Rec a 300B for Wavelength Cardinal Monoblocks


I am looking for recommendations for 300B tube choices for my Wavelength Cardinal Monoblock amps. My speakers are the Auditorium-23 Solovox and the preamp is a Shindo Masseto. I know that I will eventually get a Shindo amplifier, but for now I am intrigued by the prospect of learning how much better the Cardinals can sound with other tubes. Also, there is the very real possibility that I would keep the Cardinals and alternate them with the future Shindo amp, assuming the Shindo amp does not use 300B's. Thanks in advance for all guidance!
Best Regards,
Steven
4musica44107

Showing 4 responses by 4musica44107

Jrinkerptdnet - Thank you. I will indeed be contacting Gordon before pulling the trigger on different tubes. And I probably should have mentioned that, as I recall, the 300B tubes in my Cardinals are the ones that Gordon prefers. I just now took a look at those tubes and cannot easily make out the brand name.
Best Regards,
Steven
Abill - I'll bet your Trition Blue sounds wonderful with those WE 300B's. One of the options I am considering is the less costly 300B tubes made(?)/used by Line Magnetic in some of their amplifier offerings. If I understand correctly, the LM 300B tubes are designed to reproduce (as much as possible) the sound qualities of the WE 300B's. But I find myself wondering if anyone has found a 300B tube they prefer over a WE 300B!

Analogluvr - Shuguang BT and Takasuki are two other 300B tubes I have read many good things about and wondered if anyone would recommend either or both. Thanks for those suggestions as well as the heads up on the lack of reliability of the Sophia's.
Hi Charles - Thank you for your guidance on all of those tubes, many of which I knew nothing about. Completely agree that listening in my amp and in my system is the best way to go. Hopefully I can find "the tube" without too much $$$ lost to trial and error.

I suppose, since I started this thread, it is "ok" for me to briefly sidetrack it to share something of possible interest to you and others. A couple of months ago I first heard the most remarkable speaker, the first speaker that actually makes me want to replace my Solovox. It is another one from Auditorium-23 - the Cinema Hommage. If you ever get the chance to hear this speaker, I am confident you will be impressed. For me, it has all of the things I love about the Shindo Latour, the Solovox, and the Vandersteen 7 - all embodied in one speaker that is actually smaller than any of those three. It is quite costly and currently has a low WAF, but I remain hopeful!

Best Regards,
Steven
Abill - Thank you for your follow-up reply and tube characterization comments. At this point I want the best tubes regardless of the cost and so am leaning toward WE, but I also will do some research on all of the tubes recommended thus far, hopefully do some listening, and of course talk with Gordon to get his input.

Best Regards,
Steven