Forums - Dennis Had 300b Amp Review

Mike_L

Verified Member

Posts: 25

Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review
Reply #100 - 03/10/23 at 16:39:24

Wow! Beautiful amp! Dennis makes some fine stuff, no doubt about it. My first tube preamp/amp was the firebottle with KT-88s. I still use it but with an old Conrad Johnson PV-1 preamp instead of the Had preamp. It's just a magical combination for some reason. Anyway, keep us informed on the comparison when you receive your Sarah 300B. I'm waiting on one as well.

Mike

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cxc>tubadourIIIse>cj pv-1>firebottle kt-88>78 khorns; Sarah 300B on order
sme15/309>eq-500>D. Had 6flv-v>lii audio silver 10
cdt2-mk3>musetec mh-da005>dna stratus>susvara or bhse>stax sr009s

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bramar Ex Member	Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review Reply #101 - 03/10/23 at 18:08:43 So if one buys a Had 300B amp with 4 rectifiers and he forces one to also buy only WE tubes which is another $3,000 just for the 300B's. I’d say one was definitely “had” by Had, indeed. Brad
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jec3504 Ex Member	Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review Reply #102 - 03/11/23 at 22:17:37 That amp has 4 rectifiers? Available in any other colors?
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Kahuna Jack Seasoned Member Posts: 156	Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review Reply #103 - 03/11/23 at 23:55:31 "$3,000 just for the 300B's" no worries, they wont be that cheap forever lol , I smell $1,750 - $2k a duet right around the corner.
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Kamran Seasoned Member Sarah Posts: 1144	Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review Reply #104 - 03/14/23 at 03:11:47 Congrats BlackBess—didn’t realize the thread had moved. She’s a beauty!
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BlackBess Seasoned Member TURN IT DOWN,I have children sleeping here Posts: 174	Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review Reply #105 - 03/17/23 at 14:08:47 This is Mr. Had’s daughter’s interpretation of her dog doing a “Nipper” impression.
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bramar

Ex Member

Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review
Reply #106 - 03/17/23 at 17:19:00

Quote:

“$3,000 just for the 300B's”

no worries, they wont be that cheap forever lol , I smell $1,750 - $2k a duet right around the corner.

This is going to sound harsh: If one is dumb enough to buy an amp with 4 300B’s and the mfr absolutely requires WE then that person deserves the absurd unnecessary cost of ownership.

What is Had hiding that he won’t allow a different 300B other than WE????

I’d say you’ve been “Had”.

Brad

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Showme

Seasoned Member

Posts: 302

Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review
Reply #107 - 03/17/23 at 18:54:28

I seriously doubt if Mr. Had cares about your opinion. He’s retired. He builds what he wants when he wants. The amps sound and look great. I would have bought WE300b’s anyway. I’m sure our forum member that owns the 300b PSE knows what he’s doing. By the way the 300b’s aren’t rectifiers as you earlier referred to them.

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jec3504 Ex Member	Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review Reply #108 - 03/17/23 at 19:12:08 Amp looks cool, just curious if it came in other colors. Red is good.
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Showme Seasoned Member Posts: 302	Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review Reply #109 - 03/17/23 at 19:53:27 I haven’t seen other colors on the 300B-v. He has them powder coated so I’m sure he has a run of chassis made. Doesn’t seem like a one off in a special color would be cost effective. Don’t know though. I love the deep red myself.
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BlackBess Seasoned Member TURN IT DOWN,I have children sleeping here Posts: 174	Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review Reply #110 - 03/17/23 at 22:48:55 Blue, black & mocha white are available.
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bramar

Ex Member

Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review
Reply #111 - 03/18/23 at 19:34:26

Quote:

I seriously doubt if Mr. Had cares about your opinion. He’s retired. He builds what he wants when he wants. The amps sound and look great. I would have bought WE300b’s anyway. I’m sure our forum member that owns the 300b PSE knows what he’s doing. By the way the 300b’s aren’t rectifiers as you earlier referred to them.

My apology to BlackBess who has shown more class than I.

Coming across too strongly, I was really taken aback by Had’s requirement that $6000 worth of power tubes must be purchased with the amp. What is Had hiding? Why not offer the amp without tubes?

I guess I find Had kind of cowardly on this one.

I don’t doubt at all that Hads internal designs are very good. Certainly starting with nice construction and apparent build quality on the outside.

Again my apology which is owed to BlackBess.

Brad

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BlackBess

Seasoned Member

TURN IT DOWN,I have
children sleeping
here

Posts: 174

Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review
Reply #112 - 03/18/23 at 20:13:02

Yesterday after listening to a live acoustic Rory Gallagher tune with the month old Wathen 300B’s, my wife commented that Rory sounded like he was right in front of us. This is something that we have both been fortunate enough to have experienced for ourselves. But memories are fleeting. This was after giving the 4 WE’s some exercise. Then she says “what about those Takatsuki tubes?” Whoa, maybe when the Sarah arrives. Now they’re going for $2500 a pair, wonder what the future holds in store.

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KEF LS50 wireless 2 w/KC62 sub
Analog Ethos select series 2a3>Decware HDT-v2
Dennis Had Inspire 6FLV-v>Fyne Audio F500
Shanling STP10>Klipsh forté IV
Dennis Had 300PSE>Decware DNA 2
IPad mini>Audio Quest Dragonfly cobalt>Focal Clear
Willsenton R300>Bose 601-

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Showme Seasoned Member Posts: 302	Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review Reply #113 - 03/18/23 at 20:34:32 Just to keep people from fainting I'll attempt to correct Brad's statement that the WE300b's are $3K a pair. I believe unless they have gone up over night they are readily available at $1,500 a pair and the amp requires two pair.
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CAJames

Seasoned Member

"I've run every
red light on memory
lane."

Posts: 2279

Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review
Reply #114 - 03/18/23 at 20:42:08

Quote:

Posted by: BlackBess Posted on: Today at 12:13:02

...“what about those Takatsuki tubes?”...

FWIW I have Takatsukies in my 300B amp and they are phenomenal. Not as warm as WE, but liquid, transparent, and more dynamic with plenty of bass and treble extension. Get them for $1700 here:

https://www.partsconnexion.com/takatsuki-new-vacuum-tubes.html

I highly recommend them.

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[FOOBAR2000 | Jay's CDT2 MRK3] -> Denafrips Terminator 2 + Gaia
Sumiko Pearwood -> Mapleknoll Athena -> Luxman SUT -> Mapletree Phono 3E
STR-1002 -> Woo WA22 -> 2x UFO25s, balanced monos
Omega SAM , Hifiman Arya, Audeze LCD-XC

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Showme Seasoned Member Posts: 302	Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review Reply #115 - 03/18/23 at 21:42:38 Thanks for that link. I've mostly been seeing them around $2.000. Also appreciate the review.
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Kahuna Jack

Seasoned Member

Posts: 156

Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review
Reply #116 - 03/18/23 at 22:51:29

" What is Had hiding? Why not offer the amp without tubes?"

is it in print someplace that only WE300b's can be used ? or just the fact that he builds and ships his amps with WE's . I just tried researching but came up empty looking for a website.

Could be multiple reasons for the WE's .

A) he's madly in love with the sound of that tube in his amp
B) he's being supportive of a made in USA vacuum tube
C) he's supporting the fact that a legendary classic tube is still being created today
D) Its kind of like a proud stamp of excellence ... like THX was used
E) He'd rather not see customers toss just any junk tube in his builds

the list could go on and on........ 1 thing 100% positive is that the 300b world requires deep pockets , $500 pair , $3k pair , heck even $300 a pair is a lot of $$$ just to keep an amplifier running especially if you're replacing tubes frequently.

think about the cats popping hard coin for original vintage WE300b's ?? ouch

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Kahuna Jack Seasoned Member Posts: 156	Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review Reply #117 - 03/18/23 at 23:00:09 I was " eye balling " the 300b Inspire , Ive also had my finger on the trigger for a Sun Valley SV-1616d 300b amp kit , point 2 point , tube rectified , Hashimoto tranny's . That amplifier on paper sounds like my jam. The cost of 300b maintenance has me in pause mode. Im not sure I want that smoke.
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BlackBess Seasoned Member TURN IT DOWN,I have children sleeping here Posts: 174	Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review Reply #118 - 03/18/23 at 23:07:48 How about reason “f”. Someone has a whole mess of matched pairs & quads to go through.
Back to top	KEF LS50 wireless 2 w/KC62 sub Analog Ethos select series 2a3>Decware HDT-v2 Dennis Had Inspire 6FLV-v>Fyne Audio F500 Shanling STP10>Klipsh forté IV Dennis Had 300PSE>Decware DNA 2 IPad mini>Audio Quest Dragonfly cobalt>Focal Clear Willsenton R300>Bose 601- IP Logged

Kahuna Jack Seasoned Member Posts: 156	Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review Reply #119 - 03/18/23 at 23:22:18 that little stack of glass would buy you a home in Friendship , WI lol
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Same Old DD Seasoned Member Posts: 1070	Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review Reply #120 - 03/18/23 at 23:32:28 Holy and wholy SHIT, dude. Nice haul! Yeah, ya wanna be friends? Nope, just kidding. I have no friends. I keep it that way. Kind of sparking a jealous nerve, though. Wow!
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Tony Seasoned Member "Life without ..music is inconceivable" A.Einsteln Posts: 712	Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review Reply #121 - 03/19/23 at 00:03:37 BlackBess, I just had to ask...what will you do with all those tubes? That is an impressive stack!
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Doug Seasoned Member Posts: 302	Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review Reply #122 - 03/19/23 at 03:52:51 Wait a minute! You bought that stack of WE tubes, BlackBess? I figure that would keep my amp supplied for around 400 to 500 years! I’m as curious as Tony. What’s your plan for all those tubes?
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BlackBess Seasoned Member TURN IT DOWN,I have children sleeping here Posts: 174	Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review Reply #123 - 03/19/23 at 04:04:49 Come on guys, that’s part of the Had stash. Any time you see a picture of his shop look in the background for a bunch o’tubes. I want to buy a couple of tubes, not a palette. This is Mr. Had at his shop maybe 10 years ago.
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Mike_L Verified Member Posts: 25	Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review Reply #124 - 03/20/23 at 00:10:41 That's a good pic of Mr. Had in his shop. He's a long time ham radio operator as well but I can't recall his call off hand.
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Mike_L Verified Member Posts: 25	Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review Reply #125 - 03/20/23 at 00:16:00 W4USR
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zeitlos Verified Member Posts: 4	Re: Dennis Had 300b Amp Review Reply #126 - 02/01/25 at 22:51:54 Has anyone had a change to compare the 300 PSE against the Decware 300B by now? Or against another 300B amp?
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