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

[slawts]

Can't change the speakers. The wife calls them the Ladies due to the interesting nude like shapes on the front veneer. I've shown her recent review speakers I like - Quad, Hyperion 938, Tannoy Glenair/Kensington etc and she hates them. The Wad's wouldn't get in the door.

The biggest problem is control of low bass as in Primal Scream. Thought the McIntosh 275 would cure but didn't winthe comp. This would work with my Croft Epoch pre.

[Cobblers]

Originally Posted by slawts

Can't change the speakers. The wife calls them the Ladies due to the interesting nude like shapes on the front veneer. I've shown her recent review speakers I like - Quad, Hyperion 938, Tannoy Glenair/Kensington etc and she hates them. The Wad's wouldn't get in the door.

The biggest problem is control of low bass as in Primal Scream. Thought the McIntosh 275 would cure but didn't winthe comp. This would work with my Croft Epoch pre.

300b's are most definately not about the last word in Bass control, certainly not up against your monster EL34 push pull!

300b's in the right amp (esp single ended) will give you a potentially silky smooth midrange presentation missing from the VTl's.

Massive tight Bass control from Primal Scream (i'm guessing at very high volume) will never happen with your speakers little cones, that's not what they are about.

I think you're 'avin' a larf!
WD25a's are one helluva lot more house friendly than any Quad electrostatics and those massive Tannoys, and as for the Hyperion 938..............!!!!
All these speakers will eat up serious real estate!, WD25a's would gain you house room (if you've positioned your current speakers properly, for optimal performance that is.)

[Haselsh1]

Mmmm... An interesting thread this. Way back when, I had a WAD 300B PP built by WAD and when it eventually arrived after some considerable delay I was at first horrified by its hum. This thing would hum happily at quite an alarming volume and that was through quite inefficient speakers but on top of that, the amplifier was just so gutless. It's power output was severely limited and I guess, nowhere near its quoted power.

As an aside to this though, the amplifier had the most amazing sound of space and ambience that I have ever heard in thirty years of Hi-Fi. In fact it was the most amazing sounding amplifier I have ever experienced in this World of mass market. At the time I lived in Grimsby in Lincolnshire and when I sold it, some geezer travelled miles in his car to collect it all because I was, at that time, in no position to be able to re-valve it. As well as the 300B PP I had a KLP1 pre-amp as well. Those were the days...

[Richard]

Hi,

Timely post! I spent last night sorting the hum on my original 300bpp.

Firstly though, I can assure you that anyone who's heard mine at home here, or Greg's at Bristol, would not say they lacked power and bass! As for meeting the spec, I have the test gear and it meets spec easily. Possibly yours had a fault dispite the good sound.

The hum though, yes, marginally acceptable. Not too bad though so it's taken me well over a year to get round to it. The earth path for the first stages is badly laid out, and it's not safe having it earthed through a resistor anyway, so I've sorted both and it's quiet as a mouse

I'll post it in a new thread.

Rich

[Haselsh1]

I just remember that unless the amplifier was playing the simplest of music at low levels it sounded coarse and strained and hoplessly gutless. As stated though, it was completely stunning in the sound quality stakes. I have never heard another amplifier come anywhere near it since I sold mine around 1999 and quite possibly, I never will.

At the moment I have a Yarland 300B SE which I am going to turn into a project so that at some point in the future, I can upgrade various components including the volume pot which simply has to go. At present it is heavily click stopped and with one setting being too quiet and the next being to loud, it's gotta go...!!! Then there are all of those little discreet items that could be made so much better. I really do feel a project coming on. Role on summer, so much to do...

[Paul Bannister]

Hi Richard,

When you say it's not safe earthing it through a resistor what did you mean?

Wad usually sat their star earth 10R above the chassis/mains earth. Some builders parallel a cap with this resistor. I'm just curious to understand how you approached the earthing issue

[Tony Moore]

Hi Paul,

The original 300B PP instructions show the star earth point connected to the chassis and THEN through a 10R Resistor/0.1uF Cap to the mains earth. This is a no-no now of course. If that resistor went o/c then you've lost your safety earth.

The new thinking is as you say, connect the mains earth to the chassis and then use the earth lift resistor/cap between this and the star earth point of the amp.

Cheers,
Tony

[Paul Bannister]

Thanks Tony - I didn't know the original 300BPP instructions proposed that method.

Regards,
Paul