2A3 vs 300B

[Coytee]

I had a power tube go out on my new Jolida so was talking to them today (Jolida) about it's replacement and our conversation drifted around.

He found out my current plans on getting a 2A3 SET to use in addition to the Jolida, he said "If I'd known that before you bought your 502, I'd suggested the JD 300B SET"

The upshot of was that the 300B along with some upgraded interconnects & speaker cables and perhaps cd player would get me that dimension I was speaking of.

of course, Jolida happens to NOT have a 2A3 offering, so I'm forced to realize he MIGHT have had a hidden agenda suggesting to me that the 300B SET would sound just as good or perhaps better since it had 8 watts.

Schmooze job on their part or is there a toe to toe compairson between 2A3 -vs- 300B??

(I do not mean to incite any wars nor step on anyones toes by asking that, it's a genuine question from myself)

the speaker and interconnect cables he suggested were from Audioquest. Any value in that ??

[Tom Mobley]

Well, well, well. A retail sales situation and the guy recommends something he has for sale instead of something he doesn't. A stunning achievment in sales strategy there, no doubt.

I'd recommend you check out what you might like, instead of letting him determine what you will buy.

There's literally thoudands of cable choices out there, you might look around on your own there too. There's nothing particularly special about the Audioquest lines, I wonder if he JUST MIGHT have had some of those in stock too.

I'd do a post in 2-channel detailing your budget, musical preferences, room characteristics, previous experience, typical listening levels, that kind of thing. The guys will give you some really well-thought-out recommendations if you give them a little info to work with, and most of them don't have a profit motive either. In fact, I don't recall anybody who hangs out here commercially marketing any 2A3 based gear. Mark deneen has a very well thought of preamp, Craig at NOS Valves has a really nice PP 6550 type power amp, but nobody is building and selling 2A3 that I know of.

[3dzapper]

I have a problem with my 300B amp. I'm addicted!!!

I thought my other amps sounded great. I thought my other system with the Jolida 302B and Heresys sounded great. I thought my vintage Scotts and HK sounded great. I thought my ST-35 EL-84 amp sounded great. I thought, I thought, I thought.

Now, I know! I have seen the light! I have reached the top of the mountain! Yes there is bass, yes there is musical midrange, yes there are magical highs. Yet I find myself yearning for meshplates. When I find them I will have found the true meaning of life.

I'm ruined. This 300B amp is so well balanced with the Khorns that I don't want to listen to anything else. I love rolling amps, I can't bring myself to do it lately. Does anyone know what night the meetings are?

Here is a link for those of you that are feeling adventurous. No that's not mine, too rich for my blood. I created my own problem.

Moth 300B.

Truth squad: I cheat on my amplifier. I listen to others push and pull. I'm a prevert! A voyeur! I'm condemned!

Rick

[Audio Flynn]

Zap;

YOu only get a pass cause you have K Horns.

Other wise you would have to succumb to therapy!

[Colin]

coyote, you don't say what you have so how can anybody give you good advice?

the 300B is a far more powerful tube than the 2a3, which makes it a favorite for cone drivers, yet all the Khorn needs most of the time is a 2a3...

[mike stehr]

A good 300B on Cornwalls isn't bad at all.

[Coytee]

What I currently have in my ownership is a pair of K-horns, (a pair of LaScalas, a trio of Academy's and a pair of EV's, all currently unused). I had a SS powering the Khorns, didn't like the sound tried to learn about tubes and finally just blindly bought the Jolida 502B. Oh, and I also have a Peach in my preperations for going to a different amp

Maybe I was unintentionally vague on my question because I don't see how what I have, room, music tastes would affect the answer.

This is not a company "selling" Jolida, this WAS Jolida for a warranty chat, so I dont think he was shilling for any cables he had in stock, was just his personal opinion.

Anyways, his suggestion was that the 300B SET (his of course ) would give the same dimension in sound, same depth, same presence that a 2A3 SET would give. I'm looking for opinions on that comparison in my quest to ascertain what I might want to look at since I can't audition anything like this

[Coytee]

Cool, made the "system" change and it seems to have shown up everywhere

[Hardhead]

Most folks on the 2-channel area of this forum say that the 2A3 has a more refined, detailed sound. I've never heard a 300B, so I have no personal knowledge.

You'll only get slightly more than 3dB louder with a 300B than a 2A3. The difference in sound between a 2A3 and a 300B, if any, may or may not be worth the additional volume/headroom to you.

If I were you I'd listen to both tubes and see what YOU like instead of listening to someone else tell you what he likes.

[Coytee]

Thanks Hardhead, the bad part is I CAN'T listen to them. As far as I know, there is NO ONE in my area that sells this kind of stuff, that's why I bought the Jolida and in fact, the Peach "blind" without seeing/hearing.

Makes it a bit more challanging trying to figure out what you might like, when they're all hidden behind double secret doors

I don't like the idea of just buying one, trying it and if I dont like it, sell it kind of thing...though I must admit, that's sort of what I've done with the Jolida/Peach so I can in fact, get the ball rolling.