Outstanding 300b's for Push-Pull Amp?


I'd like to see if I can improve on the Golden Dragon 300b tubes that came stock with my amp. I've read as many reviews and comparisons as I could find and based on those, was just about to order the Shuguang Treasure 300B-Z tubes. But a couple of last minute phone calls threw a monkey wrench in my plan. I was advised that if the comparisons were conducted using SET amplifiers, much of what I was reading would not be applicable for my push-pull amp. If anyone can recommend 300b tubes for a push-pull application, I would very much appreciate hearing them. Thanks
phaelon
Would any budget 300B tubes be any good in Push-Pull type Amps? I sold a pair of Electro Harmonix Gold Grid 300B tubes to a DIYer who was going to build his own Push Pull amp and asked me how he'd think they would sound. I was using the EHx Gold 300Bs in a Bottlehead BeePre preamp and couldn't tell him how they would perform in an amp.
Hi, I would love to re ignite this thread. Phaelon like you I also run the NAF 300b special edition into a pair of Bastanis matterhorn speakers. Source is Mac mini with ssd 8gb ram running Audirvana into lampizator big 5 with Dueland caps. My current tubes are the full music mesh plates. I am getting excellent sound with these tubes but always keen to see if I can improve things. Phaelon, do you still have the naf and if so have you rolled many tubes? Cheers in advance.
Hi Latinsamba1, I stopped considering the Sophias because there was talk of them being rebranded. I took a new look and they do sound interesting. Thank you.
I have never heard the Treasure 300b but I did a lot of research before purchasing the 300b tubes for my Manley Neoclassic switchable SET/Push Pull monoblocks and have been extremely happy with the Sophia Carbon plate tubes. Very dynamic and neutral tube with excellent balance top to bottom. The tubes sound great in both push pull and SET mode. Dead reliable with now 18 months on them. Massive improvement over the TJ mesh plate gold pin globes I had before.
Hi Charles1dad,
That was my initial thought too. A tech and amp builder tried to explain the difference to me but the explanation pretty much went over my head. It had something to do with linearity and the different demand a push-pull circuit puts on a tube relative to an SET. Thank you for responding. This is the part of tubes that I don't like...but it's the only part.
Hi Phaelon,
I beleive a SET circuit would be quite demanding and revealing of the intrinsic characteristics of the output tube. If it sounds good single end I can`t fathom why push-pull should be any different as now the tubes are working as a duo as opposed to solo responsibility of full signal wave propagation. I`ve owned the Shuguang Treasure 300b for well over a year and they are wonderful sounding as well as very reliable. The Full Music 300b SE is also raved about. 6moons has done some very detailed comparisions of various high end 300b tubes including the european brands.