atelier 13 audio
THIVAN LABS 300B HPA Integrated
SINGLE-ENDED TRIODE TUBE HEADPHONE & SPEAKER AMPLIFIER
A Lyrical Tale of the Beauty and the Beast
Thivan Labs artfully combines a very distinctive and minimalist, highly functional and bold Bauhaus aesthetic with an unmistakable sonic identity … one that, with disarming honesty, infuses the “system equation” with a rich and lyrical narrative … a sonic narrative that is beguilingly poetic in cadence, such that the more you listen, the more lyrical the musical journey becomes !
THIVAN LABS 300B HPA Integrated
Thivan Labs 300B HPA Integrated
300B Integrated Headphone Amplifier
Output power to Headphones :
32 Ohms : 2.0W
50 Ohms : 1.3W
150 Ohms : 420 mW
300 Ohms : 210 mW
600 Ohms : 105 mW
Output power to Loudspeakers : 2x8W
Class of operation : SE (class A)
Tube complement :
2x 300B, 1x 12AU7, 1x 6SN7, 2x 6V6
Inputs : 2x RCA , 1x XLR
Outputs / HP : 1x 1/4", 1x XLR, 1x Dual XLR
Outputs / Loudspeakers : 4,6,8,16 ohm
Input sensitivity : 0.9V rms
Input impedance : 100K
Frequency bandwidth : 10Hz-30KHz (-3dB)
Remote : Yes
The 300B HPA Integrated is derived from Thivan Labs' 300B SE Anniversary Integrated amplifier.
The Headphone Amplifier circuit is designed to allow the use of 2 headphones simultaneously, and is compatible with HP loads from 32 ohms to 600 ohms. Power output to Headphones ranges from 2.0W at 32 ohms to 105mW at 600 ohms.
Thivan’s power transformer is specifically manufactured to suit the Driver and Power stages. This solution has maximized the renowned and much loved smooth sound quality of the 300B tube, and has also resulted in better sound spectrum control, especially when it comes to bass response, and delivering its 7.5W to loudspeakers.
Thivan’s OPT transformer is substantially up-rated, and as such, is very large coming in at a total weight of 6kg per OPT. Again here, as with the Power Supply circuit, the aim is to bring out the best qualities of the 300B tube's sound character, as well as to ensure delivery of this tubes power output capacity of 8w across the entire 20Hz – 20 kHz frequency range.
The components used are de facto of high quality and have been thoroughly tested, and are guaranteed by Thivan Labs to ensure stable and reliable operation. The Thivan Labs gear Build and Construction Solidity falls into the "extreme" type arena, and this beast of a piece is no exception weighing in at 32kg ... 71 lbs !!
The Thivan Labs 300B's comes with a very good tube complement as "standard", such as the PSVANE 300B Mesh tube. But this amplifier is nonetheless a tube roller's dream, particularly considering the really exceptional choice of 300B tubes available today from EAT, ELROG, TAKATSUKI, and EML. The other two tubes that are sublime rolling candidates are the notorious 6SN7 (...have at it !!) and the exquisite 6V6.
Other Specifications
Power consumption : 70VA
Size : 450×400×290mm
Weight : 32kg (71 lbs)
Hardwired Point-to-Point Circuit
$ 6,750
$ 5,350 DD-P Opportunity
Limited Time Direct Dealer Pricing [DD-P]
... about the tubes ...
... "to roll or not to roll" ...
300B
TUBE
PSVANE
Mesh
Substitutes
300B's by:
E.A.T.
Takatsuki
ELROG
EML
What they say ...
Hi/Fi Class
Marek Dyba | December 22, 2020
" Various musical guitar genres, individual styles of playing, strictly acoustic recordings, supplemented with electric riffs , solos, in duets and whole bands ...
Each time, all these very different guitars sounded very real ... and tangible above all. They sounded open, full of air, strings (nylon and metal) played, but most of all, the musicians were passionate, creative, masters in their trade, and the Thivan Labs 300B was able to approach each of them individually, adapt to the tempo and style of playing, to the sound of each instrument, to the atmosphere and mood of each recording. As befits a good tube, this amp not only took care of fast attack and sustain, but also long, full decay. Where it was needed, it showed the ability to convincingly present the acoustics of recordings and / or rooms in which they were made.
It treated the concert realizations with particular reverence, creating in my room almost as hot and intense an atmosphere as must have prevailed during the recording. With this type of amplifier, it is extremely easy to feel like a participant in such an event, instead of just a passive observer.
This is an important aspect of the magic of the 300B, and Thivan Labs, despite its reasonable price, most certainly does not disappoint.
Summary
In the case of tube amplifiers, you can get the first impression of what to expect from them before listening. You already get a pretty good idea when taking them in to the listening room or when unpacking them. There are few exceptions, but usually such a device simply has to weigh a lot, because a lot depends on the class of transformers. The Thivan Labs 300B with its seriously heavy 32 kgs makes a great first impression already at this stage.
Then it only gets better ... this amp eagerly serves up everything that lovers of the 300B's adore about these tubes. So, there is exceptional musicality, fluidity, smoothness, palpability and spaciousness of the sound ... there are also contagious emotions, thanks to which it is impossible to listen to this amplifier indifferently.
The excellent midrange is complemented by a clean, open and resonant treble, and a colorful, sufficiently low, well differentiated bass. All this together creates an extremely euphonic, coherent sound that encourages spending as much time as possible with your music.
This SET 300B offers a huge dose of magic from these unique triodes. It is worth a serious listen and checking out if this amp is what you have been looking for for a long time."
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