A kit similar to the original WAD 300B Stereo PP?

You know, an expensive and heavy 'flagship' Push-Pull amplifier, avoiding phase-splitters and using Interstage Transformers.

I think I have covered the common replies above, please vote and comment.

Not going to be cheap but the old WAD kit was one of the best, just ask Noel if he still has his!

[Greg.]

I totally agree with Matt. the original WAD 300B PP was the best amp kit WAD ever produced. Not surprising really, because if you read up on it all, shed loads of R & D went into it. It was produced in WAD's early days when alot more attention went into the detail, as it did to speakers like KLS3 that were intended to work with the 300B PP. I have that combination and it's exceptional in it's sound quality. If WD can reprocate this or something like it, I'm sure there'll be a good market. 565v HT is not a big issue. You treat with the same respect as you would any other voltage. With my experience and safety approach, this HT has been absolutely no problem and should be the same for future punters supplied with quality instructions.

Best wishes,

Greg

[Paul Barker]

I can't see my category on the vote so have to publish reply.

I prefer Greg and co's to the pp pentode amps. 300b's are quite cheap these days, you don't have to buy the boutique ones to get reasonable sound.

The valve itself helps to get a sound out of push pull which is closer to SE.

It's a good blend of compromises, the parallel 300b se doesn't seem to sound right.

The market for a SE single 300b can't be ignored either but yes I vote for another look at this type of pp amp.

The voltages are relative, if you are talking about valve amps shut up about voltage.

[NickG]

Hmm, its a bit of a me too post, but I agree with the views of the last speaker, I couldn't find a option that I would have chosen, maybe somewhere between

"Only like SE" and "Moving heaven".

Maybe we should have a "I may not want one myself, but I think its a great idea for the range" option.

[KennyK]

I'd be interested to see it, but I much prefer mono blocks personally. never got on with stereo amps so far. I'd need to demo one before being convinced...

[Tony Moore]

I'd be interested, having heard Greg's amp. I've about done all I can with my Kit6550 and it sounds wonderful but it still hasn't quite got that "something" that the 2A3PSE had, although in many ways I like the punch and dynamics of the Kit6550 over the 2A3. So perhaps that would be a route that I could investigate...

Tony

[Ianm2]

Formerly known as theakstone, hi all!!

I dunno, it was hard enough to sell mine, I would love to see one tho'.

Originally Posted by Paul Barker

I can't see my category on the vote so have to publish reply. I prefer Greg and co's to the pp pentode amps. 300b's are quite cheap these days, you don't have to buy the boutique ones to get reasonable sound.
The valve itself helps to get a sound out of push pull which is closer to SE. It's a good blend of compromises, the parallel 300b se doesn't seem to sound right. The market for a SE single 300b can't be ignored either but yes I vote for another look at this type of pp amp.
The voltages are relative, if you are talking about valve amps shut up about voltage.

Paul, thanks for clarifying in another thread what you mean about voltages, I agree with your point in it that offering kits with kV+ HT is dangerous.

I mentioned the 0.56kV HT of the old WAD 300B PP in my Poll options because, to the best of my knowledge, this was the highest voltage ever used on any of the WAD kits. I'm not sure if that is too high these days for liability insurance?!

Valve amplifier kits will always require voltages even if we "shut up" about them, I liked the way that Nick pointed out their direct influence on SE output power in that other thread.
Lots of people want (relatively) lots of Watts from either their preferred topology or their first 'valve amp.'. Awareness of the voltage consequences are better out in the open, especially in a forum that welcomes all from the highly experienced to the novice.

You and I clearly agree that big voltages are dangerous, but where should WD draw the line for a commercial kit: 565v; 750v; 1000v; 320v?
To my mind, the answer to this question will give us all an idea as to the type of kits that can be offered by our new hosts.
.

[Paul Barker]

Yes I used my usual technique of punchy remarks to spice the reply, but which are easily read differently.

I don't think the pp300b voltage is an issue, but as I said before about the Chinease 845 amps maybe a year ago, I didn't think it was a great idea for a beginner to start at these voltages with suspect kit. Now maybe the Chinease 845 amps are of sufficient build quality as it now turns out, but I have yet to receive Ian's and find out what is causing fuses to blow.

We all have an idea where we think the line should be drawn. I think the line stops at the 300b for single ended power mungers because to find any more power from se means much higher voltages. You can get the same power as a 300b with the same voltages but not more.

My objection to the 300b per se so many years ago now was based on the extortionate price of the bottle, now that market forces have levelled that, it's a good value for money product. Not as good a value as the Sovtek 2a3 or the nos 6b4g, but they aren't in the same power class.

To achieve power and keep below the kilowatt a push pull 300b amp is the most sensible.

[dave dove]

or you could use next gen 300b

vv30 or 300bxls or similar

just keep HT the same
and increase current
they really do like it

dave dove