Dared VP300B

This Dared VP300B was such a great used value that I couldn't pass up sampling it a bit. How would a relatively inexpensive Chinese assembly line product like this stack up against hobbyist built one of a kind creations? Well, it represents a truly great starting point for 300B sound and single ended amps in general. At around $800 a pair new, these great looking pseudo-monoblock amps sound as good as many amps at 2-3 times the price. That sounds like a sales-pitch, but I have no interest here. After owning this for a few months (and upgrading the input tubes), I’d say it sounds as good as any of the 300B amps I’ve owned except for the Bez mono blocks, which were a special sound in their own right. I prefer hand made one of a kind items, but my ears were quite happy with these amps. All in all, for someone just entering the hobby or for someone who just wants to see what all the fuss is about 300B amps, this is a great place to be for well under $1000.