I just received a Willsenton 300b and have my eye on the Willsenton recapping thread another gentleman is running right now. I may want to do these mods as well, but for now, im just tube rolling. Would like to ask if anyone else out there has this amp, what tubes you ended up using after your rolling of tubes thru it? Currently i have china 6sn8p/preamp and one tungs-sol 6SL7 tubes, Willsenton 5u4G rec tubes and Gold Lion 300b power tubes as of now. I use a Klipsch design speaker(CornScala) which is very efficient. So, love the sound/sound stage, but always looking for more.
Willsenton 300b tube rolling
- Thread starter Mopardave
- Start date
-
- Tags
- willsenton
Register to hide this ad
That would be ME!!! Give the Amp 150hrs to burn-in. If you're going to Mod, I would replace the "2" 300B tube sockets first (they move too much for my liking). On the 3 Film Caps, it's like tube rolling as to the choices. I will be testing Audyn True Copper Max and MIFLEX KPCU-02, Duelund JDM Pure Silver Bypass (Mundorf Supreme Silver/Oil I use in the 1st Amp
). I am using a test Pre-Amp which I have started to burn-in (150-200hrs) the Audyn True Copper Max films and will use these first. I am about 70% done on the Main Resistor board on the 2nd Amp (test Amp). Hope to have the board done by Monday and by the end of next week to install the Audyn True Copper Max. About Tube Rolling, you never settle on a set (for me anyway) so I will be listing what I have used and what I purchased this weekend. I will post what I will be rolling.https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/willsenton-r300b-se-integrated-amp-2.1026359/
Dave C
Super Member
I have had several sets of 300B tubes. Of the inexpensive tubes the Golden Lions were the best to me. I've had electro harmonics, Psvane black bottles, Sophia mesh plates, Sophia Royal Princess and just bought a set of Western Electric I'm waiting to arrive. Off all those tubes the only ones not worth keeping were the Psvane black bottles. I owned them for a month or so, they just sounded dead.
Dave C
Super Member
I've got 4 hour on my new issue Western Electric 300Bs. I pulled my Sophia Royal Princess tubes that I've been listening to for over 9 years last evening and installed the Western Electrics. I loved the Royal Princess tubes, they never treated me bad.
At 4 hours on the WE tubes this is what I will say. I installed them and they are very quiet, I had none of the clicking and popping some have reported. (I've read almost everything on the web about them) I put on some Allison Kraus as my first listen. They are warm sounding and very open without highlighting any frequency area. The Royal Princess tubes have a bit more punch in the lower base but the WE tubes are more controlled. There is less harshness or edginess from the WE tubes although without having anything to compare with the Royal Princess tubes were just fine. It seems I can hear more of what's going on on the stage with the WE tubes, more dimension of the instruments and performers. Over the 4 hours of listening I played Mark Knaufler, Katie Melua, Frank Sinatra, Moody Blues, Eva Cassidy, Adel and some others. in every case I felt I heard more from the WE tubes. The only qualification I can add is that the Royal Princess tubes at this point are 9 + years old so I would suspect they have gone away a bit. I've had many good evenings with the Princess, no bad feelings or reports. The WE tubes are a marvel to me at this writing. The thing I'm proud of is that the United States once again has a company making tubes.
At 4 hours on the WE tubes this is what I will say. I installed them and they are very quiet, I had none of the clicking and popping some have reported. (I've read almost everything on the web about them) I put on some Allison Kraus as my first listen. They are warm sounding and very open without highlighting any frequency area. The Royal Princess tubes have a bit more punch in the lower base but the WE tubes are more controlled. There is less harshness or edginess from the WE tubes although without having anything to compare with the Royal Princess tubes were just fine. It seems I can hear more of what's going on on the stage with the WE tubes, more dimension of the instruments and performers. Over the 4 hours of listening I played Mark Knaufler, Katie Melua, Frank Sinatra, Moody Blues, Eva Cassidy, Adel and some others. in every case I felt I heard more from the WE tubes. The only qualification I can add is that the Royal Princess tubes at this point are 9 + years old so I would suspect they have gone away a bit. I've had many good evenings with the Princess, no bad feelings or reports. The WE tubes are a marvel to me at this writing. The thing I'm proud of is that the United States once again has a company making tubes.
Thanks for the update on the 300B's. I have purchased (from Grant Fidelity) Linalai Global 7300B-D ‘egg shaped’ and Global WE300B Western Electric Replica and I also look forward to comparing the 2. While I do not own "yet"
WE300B re-issue, I will be testing the Linalai 300's in my 1st Willsenton 300B once the Psvane 6SN7-SE Tennis Ball tubes burn-in (another 50hrs).
As recommended from Stephe (SkunkiesDesign) I switched from EH5U4GBS to TAD GZ34/5AR4s.
This should make the PS more reliable and let the unit run cooler.
My experiences so far with tube rolling..
The 6sn7 should have the most effect on SQ, maybe same or more(?) the 300Bs.
I don’t know because I am new to tube amps.
Now my experiences with tubes at the R300 are.
300B Willsenton branded tubes.
6SL7 I switched to NOS TAD branded.
6SN7s I tried several different
-new production EH, TungSol, TADs
TADs has a very clean, dynamic, airy sound
The TungSol are a little fuller sounding.
EH I didn’t used them till now.
-NOS GE (very cheap on). they do sound similar to the TADs
The rectifier tubes shouldn’t have impact on SQ…true?
I hope others could share their experiences.
This should make the PS more reliable and let the unit run cooler.
My experiences so far with tube rolling..
The 6sn7 should have the most effect on SQ, maybe same or more(?) the 300Bs.
I don’t know because I am new to tube amps.
Now my experiences with tubes at the R300 are.
300B Willsenton branded tubes.
6SL7 I switched to NOS TAD branded.
6SN7s I tried several different
-new production EH, TungSol, TADs
TADs has a very clean, dynamic, airy sound
The TungSol are a little fuller sounding.
EH I didn’t used them till now.
-NOS GE (very cheap on). they do sound similar to the TADs
The rectifier tubes shouldn’t have impact on SQ…true?
I hope others could share their experiences.
anesthesia
New Member
I just posted a thread (Willsenton R300 - socket orientation and possibly replacement) about replacing the UX4 sockets and then just saw your comment here. Have you replaced yours? what sockets did you install? how did the install go? do you have pics? did you have the orientation problem i described in my thread? thanks in advance for any info.That would be ME!!! Give the Amp 150hrs to burn-in. If you're going to Mod, I would replace the "2" 300B tube sockets first (they move too much for my liking). On the 3 Film Caps, it's like tube rolling as to the choices. I will be testing Audyn True Copper Max and MIFLEX KPCU-02, Duelund JDM Pure Silver Bypass (Mundorf Supreme Silver/Oil I use in the 1st Amp
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/willsenton-r300b-se-integrated-amp-2.1026359/
anesthesia
New Member
I just purchased the Willsenton R300 in January 2024 off Amazon. It came with the Willsenton branded 5AR4 tubes. I took the bottom plate off and not surprisingly, it does not have the boards that addressed the 274B tube problem. I replace the stock 5AR4 tubes with Tung-sol 5AR4 tubes. I also replaced the 6SN7 tubes with PSVANE 6SN7-UK tubes (and I’ve got Tung-sol 6SN7GTB tubes as well). Finally, I replaced the Willsenton 300B tubes with PSVANE WE300B tubes. Burning everything in at the moment, but def sounds better than stock. Base is more present, soundstage seems expanded. Speakers are NHT Absolute Towers.
Last edited: