Dennis Had Inspire Amps

[timeout59]

Question about the 300 PSE. Does it use a class a push pull triode circuit? I don't know much about what that means but there is a very interesting discussion in another forum about some 300B mono block amps Don Sachs is partnering on with Lynn Olson. I was just thinking maybe this is same or similar to the 300 PSE and contributes to why it sounds so good.

[timeout59]

Did some research and answered my question, the PSE 300B is not a PP triode circuit. On reference said "SE uses one output tube per channel and PSE uses two per channel. The "P" refers to parallel, which means the internal tube elements are wired in parallel."

My assumption then is that a 300B PSE is still a single ended triode but with two tubes per channel.

[Analog Addict]

Yes PSE means parallel single ended where the output tubes are run as full spectrum outputs and the output from the two tubes is additive, or roughly double. I once built a PSE using three 71As per channel, but have shelved it because its single cathode design was burning up output tubes unevenly. I would rebuild it so that each output had it's own cathode circuit, but there's not enough room under the chassis for all the parts.

Anyway, I've been incommunicado for the last three weeks or so with being out of town and a week long bout of thre 'rona. Thankfully it wasn't serious. Hopefully I'll have more to add in the coming days...

[timeout59]

The 300B-v sounds extremely good in my system. Will report some impressions later.

[timeout59]

Johnnyprod this is for you since you said let you know what I think. The short of it is you can't go wrong with the 300B-v with your speakers, in my opinion. Since we have essentially the same speakers I'm comfortable saying that. Besides sounding great, other benefits for me, it's small and easy to move in and out of the system, and doesn't have as many tubes to heat the room too much in summer.

Only cavaet might be the type of music we listen to. I listen almost exclusively to small group jazz, acoustic instruments played into recording microphones. Big band jazz also and lots of female vocal. I don't want to come across as snobbish, I like rock but just don't listen to it much in my system.

This is getting long so here's the point. I'm hearing an improvement in that certain things have a purity and presence, a sort of clarity to the sound. Where I hear it most is ride cymbals, hi-hat, snare drum, the upper keys of a piano, vibraphone. Female vocals are more "in the room."

This is compared to my Don Sachs Valhalla integrated which I have been so happy with since January 2021. That amp improved things so much and it seems a perfect match with my Spatial Audio X3 speakers. Deep wide sound stage, solid images, very real sounding. Also the Valhalla does a lot of what I said above. The 300B-v does it all but more of the clarity in the the things I said above.

It's hard to describe these things and that's the best I can do, and I'm pretty old at 71 so might be a person with better hearing would hear it differently.

The bass with the 300B-v might not be quite as tight, a little looser sounding than the other amp. Not sure why that would be since the bass drivers are powered by the plate amps in the speakers. Maybe because the speakers use speaker level inputs to drive the bass amps, the character of the main amp comes through, which is preferable way to do it I think. However I like the bass with the 300B-v despite this.

I'm going to connect the other amp up now and see if I feel the same way about everything.

[timeout59]

Listening to the Valhalla now and it sounds excellent as well. With 30 watts it has more drive, I've read that term used before and I guess it describes what I hear. The bass is a little tighter but I'd have to go back to the 300B-v to be sure. Listening to a Joe Pass album Intercontinental and it seems like the rich guitar overtones create a slight "haze" that covers a bit of the treble clarity that stood out with the 300B-v. But I think this album does that in general a little.

More listening needed to come to any conclusion but pretty sure the final thought will be both amps are great and it won't be an either or conclusion.

[Johnnyprod]

Originally Posted by timeout59

Listening to the Valhalla now and it sounds excellent as well. With 30 watts it has more drive, I've read that term used before and I guess it describes what I hear. The bass is a little tighter but I'd have to go back to the 300B-v to be sure. Listening to a Joe Pass album Intercontinental and it seems like the rich guitar overtones create a slight "haze" that covers a bit of the treble clarity that stood out with the 300B-v. But I think this album does that in general a little.

More listening needed to come to any conclusion but pretty sure the final thought will be both amps are great and it won't be an either or conclusion.

Thank you for your impressions! Sounds like both Dennis and Don nailed it with their respective amps ( not surprising ). That’s my only hesitation with 300b amps and the types of music I listen to. It would be great when I put on Coltrane , Davis , Norah Jones , cannonball adderly etc but maybe less so with eagles , rush, stones , who , zeppelin

[BlackBess]

While I can’t speak on the sound of just 2 of “those wimpy little” WE300B’s, but line 4 of them puppies in a row and BAM I think is the expression. I hear the Who like never before, Infected Mushroom is mesmerizing. How many Watts can this thing have? (300PSE) In a video I saw Mr. Had, like a little kid, gleefully roll the volume knob all the way up. I get past the 12 o’clock position & I think either the police will get called by the neighbors or I’ll blow out my Forte IV’s. It’s rocking that hard. I listen to calmer, quieter music as well, plus ultra.

[BlackBess]

Hey, just kidding around with that last post. I was trying to encourage discourse on this subject to stir the pot. I also have a 300B SET amp that often surprises me with the weight & substance it supplies. But I still have to say, 4 WE300B’s kick some serious asparagus.

[timeout59]

No worries on my part. I'm sure the PSE 300B is amazing, would love to have one!