Forums - Print Page

Forums
https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl
EQUIPMENT FORUMS >> SE84UFO25 >> Sarah 300B vs UFO25
https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1679895058

Message started by DrWongKC on 03/27/23 at 06:30:57

Title: Sarah 300B vs UFO25
Post by DrWongKC on 03/27/23 at 06:30:57

Someone please tell me, is the Sarah 300B a superior sounding amplifier to the UFO25 or are they more of a different sound? I hope I can get an accurate answer here ;D.

Title: Re: Sarah 300B vs UFO25
Post by Lon on 03/27/23 at 14:22:21

If you read the Development thread Steve seems to view both amps as flagship amplifiers, both fantastic and just different.

He ought to know. ;) Right now he may be one of the only ones who can speak to comparisons with both amps.

Title: Re: Sarah 300B vs UFO25
Post by DrWongKC on 03/27/23 at 15:02:43

Thank you Lon :) I appreciate your reply.

Title: Re: Sarah 300B vs UFO25
Post by CAJames on 03/27/23 at 16:10:50

First, I'll second what Lon said. Based on Steve's posts both the Sarah and the UFO25 are top of the line. Both share the Decware "house sound" and yet are different. Also, note that Sarah has roughly 2 to 4 times the Watts of the UFO25 if that matters to you.

While I can't speak to Sarah I can talk about my experience with a singled ended 300B amp similar to this:

http://www.thebestamp.com/Single-Ended_Tube_Amps/SE-300B-BAL.php

that I bought used last year and my UFO amps that were configured as balanced monoblocs. The 300B sound is more similar to my UFOs than I expected. It is a little warmer and richer sounding, but not as transparent or as spacious. On the right recording, often solo piano or string quartet, it sounds gorgeous; the best, most beautiful sound I've heard in my listening room. Maybe anywhere ever. But overall I prefer the UFO sound. The UFOs sound lovely, and have a little extra dynamics, detail and sense of scale for the big music that I prefer like Mahler, Brucker or the Buddy Rich Big Band. I love the UFO sound so much I got back on the waiting list for a pair of UFO25s and hope to have them in the fall. Of course this is my taste, my room and all that.

I think the bottom line is as long as the 2.3 watts from the UFO25 is not an issue for you can't go wrong with either. I expect soon posters will be reviewing their Sarahs and that will be very interesting and informative.

Title: Re: Sarah 300B vs UFO25
Post by DrWongKC on 04/03/23 at 20:12:20

Thanks so much for the reply! It's really helpful, so I appreciate it a lot.

Title: Re: Sarah 300B vs UFO25....just a taste!
Post by mperdue63 on 04/03/23 at 21:28:48

[smiley=peanuts10.gif]It's way to early for me to say anything definitive about my new Sarah. I've only got 30 hours on her with WE 300B's,Sophia Electric Aqua 274B Rectifier, Cryotone 12au7 and Ecc88's, RCA OC2's. I simply moved my monoblock SE84UFO25's out and inserted the Sarah in the chain. I will say that I new very quickly that my ZRock was not needed! So at this point I can also say that Sarah is evolving nicely. She is "sensitive" to different tubes and I keep going back to the 274B. She works fine in a DAC-ZBit-Sarah chain but also works great ( rich baritone vocals, spooky cello) with a CSP325, 6N1P's in the mix. Are my Anniversary amps more detailed, transparent? I think it is way to soon to tell. More hours, more tubes etc. before I know more. Would I give up my anniversary amps at this point? Nope. Would I even consider giving up Sarah...absolutely not. I know this was not a detailed "review" and not much help in general. But if you're on the fence about ordering a Sarah.....I'd do it again without hesitation. YMMV

Title: Re: Sarah 300B vs UFO25
Post by DrWongKC on 04/04/23 at 05:44:15

Thanks for the reply, regarding sharing your perspective. It is appreciated!

Title: Re: Sarah 300B vs UFO25
Post by Lon on 04/04/23 at 14:18:14

Thanks for the taste. It makes us hungry for more. . . .

Title: Re: Sarah 300B vs UFO25
Post by CAJames on 04/04/23 at 15:06:32

Yeah, can't wait for more updates as your amp and tubes break in. People said my Takatsuki tubes would take hundreds of hours to break in and I didn't believe them because it seemed like after a hundred or so they were sounding really good and stable. But sure enough, after about 500 hours they opened up even more and are at another level. Ironically that was about the same time I sold my UFOs so I can't do a direct comparison until I get my UFO25s later this year. The CW is that WE tubes break in faster, in like 100 hours FWIW.

Title: Re: Sarah 300B vs UFO25
Post by Lon on 04/04/23 at 15:30:39

I'm glad the Sophia Electric Aqua 274B is delivering and performing without issue. That is the rectifier that I can't keep in a drawer . . . mine have to be in use, they just have a "set it and forget it" quality that no other brings to tube complements. I have Sophia Electric Classic 300B tubes waiting to go into my Sarah when it arrives--tubes engineered to work well with the Aqua. I still have a long wait. . . #157.