flatter response than 300B, more transparant, open and more neutral mid. Bass is more controlled but not bigger, depends on the speakers' sensitivity.

Well, all depends on how you set it up, because its small wattage makes it rather difficult to find a matching speaker except horn or single driver speakers.

There is also another very good sounding tube, VT25. It even has lower output around 1.5W. Not enough for speaker amp but might be sufficient for headphone amp.

A friend of mine told me that VT25 is 300B and 2A3 all in one. It has 2A3 treble, 300B Midrange and both bass. I hope someone someday will make a VT25 amp...

 

[paradoxper]

Anyone here has experience with 2A3 based amp and how it compares to Cayin 300b? From what I understand 300b sounds impressive with lot of authority and basically put on a great show whereas 2A3 is more true and for the lack of better word real.

I am looking to explore 2A3 to go with my Cayin and think they both could complement each other. Doing my research I have shortlisted to DNA stratus or Stellaris but asking here in a more general sense how 2A3 sounds vs 300b. Any impressions or advice will be greatly helpful. Thanks

2A3 may carry the most varied presentation depending on many factors.
Very generally Stellaris is more lush and wet with a softer response, Studio T is dead-neutral, dry, extra sharp.
The Cayin compared to Stellaris will remain more rounded, bloomed and thick so they're quite complementary.

300B has minimal exceptions such as the Elrog ER300B.

If you may consider 2A3 give the 45 a look which strikes a middleground of the two as long as power requirements are met.

 

[msq123]

I never heard 2A3 headphones amp before. For speakers, 2A3 has smaller output around 3-3.5 watts @8 ohm while 300B around 8-9 Watts. In general, 2A3 has flatter response than 300B, more transparant, open and more neutral mid. Bass is more controlled but not bigger, depends on the speakers' sensitivity.

Well, all depends on how you set it up, because its small wattage makes it rather difficult to find a matching speaker except horn or single driver speakers.

There is also another very good sounding tube, VT25. It even has lower output around 1.5W. Not enough for speaker amp but might be sufficient for headphone amp.

A friend of mine told me that VT25 is 300B and 2A3 all in one. It has 2A3 treble, 300B Midrange and both bass. I hope someone someday will make a VT25 amp...

Thanks, I am only looking for a headphone amp, might use the pre in to my 2 channel power amp but primary use is headphone so efficiency as such not that big an issue. It’s more about what they bring to table in terms of tonality and how do they complement something like Cayin 300s.

What you have said about the characteristics is in line with what I have read/heard about these and seems like a good amp to partner with Cayin 300. Will find out more about Vt25, it’s a shame that it’s almost impossible to demo tube amps but that’s the way it is.

 

[msq123]

2A3 may carry the most varied presentation depending on many factors.
Very generally Stellaris is more lush and wet with a softer response, Studio T is dead-neutral, dry, extra sharp.
The Cayin compared to Stellaris will remain more rounded, bloomed and thick so they're quite complementary.

300B has minimal exceptions such as the Elrog ER300B.

If you may consider 2A3 give the 45 a look which strikes a middleground of the two as long as power requirements are met.

Cheers, this is awesome. Was looking to get impressions from someone who has tried both Cayin and DNA. I recently got Elrogs and they do change the characteristics significantly and gone is the bloom but still well rounded and I love the authority and that euphonic mids that defines 300b.

I like more lush sound vs SS like dead neutral so Stellaris or Stratus sounds more to my taste. Will also check their thread to help me decide.

 

[Wes S]

Raytheons came in









My 6J5GT converter replacements also came in, I don't have a concrete comparison of 22DE4s yet as I am enjoying my GEC L63 again first. But construction is definitely more different than the GEs and RCAs (I compared, my quads only have a height difference of the plates between the 2 types).

The glow is pretty nice too.



Awaiting my lindals (coming next month) and Sylvanias (by grace of USPS not losing my package because the last scan was on the 8th sooooo.....)

Those are some killer rectifiers. I am running a quad and love the staging and top end. They are well balanced and very open sounding.

 

[jamato8]

Those are some killer rectifiers. I am running a quad and love the staging and top end. They are well balanced and very open sounding.

Japanese tubes are nice. Last a long time and normally a high vacuum, which adds to the quality and they were sticklers on the metallurgy.

 

[msq123]

@Andykong My Cayin 300 mk2 (240v) was working fine and then suddenly without warning there was no sound from the right channel. Everything seemed fine, tubes were glowing so don’t think the issue is tube failure although I am expecting some new tubes this week and I will try them to rule this one out. A mate who had OG told me about similar issue he faced and he had to open the power supply box with and replace the fuse circled in red As per Cayin’s tech team advise. I plan to do the same to rule out any issue before reaching out to Cayin. Could you please confirm that the spec of this fuse hasn’t changed from last gen and is still use T160mA250V.

I have also ordered spare fuse for the main power supply at the back (T1.6AL250V) and couple next to 300b tubes (20mmx 5mm 100mA slow blow).

Could you please confirm the specs for the fuse are correct and hopefully this resolves the issue. Thanks

Thanks to Cayin for quick turnaround. The issue was one of the fuse next to 300b tube. Apparently they have moved the location of the fuse from inside the power supply box to the outside. I swapped the tubes and it’s all sorted.

 

[Wes S]

Japanese tubes are nice. Last a long time and normally a high vacuum, which adds to the quality and they were sticklers on the metallurgy.

They sure are a step up from the U.S. made ones, and I am currently rolling back and forth between the grey/copper plates and black plates. They both have their strengths and I love them both equally. The black plates are warmer with deep slamming bass, and the grey plates are more open and a bit more transparent overall.

 

[jamato8]

Has anyone changed out the coupling caps? The caps from the 6SN7 to the 300B?

 

[llamaluv]

Has anyone changed out the coupling caps? The caps from the 6SN7 to the 300B?

My friend installed some Duelund caps in my mk1. It was a little while ago and they took forever to burn in so it's hard for me to give reliable comparisons to stock at this point, but I feel convinced I got more detail, nuance, and lushness for the trouble.