New Lyrita 300B SET amplifier

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anilva

anilva

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Folks,

Just took delivery of a newly minted Lyrita 300B SET amp. This is probably the first 300b based amp built by Viren ji of Lyrita.

The topology is all DHT, no cap, no feedback, Class A using a input transformer, RCA 45 tube as driver, Genelex 300B as output tube and Hashimoto output transformer. Full wave tube rectifier being GZ34/5V4G.

The performance of this amp is brilliant in my setup. The front end is a EMT 950 with Tondose cartridge, Lyrita DHT preamp. The amp is driving Altec 288C/Azura horn, Fostex Super tweeter, Altec 515b woofers in Onken cabinets. The crossover is first order passive.

Huge dynamics, great bass, thick midrange, nice extended HF. Very musical and no fatigue. Detailing and microdynamics are terrific. This system has strong throw, typical of EMT and Horn presentations. This is not a system, you can play background music with. This will turn your head and force you to listen and pay attention, but in a nice way. Very enjoyable.

Thanks to Viren ji for this build and to FM Rajiv for his guidance and support.

Here is a picture.

Cheers
B826E9E1-FBEC-4533-8904-049B892211A6.jpeg
 
anilva said:
Folks,

Just took delivery of a newly minted Lyrita 300B SET amp. This is probably the first 300b based amp built by Viren ji of Lyrita.

The topology is all DHT, no cap, no feedback, Class A using a input transformer, RCA 45 tube as driver, Genelex 300B as output tube and Hashimoto output transformer. Full wave tube rectifier being GZ34/5V4G.

The performance of this amp is brilliant in my setup. The front end is a EMT 950 with Tondose cartridge, Lyrita DHT preamp. The amp is driving Altec 288C/Azura horn, Fostex Super tweeter, Altec 515b woofers in Onken cabinets. The crossover is first order passive.

Huge dynamics, great bass, thick midrange, nice extended HF. Very musical and no fatigue. Detailing and microdynamics are terrific. This system has strong throw, typical of EMT and Horn presentations. This is not a system, you can play background music with. This will turn your head and force you to listen and pay attention, but in a nice way. Very enjoyable.

Thanks to Viren ji for this build and to FM Rajiv for his guidance and support.

Here is a picture.

Cheers
View attachment 26801
Click to expand...
Congrats!
Can you make a comparison of the sound signature of Set 2A3 Vs Set 300b for fellow members? I remember the sound of Set 2A3 to have a flowery presentation, which I really liked.
 
The 45/2A3 SET amp I have from Lyrita is also a fully tricked up unit with prime components including original RCA 45ST cunningham tubes, RCA JAN 2A3 output tubes and Hashimoto output transformers. I love the performance of the 2A3 amp. This amp outputs around 3.5W of audio. It has a very fluid presence, huge detail and resolution, solid bass, great midrange and superb highs. This is an amp I am very satisfied with. I can also exchange the output tubes with RCA 45 Globes for warmer tonality and midrange. Unfortunately for my music and listening levels, the Globe outputs tend to clip and distort at loud levels, since it's a 1.5W tube. This design is also a bespoke design for me from Lyrita with custom components.

The new 45/300B amp is similar to the above design: SET, DHT, 2 stage, RCA 45 drivers, Hashimoto Output transformers, but the difference is the output tubes being 300B tubes. The filament voltages are different for 300B compared to 2A3 and cannot be plug in replaced with 2A3. This amp outputs about 7W. Not much, but has nearly double the headroom of a 2A3 tube. The bass extension is better and I think I am able to hear additional low level detail. The tonality is similar, except the midrange is thicker and is to my liking. HFs are detailed and sharp.

The sound signature of both the above amps is similar and in my view is because of similar circuit topology, RCA 45 tube characteristics as driver and Hashimoto output transformers. These are common across both the amps. The difference boils down to output power and output tube characteristics. I like both and they are a keep. For my taste of music and listening levels, 300B may be a bit of preference just to know that there is more power reserve. Actually Viren ji was suggesting me GM70 mono blocks with Hashimoto transformers. May be a project for the future. That design will have 35W of SET output.

Both the amps are custom made builds, especially the 300B. May be this is the first build from Lyrita on 300B.

I am a Pass amp guy and happy using both these tube amps in my setups and I am a Lyrita amp guy as well now. Looks like I am trying for a similar sound signature across all my setups. You will not find tube(y) warm sound in my setups, but lot of resolution, strong bass, great midrange and sparkling treble (my preference). The sound will be little bit in your face.

Cheers
 
@ Anilva - Congrats on your purchase. How would you classify the filament glow in your 300Bs - Low, Medium or High.

Mine 300Bs, hardly is visible glow even in pitch darkness. If i go close can see some Blue colour light on the sides of the tubes. The filament glow is barely visible. its a Shuguang 300B-98 version.
 
Congratulations on the new hardware Anilva!
Nothing can touch 300B tubes! Very few other tubes come close.

Those Altecs must be singing with the new amp ... great stuff!

Regards.


.
 
Hari Iyer said:
@ Anilva - Congrats on your purchase. How would you classify the filament glow in your 300Bs - Low, Medium or High.

Mine 300Bs, hardly is visible glow even in pitch darkness. If i go close can see some Blue colour light on the sides of the tubes. The filament glow is barely visible. its a Shuguang 300B-98 version.
Click to expand...
Very low glow. Barely visible. Not blue though.
 
anilva said:
This is a custom build. Talk to Mr. Viren Bakhshi if you want one.
Click to expand...
I already have his 2A3 power amp. So I need to know how different this one is. Wattage is not an issue for me as my speakers are highly sensitive.

Regards,
Sharad Medhavi
 
smedhavi said:
I already have his 2A3 power amp. So I need to know how different this one is. Wattage is not an issue for me as my speakers are highly sensitive.

Regards,
Sharad Medhavi
Click to expand...
I have given my impressions and comparisons with 2A3 amp of mine in my earlier post. I don’t know what else you would like to know.
 
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