Bottlehead Forum

Bottlehead Kits => Kaiju Stereo 300B amp => Topic started by: pduk on December 21, 2018, 04:40:11 AM

Title: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: pduk on December 21, 2018, 04:40:11 AM
I've just received notification of the pre-order window for the new WE 300B production. The web page is at http://www.westernelectric.com/products/300b.html

I'm really very happy with the sound I get from the EH 300Bs that came with the Kaiju, but I am intrigued to know what these will sound like and I'll be pre-ordering a matched pair as soon as possible (February for me, I hope, since I'm in the UK not the USA).

Would love to hear any impressions from anyone lucky enough to preview samples from this new production run!

Paul.
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: Sp33ls on January 02, 2019, 06:04:56 AM
I have the same question...

I'm wondering if I should just wait on your review before pulling the trigger :) It'd definitely be a long-term investment -- as I'd imagine they should [ideally] last a long, long time.

Have others had positive results with rolling their 300B's in the Kaiju? Is it as noticeable as changing the 5670's?



Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: Mike B on January 08, 2019, 10:49:18 AM
I plan to pre-order a pair as soon as I can.  Expensive yes, but hey it a classic and it's American and not that much more than the high end Chinese tubes.
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: caffeinator on January 08, 2019, 12:50:56 PM
An iconic brand and a classic product - intriguing to say the least.

Given the price, one might be hard pressed to many, if any, of these tubes.  Given that, where one the system would one deploy these to the best advantage?  In a pre-amp (such as the Bee Pre) or in the finals, as in the Kaiju or similar?
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: Paul Birkeland on January 08, 2019, 01:05:21 PM
I'd probably use them in the BeePre, just because the tube life should be ridiculously long. 
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: Doc B. on January 08, 2019, 01:09:12 PM
I'd listen to them in both positions and then make a decision. My past experience with them was that they had a slight midrange emphasis and maybe just a hint  of softness on the top end. Where you might want those characteristics in the system is going to depend on the individual system - source, speakers, etc.
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: Gerry E. on January 09, 2019, 04:38:46 AM
The pre-order price has gone from $1299 to $1349 and finally to $1499/pair.  Still, I plan on ordering a pair.  The 5-year warranty makes it a little easier to justify.

Gerry 
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: bombay317 on January 11, 2019, 05:42:05 AM
Preordering opened today!
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: galyons on January 11, 2019, 05:59:59 AM
I tried to pre order, but error messages and warnings from my Chrome browser and sercurity software that the site was not secure.  Sent an email to Western Electric.

Cheers,
Geary
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: Gerry E. on January 11, 2019, 10:14:24 AM
I had no problem submitting my pre-order within the first 30 seconds of the pre-order button showing up on their website.  Order number 1030996XX where XX represents the last two digits.  Now the question is: When will they ship?  A week, month, 3 months or ??.  BTW, I'm not sure about that 5 year warranty.  The pre-order page had 1 year.  Maybe if you send in the warranty card or that was only for the original 1996 re-issues.

Gerry                       
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: Paul Birkeland on January 11, 2019, 12:43:30 PM
or ??.     
^I vote for that one.
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: galyons on January 11, 2019, 07:18:28 PM
I had no problem submitting my pre-order within the first 30 seconds of the pre-order button showing up on their website.  Order number 1030996XX where XX represents the last two digits.  Now the question is: When will they ship?  A week, month, 3 months or ??.  BTW, I'm not sure about that 5 year warranty.  The pre-order page had 1 year.  Maybe if you send in the warranty card or that was only for the original 1996 re-issues.

Gerry                     

WE emailed back that the site was secured via SSL. My security software still said not secure, but  I submitted my order. (Too many years in payments FinTech to not be concerned!)  I am in no big hurry and they won't hit the card until shipping time, so no real risk.  I have been happy with my Gold Lion and Shuguang Treasures.

Cheers,
Geary
Title: Why wait for the reissue?
Post by: caffeinator on January 29, 2019, 02:49:16 PM
Why wait for the reissue when one can acquire an NOS pair?

https://tubedepot.com/products/nos-western-electric-engraved-base-300b-black-plate-late-1930-s-matched-pair
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: 2wo on January 29, 2019, 03:02:30 PM
Well, if they took PayPal  8)...John
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: Doc B. on January 29, 2019, 03:32:12 PM
"The price is very high but we paid a lot to get these."

I'm picturing them toasting the three in their team who didn't make it back from the mission alive. Wire transfer, hell, I'd demand a suitcase of unmarked bills, new identification, and a helicopter.
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: oguinn on January 29, 2019, 03:45:32 PM
They only have one set. I buy all my tubes in sets of six, so if I can’t drop as much money on tubes as I did on my private cabana at the Fyre Festival, what’s even the point
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: bombay317 on February 05, 2019, 02:30:13 AM
I have to wait for the 15 Feb 2019 date as I am outside of the US.  I haven't found the list of countries that will be included in this, has anyone else seen that information anywhere?

Just tube dreaming over here, hoping they ship.  I would put them into my Kaiju and BeePre........
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: pduk on February 05, 2019, 03:51:01 AM
I'm in the same boat (I'm in the UK). I've been hoping/assuming we'll be in the next batch. Maybe an email to [email protected] to check?

P.
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: bombay317 on February 05, 2019, 08:07:27 PM
I did email them, and if they write back, I will post it to this thread!

I still cant decide if I want to get the Emission Lab 300bs or the Western Electrics.  I have not heard either.
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: kgoss on February 06, 2019, 07:24:30 AM
Why not get a pair of each. Try them in both your BeePre and Kaiju. You would get to hear any difference yourself and decide which you like best. I know it’s an expensive experiment but your ears should be the judge. You might decide you like both, i.e. WE in the BeePre and EL in your Kaiju.  Reguardless please post your comments.

Ken
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: pduk on February 15, 2019, 05:49:28 AM
My order's in now. Reeling a bit from the shipping charge ($220) but what the heck...

Now we wait  ;D
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: galyons on February 15, 2019, 06:13:30 AM
My order's in now. Reeling a bit from the shipping charge ($220) but what the heck...

Now we wait  ;D

Shipping to where? Makes a difference!

Cheers,
Geary
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: pduk on February 15, 2019, 09:26:19 PM
I'm in the UK. I can probably also look forward to a bracing customs bill 🇬🇧
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: dth31 on July 03, 2019, 01:16:10 PM
It's July:  curious if anyone has actually received their tubes, yet.  Given the reorganized Western Electric's past history, I've been very hesitant to send them that much money, until I hear that others are for sure receiving theirs.
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: Deke609 on July 03, 2019, 01:52:35 PM
In case anyone is interested, Parts Connexion has a matched pair of Takatsuki 300Bs on sale for $1575 USD. The few reviews I've read of this tube suggest that it is close to the original, pre-80's WE 300B.


I almost pulled the trigger on them, but decided to "cheap out" and get two pairs of the EML 300B for Beepre and Kaiju.


cheers,


derek
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: Gerry E. on July 04, 2019, 04:03:31 AM
They haven't shipped yet.  However, after sporadic updates since the pre-order in January, I received an encouraging email yesterday.  Production appears to be progressing and here's what they wrote in the email about the pre-order process:

"In January we introduced pre-ordering as a way for you to reserve 300B’s online. Soon we’ll honor your spot in line, shipping tubes from our warehouse to your front door as they become available. No action is required and you’ll be notified when the fulfillment step of this process begins.  Today, we’re notifying pre-order customers that the online Order Lookup function will be phased out July 15, 2019. By that date, we will export all orders from our online database to our internal database for fulfillment, therefore ending the pre-order phase."

Are they really that close to shipping or is this something to make you feel good?  We should know soon.

Gerry
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: pduk on July 07, 2019, 05:45:22 AM
I think it's important to note that they haven't actually taken any money yet. This apparently will be done shortly before shipping, with advance notice and opportunity to rectify any failed payments. Seems to me they are going about things in the right way though I wish they'd hurry up a bit...
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: pduk on December 23, 2020, 05:03:18 AM
Well... it's been a long time but guess what turned up today! I'll report back again when I've done some proper listening. But they threw in a couple of really nice extras.
Title: Re: Western Electric 300B (2019)
Post by: johnsonad on December 23, 2020, 01:08:58 PM
Cool! I hope they were worth the wait!