Shoot-out: DG-SE1 vs 300B 0n Cain & Cain Abby Speakers

[Wharfcreek]

So, for those not familiar with all or any of this stuff, the 300B amp is a delightful piece of audio royalty. These amps are usually confined to serious listening environments....and coupled to exotic speakers and source material. The result is predictably consistent and generally VERY impressive. The amp here was right in the pack with the rest, and built by it's owner some 8 years ago (or so I was told)! The speakers....the Cain & Cain Abby speakers....... 'Amazing'!! 5" Fostex drivers in a proprietary cabinet that stands about 6' tall.....a 'wedge' shape, drivers placed about center of the cabinet, and a tuned port at the lower section. I'd never seen them before...but now I want a set. The DG-SE1? A modest amp built with $15 output transformers, a pair of EL84 output tubes, also Single Ended, and about 3 watts. Most significantly; Designed by Mr. David Gillespie! (built by yours truly). Source material was through some esoteric 'streaming' device I won't even pretend to understand.

So, the point of this exercise was really two-fold: 1) to compare the two amps, and 2) for me to spend a bit of time listening to my little DG-SE1 on a pair of smaller speaker of the full-range type. So, to start this, I got to listen to the 300B for a bit while drinking a gucci beer! Then, the real test: Could the humble little DG-SE1 even HOPE to keep up with the 'class' of the audio industry.....and produce any kind of sonic reproduction that would even let it last more than a few minutes! Well.......Surprise!!! The first cut of a female vocalist, accompanied by a Sax player.....AMAZING!!! I think we were both in shock. Next cut....some fancy piano work..... or so I recall. I think I was still reeling from the reality that this little amp was not only producing incredible sound, but the speakers were only 5" on each side....and the sound was simply breath-taking!! On to some Larry Carlton....then we finished up with a simply stellar cello piece. The 'depth' of this last piece was enough to leave you speechless when it was over! And, the best part: The owner and builder of the 300B simply couldn't believe the little EL84 amp was producing sound like that of his 300B.....with only about $100 investment in parts....and built between 9:30 am and 10 pm yesterday. Yes, the DG-SE1 was only 24 hours old.....and already earning a reputation as a 'ball-buster'!!

I'm attaching a couple of pics....wish I took some more. But, hopefully this will validate some of my claim. This was a GREAT evening!!

Tom D.

 

[StevenZ]

Nice write up and wow those speakers look amazing! What are those horn speakers in the corners?

 

[StevenZ]

It's pretty funny the outcome of this test as I've had something similar happen to me once. I had an Electra-Print 300B integrated that I spent a small fortune on hooked up to my Mark Audio Alpair 10.3's and had a buddy of mine over who had just finished building an SV83 integrated amp. While his didn't quite reach as low as mine (due to small output trannies?) I actually preferred his because of it's ability to win me over. It was charming and had such a beautiful tone to it. A sweetness in the midrange that my big honkin' iron 300B just wasn't giving me. Had he used bigger/better iron I have no doubt it would have been a slam dunk no contest winner to me.

Just goes to show how no matter what you spend on parts and iron, if the circuit isn't up to snuff nothing else matters.

 

[Wharfcreek]

Steve....... you're 'spot on' with your circuit comment about the circuit. Really, that was the point of the comparison. That, and to validate the other point about 'cost' NOT being the determining factor!! Like I said, this little amp can be built for $150 AT RETAIL and with ALL parts being purchased 'new'. The first one I built cost me all of $30 to buy the pair of OPTs, and I had everything else 'on hand' in boxes and drawers. It 'inspired' me so much that I've built the second one, have parts 'on order' for 2 more, and will be building a 'clone' out of Edcor Iron in the next week or two. I'm really looking forward to that one as it will be all NEW parts, including the chassis.....and the first take of using OTHER than the OPTs Dave had specified for this project. We'll see how it turns out.

As to those other speakers: The bass cabs are some old JBLs with replaced front baffle boards. The 15" driver is an Eminence with those High-Dollar Neodymium Magnets. The horns are a 'custom' fabrication from someone in Europe who makes them, and then spins adapters on a lathe, made from aluminum, and used to mount the horns to the appropriate drivers. The Horn Drivers are from some old VOT speakers from the '40s or '50s...... I think! He told me, but I don't recall specifically. He did indicate that when he found the drivers he had to completely refinish them as the old 'gray' paint was flaking off badly, and the metal underneath was oxidizing. So, he did the horn drivers in a black epoxy finish that looks great! I didn't try my Flea amp on those speakers........ and after hearing those Cain & Cain Abby speakers, I didn't care to. I'm still trying to justify 'buying' them from him...... but doubt I'll be able to make the jump. Still........ AMAZING speakers. Glad my little amp did them justice!!

Tom D.