Ordered a Willsenton R300


Everything I have read about this 300b tube amp has been very positive, particularly Steve Huff's review on his website.  I have always thought I would love the sound of 300b tubes and this is my chance to get one for a very modest price.  It ought to drive my Spatial Audio M4 Triode Masters very nicely.  I will report back my impressions of the amp when it is fully revealed to me. 

whitestix

Showing 5 responses by garyalex

My reason for buying this amp from Amazon was solely down to the ease of return.  For me that outweighed the higher cost.  I really wasn't certain if it would be a good fit with my speakers or if I'd like the 300B sound.  

I've ordered the Willsenton R300 as well.  Like whitestix I ordered through Amazon because of the ease of return if needed.  I've never owned a 300B amp.  This seemed like a good opportunity to satisfy that curiosity with minimal risk.  It will be used with JM Reynaud Offrande Supreme v2 speakers, rated 90db.  It's a small room and because it's an apartment listening levels are moderate.

What the hell do I do if I like it better than My Cary SLP-05/First Watt M2x?  Nah.  That won't happen.  I think.

 

I also think the R300 has a fairly good chance of working with my JMR Offrande speakers.  A few years ago I built the 8wpc Nelson Pass AMP Camp Amp.  The Offrandes were not happy with this pairing.  They sounded decidedly underpowered.  However, I also tried them with another 8wpc amp, the Antique Sound Labs Wave 8.  Some of you may remember this one from 2002.  They were sold for $98 each for a pair.  They came with ECL82 tubes.  The Offrandes sound great with those little amps.  I rarely had to exceed the 9:00 position on the volume control.

whitestix - that's great news.  Hopefully this will be one of those equipment changes that results in a real improvement, as opposed to one of those that over the course of time proves to be different but not necessarily better.  I've had my share of those.  Enjoy your amp.

@musiclover1 and charles1dad:  My concerns as to whether the R300 would match well with my JM Reynaud Offrande Supreme v.1 speakers turned out to groundless.  What I'm hearing is a warm, palpable presentation with no sense of fatigue whatsoever.  Keep in mind that I'm in a small apartment which dictates lower listening levels.  Still, I'm getting tight, punchy bass, a warmish enveloping midrange and crisp highs.  I'm sure the transformers in the R300 aren't the best available but I suspect their quality is higher than one might expect at this price.  I prefer this amp to the First Watt M2x amp it replaced.  

Also, I'm using the R300 as a power amp only.  While it sounds great as an integrated, I have a Cary SLP-05 preamp that's just too good not to use.  The combination is amazing.  My first 300B purchase has worked out very, very well.