Thread: Avantgarde Duo XD and 300B tubes = awesome!

After a long time, at least 6 months, cycling through my other various amps both solid state and tubes, I finally hooked up my Luxman MQ300 again, this time with the Misho Wooden preamp.

While I dearly love my Misho Wooden combo best overall (amp and preamp), it’s more natural, lively and open sounding than either of my 45 or 300B amps.

300B amps in general, and especially my Luxman MQ300 with the Takatsuki 300B tubes is a little fuller and more tonally dense. I love SET and a thick full sound. I can see how constantly listening to one kind of sound, while superb, can make me want to listen to something else for variety. Having the luxury of switching to another amp for a different flavor is wonderful.

That’s the beauty of my Avantgarde. They really let me experience what each amp/preamp has to offer. 2wpc to 20wpc is a goldmine of amazing amps just waiting to be heard. It can be a little addictive but oh so rewarding.


ps - The Luxman MQ300 is no longer for sale.

Hey Joe,

Do you find the thicker, tonally denser Luxman 300B is slower than your Misho? What are the downsides?

On a hopefully not too tangential topic...did you compare the Duo XD and Duo XD Meso? If so, thoughts? Can the Duo XD’s image holographically?

Thanks,

Jordan

Hi Jordan,

I have not heard the Duo Mezzo. They were way too expensive for me. I hope, and think, that I am not missing much.

Interesting question about being slower. I guess you could say it's a little slower but I don't really think that's the issue. The thicker sound, in my opinion, could be a little bit of a liability depending on the music.

Bass seems much heavier with the 300B, especially on some of the newer music. I feel that I need to (and probably will) turn down the bass modules by a few dB to compensate for the heavier 300B sound. Since I don't listen that loud, the heavier/fuller sound can be a bit of a benefit for my more restrained or late night listening sessions. The 300B seem to act like sort of a loudness control.

The Misho is way more balanced and for lack of a better word, more neutral but not in a negative sense. The Misho is just more natural overall.

I love the 300B on vocals, female especially and simpler music because the heaviness can make it feel a little congested.

I know Mike seems to gravitate towards the 300B. Paul and I seem to favor the Misho more overall. While I love the thicker sound, Paul seems to not like the 300B at all. On his Duo Mezzo, he likes Misho, Finale 6L6, Kondo integrated with EL34 (but that even seems lighter weight than the 300B).

It just amazes me how different all these amp designs portray the music.

Originally Posted by joeinid

Hi Jordan,

I have not heard the Duo Mezzo. They were way too expensive for me. I hope, and think, that I am not missing much.

Interesting question about being slower. I guess you could say it's a little slower but I don't really think that's the issue. The thicker sound, in my opinion, could be a little bit of a liability depending on the music.

Bass seems much heavier with the 300B, especially on some of the newer music. I feel that I need to (and probably will) turn down the bass modules by a few dB to compensate for the heavier 300B sound. Since I don't listen that loud, the heavier/fuller sound can be a bit of a benefit for my more restrained or late night listening sessions. The 300B seem to act like sort of a loudness control.

The Misho is way more balanced and for lack of a better word, more neutral but not in a negative sense. The Misho is just more natural overall.

I love the 300B on vocals, female especially and simpler music because the heaviness can make it feel a little congested.

I know Mike seems to gravitate towards the 300B. Paul and I seem to favor the Misho more overall. While I love the thicker sound, Paul seems to not like the 300B at all. On his Duo Mezzo, he likes Misho, Finale 6L6, Kondo integrated with EL34 (but that even seems lighter weight than the 300B).

It just amazes me how different all these amp designs portray the music.

i use bass adjustments on the Mezzo XD, varying from+ 3 dB to +12 dB depending on the recording. It’s invaluable. Also use the mq300 and with LTA pre amp.

Thank you Parker.

The Luxman is a superb amp. I'm dying to go home tonight and listen. I almost gave it away (but I am sure it would have gone to a good home). After letting it warm up yesterday and sitting down to listen after a long hiatus, I was floored once again. Sometimes you don't know what you have until it's gone. I am lucky. I have some great gear.

Originally Posted by pdub

Glad you reached another epiphany, Joe, before something terrible happened .... to my bank account. Enjoy all the music in all its permutations!
Parker

Great advice.

I have sooo many combinations. I need to experiment more.

Originally Posted by Willco

i use bass adjustments on the Mezzo XD, varying from+ 3 dB to +12 dB depending on the recording. It’s invaluable. Also use the mq300 and with LTA pre amp.

Originally Posted by joeinid

I know Mike seems to gravitate towards the 300B. Paul and I seem to favor the Misho more overall. While I love the thicker sound, Paul seems to not like the 300B at all. On his Duo Mezzo, he likes Misho, Finale 6L6, Kondo integrated with EL34 (but that even seems lighter weight than the 300B).

It just amazes me how different all these amp designs portray the music.

I haven’t heard your MQ300 so can’t comment on those particular amp however I had opportunity to hear some other 300B amps including very famous Wavac 300B amp. Whenever I listen to 300B they seem to add some color and body in to music all of sudden I hear Shirley Horn mouth got 5 ft wide. I like to hear real as possible and Misho’s Wooden amp and pre also Kondo deliver that. I guess it’s all matter of taste hope one day to hear your amp on our Avantgarde speakers. Enjoy them Joe


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Me too Paul, but I know you love a cleaner and more neutral sound - like live.

I want to eventually try a 2A3 and maybe a really nice 45 amp too.

Originally Posted by joeinid

Me too Paul, but I know you love a cleaner and more neutral sound - like live.

I want to eventually try a 2A3 and maybe a really nice 45 amp too.

Nothing going to beat the Wooden combo


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I know but I love to hear different flavor..

Originally Posted by Paul

Nothing going to beat the Wooden combo


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Originally Posted by joeinid

I know but I love to hear different flavor..

Playboy !


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Originally Posted by Willco

i use bass adjustments on the Mezzo XD, varying from+ 3 dB to +12 dB depending on the recording. It’s invaluable. Also use the mq300 and with LTA pre amp.

Wait a min. What ?!! up to +12db ???? Whoa. How big is your room ?


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Ha!

Originally Posted by Paul

Playboy !


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Originally Posted by Paul

Wait a min. What ?!! up to +12db ???? Whoa. How big is your room ?


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The listening area is about 15 x 45’. And there is another 15 feet back from that but it is mostly walled off with a partial wall of absorption and diffusion. So there’s a lot of space for those long bass waves.

For most recordings I’m at about +6db. I have the curve on the XT software pretty flat— with a slight bump up at 45 Hz.

Adjusting only the bass gain is pretty crude, but it seems to work well for me.

Originally Posted by Willco

The listening area is about 15 x 45’. And there is another 15 feet back from that but it is mostly walled off with a partial wall of absorption and diffusion. So there’s a lot of space for those long bass waves.

For most recordings I’m at about +6db. I have the curve on the XT software pretty flat— with a slight bump up at 45 Hz.

Adjusting only the bass gain is pretty crude, but it seems to work well for me.

Thank you that explains a lot. Enjoy the beautiful speakers what Color is yours ?


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