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Single Ended Triodes (SETs), the ultimate tube lovers dream.

"Is it music?"

I know exactly what you mean.

I got an education in this last night, when I heard the new Sapphire 300B monos recently announced by Wyetech Labs. These are remarkable amps. They are 18 wpc parallel 300B's that have deep, controlled, resolute, thunderous bass that I've never heard from any tube amp before, massive dynamics, remarkable micro-detail, impeccable transient response and a purity of tone that goes right up the spectrum and covers the full volume range. I was transfixed by what they did right. In the end, for me they inspired more admiration than love. I apparently need different audio tickles to keep me happy.

You could argue that the Sapphires are more neutral and faithful to the original signal than other amps, and I'd agree. For many people these amps are going to be search-enders - they're that good. But I kept missing the sheer extravagant expressivness of the PX25s I've been listening to for most of a week now. For me, that's where the music lies, not in the laundry-list of audiophile attributes that are easy to describe in reviews. The PX25 may be more coloured than the Saphhire, it may have less slam, but the dumptruck load of eloquence it drops in my lap more than compensates.


Paul Chefurka


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  • "Is it music?" - GliderGuider 05/7/0408:48:17 05/7/04 (0)


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