[UntilThen]

Looking good.

 

[xtiva]

Looking good.

Just got it picked up today it looks ok on photo at least will see you Sunday sir!!!

 

[UntilThen]

Just got it picked up today it looks ok on photo at least will see you Sunday sir!!!

looking forward to trying out this amp this Sunday.

 

[UntilThen]

Over the Easter long weekend, I was loan a couple of McChanson amps for evaluation. There were two 300b amp, one a pEar (parafeed design) and the other timE (lush and more romantic). There's also a transformer coupled amp using a single 6SL7 as driver and a pair of 6bx7gt as power tubes. @xtiva also brought over his McChanson amp using RCA 6L6. DACs on duty were Denafrips Terminator, Schiit Yggdrasil, Denafrips Ares II. Headphones are HiFiMan He1000se, He1000v2, He6se v2, ZMF Auteur, Aeolus, HD800, LCD-3f, LCD-2 original.

The McChanson amps stole the show for me. First up was the new super headphone amp designed by Eric, using the 6bx7gt tubes. This 3w amp has power and slam. Headphones sounded electrified driven by it. It's forceful, with very good details and punch. Love it.

Next were the two different 300b McChanson amps. Eric told me to try it and let him know what I think. The pEar 300b amp has a linear, tighter tone and somehow I prefer it over the timE with the music I'm listening to and the headphones I tried it with. I was mainly listening to vocals. Both english and chinese. 300b amps sounded really good with vocals. It affirms how I feel that it's mid centric from my past experience of 2 weeks with a Woo Audio Wa5 using Takatsuki 300b tubes, some time ago.

Then I move on to the transformer coupled amp using RCA 6L6 or KT88. Immediately, I lose that lovely 300b tone with vocals. The same song sounded tighter and has more top end details and clarity. Bass is also tighter and is more precise. After an hour, my brain adjusted to this tone and I love it !

Here's the dilemma now. What to choose... between the 300b or the KT88 amp. Not an easy decision. However since I'm having a custom amp being built in 2 months time using KT88, EL34, etc tubes, then it's logical that I should get the 300b SET amp. I'll kick myself later if I miss this opportunity.

Some pictures...

Denafrips Terminator


Denafrip Ares II


@xtiva McChanson amp using RCA 6L6


McChanson pEar 300b SET amp


McChanson timE 300b SET amp


Finally, my McChanson 300b amp using marzE transformers will have this silver chassis and look similar but with 300b tubes.


Oh not forgetting the table where I spend the most time... with Yggdrasil and two McChanson 300b amps and HiFiMan He1000se and He1000v2 headphones.

 

[UntilThen]

The start of my 300b headphone / speakers amp built by Eric of McChanson amps. Some history of how this came into being. Several weeks ago, I was loan 2 of Eric's 300b amps for evaluation. The design for those 2 amps are 1) pEar (parafeed) 2) timE (traditional and romantic old school design). At the end of evaluation, I was impressed enough to want Eric to make me a 300b amp.

After much deliberation, I decided instead of upgrading caps from Russian paper in oil to Mundorf Supreme Silver oil... to forgo caps completely and go with Interstage Transformers. There are benefits to using IT. This is what Eric has to say about IT.

When one considers the need to an upgrade to the existing coupling cap - one can either think about good caps like Mundorf Supreme Silver Oil or others, an alternative is to use I T ( Interstage Transformer) instead. I post a link here from Audio Note advertising their ITs and quote a paragraph extract from there:

https://www.audionote.co.uk/interstage-transformers

Replacing any coupling capacitor with a well designed and correctly matched driver or interstage transformer yields an almost shocking improvement in sound and should be tried to fully understand what a good wideband transformer has to offer.

I do design and order 10 pieces of I T using Z11 core with interlaced winding, but the cost of it IS as expensive as a timE output !!! ( sadly half of the cost contribute to the freight cost ). it needs to add $300 for a pair installed in the amp. but this may be worthwhile in the long run. As for all upgrades and for McChanson amps, it is not necessary, but it is desirable.

 

[UntilThen]

The final configuration for the 300b amp came to:-

The Amp :

It is a 300B timE amp but with the following addition / modifications :

The amp will use a high profile and slightly bigger black chassis with silver front panel without print. Silver knobs will be provided to make it look good. The amp is a timEt amp meaning it is served by a pair of Interstage Transformer (instead of coupling cap ), All black transformers (total 7 pieces) are installed on the top plate. A pair of standard Psvane 300B is provided. Usual 6EM7 driver tubes and a 5Z4P rectifier for you as spare. The amp is also with hardware upgrades to CMC style speaker posts, 4 x RCA inputs and tube sockets. Speaker outs are 4 and 8 ohms.

As the amp is also a headphone amp, one standard headphone jack and one XLR 4 - pin socket are installed ( both provided by user ) - both connected to 4 ohm out. and a speaker silent switch is installed. Two filter chokes are used to achieve low humming to a possible minimum.

It is a more iron than glass amp.

 

[UntilThen]

By now I've named the 300b amp - Destiny !

A few revisions were made to the above. The front panel of the chassis will be in gold with matching gold knobs and power button. I will not have the Psvane 300b tubes. Instead I've purchased Genalex Gold Lion PX300B and have them delivered to Eric for him to determine the bias correctly while building the amp.

Some early pictures...

Irons are painted Satin semi-gloss black finish.


Gold front panel with wordings removed for a clean look.


Choice of volume potentiometer... I chose the middle one with ALPS Blue Velvet 20 steps. Knobs are of the knurled variety. Internal plastic and external casing aluminium painted in matching gold.

 

[UntilThen]

Front panel done. Blue or red LED light above the power switch? I have a choice....

 

[Magol79]

Front panel done. Blue or red LED light above the power switch? I have a choice....

Blue, but not too bright.

 

[UntilThen]

Blue, but not too bright.

It's a deep blue.

 

[Zachik]

By now I've named the 300b amp - Destiny !

I am WAY WAY behind you, but I have a custom 300B amp coming up too... will be 8-9 months but will be worth the wait!!!
I have to figure out the name for it... I have a working name, but TBD if that will stick or not...

Blue or red LED light above the power switch? I have a choice....

Red. No question!

 

[UntilThen]

I am WAY WAY behind you, but I have a custom 300B amp coming up too... will be 8-9 months but will be worth the wait!!!
I have to figure out the name for it... I have a working name, but TBD if that will stick or not...

Alright you've got my attention. Really curious who you've chosen to make your 300b amp. As for the name, just pick a name and stick to it. Just don't call it GE. Might get sued !

Red. No question!

Hmmm... just when I've told Eric that I want blue.... maybe in the morning I'll tell him I want red lol.

 

[UntilThen]

Day 2 of Destiny....

The proposed layout on top of the chassis.... I like it.

 

[jonathan c]

Alright you've got my attention. Really curious who you've chosen to make your 300b amp. As for the name, just pick a name and stick to it. Just don't call it GE. Might get sued !

...for unsolicited brand improvement...

 

[UntilThen]

...for unsolicited brand improvement...

Can't believe there's so much bagging on General Electric. It's the first company I work in when I started my working life in IT.