Considering how long the wait is for his amps it may not matter as much as we like. Parts availability and incorporating improvements once the amp hits the market are likely possibilities. Having seen and heard the prototype version of the amp I too agree the image doesn’t properly represent the amplifier. At his asking price it is going to be a hot seller. For those who wish to try the Decware 300B there is little risk should you not care for it. Demand is high and as new units are reselling for a significant premium over MSRP. The WE300B tubes are the way to go IMO, however pricing is ridiculous.
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Yeah. . . I’m not going to buy NOS WE tubes, but I would consider the new production, and will receive 10 percent off with the amp. https://www.westernelectric.com/ The Sophia are reported to be very good and are designed to work best with their rectifier which is a favorite of mine. If I really like them in the amp (quite likely) I’ll hold off buying other tubes for some time.
Hmm.
As long as all parties are fully consenting I guess. Still a bit cheesy though 
Misrepresenting photos in advertising is something close to mandatory I think 
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I am so very glad I did valve equipment in the 80s when it was considered junk!
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I was listening to tube equipment in the '80s too. And have continued. I don’t see myself using other topologies.
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Still have and love the sound of my conrad-johnsom Premier 11a, purchased when it was relatively affordable. Have oodles of back-up tubes for it as well.
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I am re-thinking tubes going forward. Primarily for two reasons, when the tubes go south, which is inevitable, it can be a real PITA. Especially while deep into a listening session. Availability of quality tubes is not what it used to be. My experience with new re-worked tubes is they leave a lot to be desired. There was a time when Decware had trouble sourcing their preferred rectifier tube, and then their power output tubes for the ZEN series SET.
Decware 6P15P-ER preferred power output tube
I ran into the same with conrad-johnson and availability of GE 6550A tubes. Also same with Audible Illusions Sovtek 6H23n-EV variation of the 6922.
The sound of Pass Labs in my system now makes me smile.
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I have about seven tackle boxes of NOS input, voltage regulation, and rectifiers used in my amplifiers (and applicable for the SEWE300B) which also includes 20 pair or more of the 6P15P tubes that the SE84UFO3 and Taboo Mk IV that I have use. I’ve been picking them up and rolling them for 25 years or so.
In part Steve is out of 6P15P tubes because he sold a huge part of his supply of them to Wathen/Cryotone for them to freeze and sell. And he’s keeping a stockpile for the amps he builds, so until the war in the Ukraine ends he’s not selling replacements. That tube type is very easy to find at very affordable prices online.
I really find that in the Decware amps tube life is prolonged compared to many other amps with different biasing etc. So. . . for me tubes are hardly an issue for using tube components, hasn’t been, isn’t now, and I may well have a lifetime’s worth of tubes to use on hand, and I sort of habitually look and buy a few. I’ve heard a Pass Labs amp and it didn’t tempt me away from my amps. I don’t want a solid state amp for main system use. We’re all different.
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The Audible Illusions is notoriously hard on tubes, no secret. Knowing that I’ve probably have 8 or more quad sets of replacement tubes on hand. So for me I’m good. The AI Modulus 3/3A has been a bit of a pain regarding tube life, and is most likely to have a tube failure mid session. Replacement reqires removing the top cover, not a big deal, but inconvenient. I have learned to keep a quad set on hand near the preamp souls a swap out be necessary. The cj on the other hand is easy on tubes and sounds fantastic in my system driving a pair of Genesis V speakers.
Having had the Decware ZEN SE84UFO and SE84UFO25 i was overall happy with either driving the Pure Audio Project Trio 15 Classic speakers. The ZEN SE84UFO being the better value IME, the 25th Anniversary offering better sound, but at a premium. When looking to stock up on spare tubes, especially power tubes, I found the Decware approved power tubes are no longer available. These being Steve’s preferred tubes were my preference as well. The same tubes are available elsewhere for less, but their efficacy is dubious at best. The Ukrainian War has put future tube availability in doubt.
Part of my SET high efficiency experiment was to compare low powered SET amplification to the Pass Labs XA-25, or Pass Labs INT-25. The Decware was my first choice for an SET, after hearing it at the Mothership. Both amplifiers sounded great to these ears. That said, when I inserted the XA-25 it was game over. With my speakers there was a greater sense of ease, naturalness to the sound, and improvement with more complex music. I thought the Decware amplifiers were special, the Pass Labs just more so in every way offering better top end extension, improved bottom end going up into the mid-bass, detailed midrange, and a complete sense of ease in comparison. I’d recommend either brand. Most who have heard my system would be happy with any of the three amplifiers I mentioned, and all thought the basic Decware ZEN SET was the bargain of the century, the sweet spot in the Decware line.
Another upside with the Decware amplifiers is resale, no effort required to move them, and a nice premium over retail was offered for each. I’m at a point now where having multiple components and systems makes less sense. Thus it is time to continue thin the herd.
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Sarah in a fire bottle…she look’s pretty hot in there…
I didn’t find the Pass the same as you–we have different rooms and speakers and even the Decware amps we were using are different.
Anyway, I’m glad you have found your favorite and I have found mine, and I already have enough tubes for all the use I’ll have for them and . . . I think to an extent Steve’s “preferred” output tubes are just those that he has tested and evaluated in an amp–there are many out there just as good and at a fraction of the cost it’s easy to buy quite a few and use the best.
I’m a Decware and PS Audio fan and have enough components to keep me going for a long time. I just concentrate on the music from now on.
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I see it as a journey regarding the music and the components. There is no right answer or best system. However, when I hear an improvement I move on it, it is part of the “search”.
Cool. The music and the study of music is the search for me, and I’ve found a system that lets me hear it as I wish right now and for the foreseeable future. I can either dedicate funds to perpetual search and try out of gear, or music, but not both, I’ve not got the bank account for both. I seek improvement of the sound too but in smaller bites, improving what I have more than anything else. We do what we can, this is what I can do. Going to audio shows and trying out other gear etc. . . I can’t do.
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We are in agreement, it’s about pursuit of music in whatever form. My experiment with a high efficiency system has me focused on dialing in that system for now. Thus the recent addition of another Iconoclast OCC RCA cable. It also was nice being able to meet the designers, including Galen and Jeff with Iconoclast, Richard Vandersteen and Garth Powell, Ze’ev Feldman, Paul McGowan, Vinnie Rossi, and so on. Also nice to meet-up with the PSA Forum community, putting faces with those who frequent the site. As hobby it is about the community, the music, and then the gear.
My pursuit of jazz and the local music scene parallels this approach. It is wonderful to be able to support active performing musicians to the best of my ability.
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Cool. I’m less driven by any of that. I don’t need to meet designers and even fellow hobbyists. I was once a part of a local music scene and that was good enough. And there is no local musical scene tempting me to expend limited time. We do what we can, I listen and study the music and have another pursuit.
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My latest upgrade occurred outside my home in the form of a new power pole, transformer and service wiring. They re-used the existing 12,000 volt supply lines that stop one house before mine and the replaced the ancient rusty transformer with a new, much larger 100:1 step-down transformer to create the two 120 volt phases.
From there, they installed new supply cabling and they re-used the existing drop to my house which is only about ten years old). Apparently they discovered that there was a voltage drop on the existing spur, although I never noticed anything other than a bit of a dip when the AC would kick in.
It remains to be seen whether tonight’s listening session will reveal any improvements and I don’t have a Power Plant reporting on the voltage and distortion on the line, but hey, it couldn’t hoit!
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Let us know.
Lucky you. I got a new ( and maybe larger) transformer in the corner my lot about a year ago.
I noticed no difference other than the incoming distortion is on average 2 to 3 % higher than before as shown on the P20. Hope your new tranny is better.
Interesting. I hadn’t considered a new transformer and delivery wiring might make things worse. Maybe the nasty old PCBs make for better power that whatever more environmentally friendly juice they use in them now?
I just tried kicking on the AC and unlike before, I got absolutely no drop in the lights in my room, so I’ve got that going for me!
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