Oh Sh#7! Eddie Current Studio B

Yes, I'm really looking for a 4-4.5" FRD front ported in a smallish to medium size box

 

Louis at omega will do you front ported if you ask him. Here is a front ported compact alnico monitor:



He also seems to have a new "K8" speaker he's showing on social media, front ported 8" driver and pretty cheap ($750 US). I guess not as refined as the alnico series but could be a good option. Write to Louis and describe what sound you are after and he will recommend you something. When I did this he actually downsold me.

 

I might have found a pair of DIY Cabinets Bass Reflex Full Range Coral 6 flat for $250.
Would this be a good match?

 

Don't know for sure but they look like a good match! 92dB so should be okay. For that money I would give them a shot, you can probably make your money back selling on if you don't like them.

 

I thought I'd update you guys on my 300B journey.
I drove with friends from Melbourne to Sydney 545 miles (off to a wedding with friends so it was perfect timeing)
The seller travelled from Wollongong to Sydney to meet up 52 miles
Anyway back home now and all set up and ready to go...yay
The amp came with a pair of Gold Lion PX300B's, WE 396A and Sovtek 5AR4 Rectifier.
Not bad for US$1900 (and I can't complain)
There is one problem with the unit and that is a very noticeable volume imbalance between L and R channels.
I've done all the usual troubleshooting. Swapped tubes left to right, swapped cables and tried my Bottlehead Crack as a test bed. Tried SE and balanced outlets and both RCA inputs. All report back with the same imbalance (not the crack though)
So putting it out there on what might be the problem, a dirty volume pot maybe?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Is the imbalance throughout the volume spectrum of the pot?

 

Yes it is

 

I’m not helping much…but my spidey sense doesn’t think it’s the pot. I’m guessing that it may be the input end.

Anybody else with theories?

 

Hey, thanks Joch, I'm sure others will pick up on the conversation and give their solutions

 

Hey, just worked it out, the WE 396A needed a wiggle.
I didn't think the seller would come to the party with a defective unit.
So all in all, I think I've purchased a bargain.
I'm sure there wouldn't be more than a few in Australia, maybe I have the only one!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Man that’s awesome news. I was just about to recommend trying a driver tube swap if you had a cheap 2C51 around. If the channel cuts out again you can try giving the 396A’s pins a de-oxit soak and/or a scrub with steel wool.

A few of us have moved to a Bendix 2C51 in the amp and enjoyed it as much if not more than a 396A - they’re about as expensive if not more so nowadays, but everything in the NOS tube market is expensive compared to even five years ago. Anyway, slightly clearer and less “colored” than the 396a, but then again sometimes that color works toward your favor depending on your system synergy.

Enjoy!

 

I can second this advice on the Bendix/Eclipse 2C51; between the 396A and the Bendix I feel like both tubes allow easier integration of other headphones or sources into the chain/synergies, and waaay cheaper than rolling output tubes.

 

Third the Bendix 2c51, good if subtle improvement and doesn't cost a ton. Keep your Golden Lions too. The price point for subjectively more betterer 300b tubes after those gets ridiculous with fairly minor benefits to the expense.

 

Yeah, agree. Almost plonked 900 down on some used 90’s reissue WE 300B’s recently, but was glad to be saved by someone getting to them before me for that very reason. The nature of the 300B market (one based around an unobtanium tube that then sprouted a ton of NP tubes that largely attempt to mimic that original tube) means you’re going to get some serious diminishing returns by spending a ton more.

FWIW I did prefer these to the Gold Lions, but not by a ton. Am still using them. They’ve been vouched for by a few people/compared favorably to the NP WE 300B’s, although not a 1:1 match or anything. The secret sauce is probably the overhung filament, which is also in the WE’s:

https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/cossor-we300b.360103/

Anyway, only venture out into the 300B abyss if you have the money to burn and be prepared for it to not move the needle much, especially with the Studio B, which is a “sounds good with any tube” kind of amp.

 

@internethandle I did plonk down on the new production WEs (I had stimmy bucks burning a hole in my pocket at the time). You dodged a bullet lol. They are technically better than the Lions, but they definitely -aren't- 1200 dollars of better. I'm actually considering selling them and just going back to my Lions, or using the money to try out some EMLs to see if the more solid statey presentation works in the Studio B.

 

Thanks for all your recommendations and comments. It would have been a bummer if it was something more serious. I did my due diligence and even emailed Craig to see if the seller was the actual person who purchased the unit, which he confirmed. I think I really had lady luck on my side in finding this Studio 300B. I doubt there would be many more in Australia, if not the only one. It pays to scour all the forums as this wasn't on our regular Aussie forums here Downunder

 

Oh, if anyone has a spare Bendix 2C51 sitting around they would like to move on at a fair price, please let me know

 

For that price, I could have flown to Australia to pick it up!

 

PM’ed you.

 

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