Tim Butler WE91A-300B Stereo

Western Electric Model 91A (WE91A) 300B Stereo Amplifier

Completed on 02/02/13

Built for Tim Bulter of Canada

Hi Min.

I wanted to thankyou for your patient and concise explanations on this project. Also, the timely suggestions and alternates as they arose. Having a builder and designer whose focus is quality,(parts) workmanship and tradition, was reassuring. The 'Min Amp's' wife friendly white enamel was also a blessing to our listening room. The breakin period reminded my wife and I of ourTannoys (Turnberry) when new. Mostly delightful, in that you get to discover the collection of music once again...and exciting, in that each time you turned it on,the sound was just a wee bit different.As you were aware Min, our biggest concern was speaker matching; and at 93db there has never been a lack of power! As first time SET owners, the experience of how reactive it was to gain was suprising. My wife likened the volume knob to adding yeast to a recipe...a little extra you can get away with...too much swells uncontrollably! Intermodular distortion becomes evident when you start gaining above those magic 'First Watts' where most music is normally played. Great for wives who don't do loud well. As our 'Min clone' settled in over the first 50-100hrs. a few things became evident...The Sophia Meshs, parts/signal path, coupling caps/transformers and craftmanship all become crutial to the outcome. That having very good speakers is critical, and personally I would'nt venture below 93db.The pre-amps qualities and/or shortcomings are revealed along with any other shitty recording that thusfar had passed scrutiny. AND...the closer to analog the source is, the sweeter sound...it's more evident now! During this time Min, the staging went from constricted to relaxed, at a depth that's in keeping with the recording venue. The higher instrumentation transitioned from excessivly harsh clarity to a more natural textured presence that's not overly detailed or detatched. The lower voicing and instrumentation got tighter and less muddled; more definitive in timbre and texture...with emphasis on natural: the music started to flow without being forceful or contrived. Live recordings especially,are appropriatly placed in the hall or church without having the singer at your table or the celloist in your pew. Staging, now has a revealing depth without seeming bottomless, the breadth of instumental spacing is neither constrained or blossoming in opulence. We don't want our music to sound forceful or be overly involving. We enjoy our 'Min Amp' for it's delicate and playful tone, that can be enjoyed anywhere in the room without feeling detatched. Engagment is the listeners choice, the transparency and presence soothes the soul or taps the toe regardless...with ease and truly, absence of fatigue. The more mature the amp becomes Min, the more we are rewarded with a little more transparency and dynamic range with the large ensemble and choral more notably. One must resist reaching for that volume knob and distorting this appreciative gain. We remain yours truly Min, with kindest regards...tim butler

YouTube video of this amplifier in action!

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